Standard(s)

Called ‘Alem’ in Turkish. Apart from being a rallying point during battle, these standards had symbolic value for the military units that used them, and had to be protected (at all costs) from being captured by the enemy. Not only units from the regular Ottoman army had such standard, but also established militia, such as the armed divisions of Dervishes Orders.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: (amongst others) Wikipedia.