…And Now, a Man on a Horse

I quite honestly consider this painting ("Constantinos Paleologos, the last Byzantine Emperor at the battlements, dawn of the 29th May of 1453" 200 X 145 cm,- oil on canvas, 2003 by Iannis Nikou) to be one of the silliest things I've seen in a while.  I mean, seriously: who would even consider taking a horse up onto the battlements of a beseiged city in order to view the attacking forces with your troops?

Besides, why's he wearing blue?  Purple was supposedly the colour of the Paleologus dynasty.