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Hussar



 
 
Hussar (original Hungarian
Hungarian language

Hungarian is a Uralic languages unrelated to most other languages in Europe. It is mainly spoken in Hungary and by the Hungarian minorities in the seven neighbouring countries....
 spelling: huszár, plural huszárok, , ) refers to a number of types of light cavalry
Light cavalry

Light cavalry refers to lightly-armed and armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored....
 created in Hungary
Hungary

Hungary , officially in English the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia....
 in the 15th century and used throughout Europe and even in America
Americas

The Americas are the region of the Western hemisphere that consists of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions....
 since the 18th century. Some modern military units retain the title 'hussar' for reasons of tradition.

During the 18th and 19th centuries hussars were raised by a number of European armies as light horse
Light Horse

Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry. They served during the Second Boer War and World War I....
.






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Hussar (original Hungarian
Hungarian language

Hungarian is a Uralic languages unrelated to most other languages in Europe. It is mainly spoken in Hungary and by the Hungarian minorities in the seven neighbouring countries....
 spelling: huszár, plural huszárok, , ) refers to a number of types of light cavalry
Light cavalry

Light cavalry refers to lightly-armed and armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored....
 created in Hungary
Hungary

Hungary , officially in English the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia....
 in the 15th century and used throughout Europe and even in America
Americas

The Americas are the region of the Western hemisphere that consists of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions....
 since the 18th century. Some modern military units retain the title 'hussar' for reasons of tradition.

During the 18th and 19th centuries hussars were raised by a number of European armies as light horse
Light Horse

Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry. They served during the Second Boer War and World War I....
. A separate type of cavalry were the heavy hussars
Polish Hussars

The Polish Hussars were the main type of cavalry of Polish Army between the 16th and 18th centuries. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had adopted the hussars from Hungary....
 of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth was one of the largest and most populous countries in 16th and 17th-century Europe, formed by a Union of Lublin of Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569....
.

History


The hussars of medieval Hungary

A type of irregular light horsemen was already well established by the 15th century in medieval Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary

The Kingdom of Hungary , which existed from 1000 to 1918, and then from 1920 to 1946, was a considerable state in Central Europe....
. The word hussar (or ) stems from the Hungarian
Hungarian language

Hungarian is a Uralic languages unrelated to most other languages in Europe. It is mainly spoken in Hungary and by the Hungarian minorities in the seven neighbouring countries....
 huszár. This word in turn originates from the Serbian
Serbian language

name=Serbian|nativename=|pronunciation=['sr?pski?]|familycolor=Indo-European|map=|states=See below under "Official status", besides that in Croatia and as an immigrant's language spread over Central Europe and Western Europe, as well as Northern America...
 husar or gusar, meaning pirate
Piracy

Piracy is a warlike act committed by a foreign nonstate actor, especially robbery or crime committed at sea, on a river, or sometimes on shore, either from a vessel flying no national flag, or one flying a national flag but without authorization from a nation....
, derived from the Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin

Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration....
 cursarius (cf. the English word corsair
Corsair

Corsairs were French privateers from the north-western French port of Saint-Malo, located on the northern coast of Brittany. Since the corsairs gained a swashbuckling reputation, the word corsair is also used generically as a more romantic or flamboyant version of the word privateer, or even of the word pirate....
). According to an alternate theory, the word is derived from the Hungarian word of húsz meaning twenty, suggesting that hussar regiments were originally composed of twenty men.

The hussars reportedly originated in bands of Hungarian and Serbian warriors crossing into southern Hungary after Turkish invasion on Serbia
History of Ottoman Serbia

Wars for Serbia The Turks defeated the Serbian army in two crucial battles: on the banks of the river Marica in 1371, where the forces of Serbian nobleman Mrnjavcevic from today's Republic of Macedonia were defeated, and the Battle of Kosovo on Kosovo Polje in 1389....
 at the end of the 14th century. Initially they fought in small bands, but were reorganized into larger, trained, formations during the reign of King Matthias I Corvinus of Hungary. So the first Hussar regiments were the light cavalry of the Black Army of Hungary. Under his command the hussars took part in the war against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
 in 1485 and proved successful against the Turkish Spahis as well as against Bohemians and Poles. After the king's death in 1490, hussars remained the preferred form of cavalry in Hungary. The Habsburg
Habsburg

The House of Habsburg was an important royal house of Europe and is best known as supplying all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1452 and 1740, as well as rulers of Spanish Empire and the Austrian Empire....
 emperors hired Hungarian hussars as mercenaries
Mercenary

A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict, who is not a national or a party to the conflict, and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or p...
 to serve against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
 and on various battlefields throughout Europe. The "father" of the US cavalry in 1777 was a Hungarian hussar named Michael de Kovats
Michael de Kovats

Michael Kovats de Fabriczy was a Hungarian people cavalry officer who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, in which he was killed in action....
.

Hussars of Frederick The Great

During and after the Rákóczi's War for Independence
Rákóczi's War for Independence

'R?k?czi's War for Independence' was the first significant freedom fight in Hungary against Absolutism Habsburg rule. It was fought by a group of noblemen, wealthy and high-ranking progressives who wanted to put an end to the inequality of power relations, led by Francis II R?k?czi ....
, many Hungarians served in the Habsburg army. Located in garrisons far away from Hungary
Hungary

Hungary , officially in English the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia....
, some deserted from the Austrian army joining that of Prussia
Prussia

Prussia was, most recently, a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This state had for centuries substantial influence on Germany and European history....
. The value of the Hungarian hussars as light cavalry was recognised and in 1721 two Hussaren Corps were organized in the Prussian Army
Prussian Army

The Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War....
.

Frederick II
Frederick II of Prussia

Frederick II was a monarch of Kingdom of Prussia from the House of Hohenzollern. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was Frederick IV of Margraviate of Brandenburg....
 (later called "The Great") recognised the value of hussars as light cavalry and encouraged their recruitment. In 1741 he established a further five regiments, largely from Polish deserters. Three more regiments were raised for Prussian service in 1744 and another in 1758. While the hussars were increasingly drawn from Prussian and other German cavalrymen, they continued to wear the traditional Hungarian uniform, richly decorated with braid and gold trim.

Frederick also recognized the national characteristics of his Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary

The Kingdom of Hungary , which existed from 1000 to 1918, and then from 1920 to 1946, was a considerable state in Central Europe....
 recruits and in 1759 issued a royal order which warned the Prussian officers never to offend the self-esteem of his hussars with insults and abuses. At the same time he exempted the hussars from the usual disciplinary measures of the Prussian Army
Prussian Army

The Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War....
: physical punishments including cudgeling.

Frederick used his hussars for reconnaissance duties and for surprise attacks against the enemy's flanks and rear. A hussar regiment under the command of Colonel Sigismund Dabasi-Halász won the Battle of Hohenfriedberg
Battle of Hohenfriedberg

The Battle of Hohenfriedberg or Hohenfriedeberg, now Dobromierz, was one of the crowning achievements of Frederick the Great. Frederick's Prussian army decisively defeated an Austrian army under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine on 4 June 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession....
 at Striegau on May 4, 1745, by attacking the Austrian
Habsburg Monarchy

The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austria branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918....
 combat formation on its flank and capturing its entire artillery.

The effectiveness of the hussars in Frederick's army can be judged by the number of promotions and decorations awarded to their officers. Recipients included the Hungarian generals Pal Werner and Ferenc Koszeghy, who received the highest Prussian military order, the "Pour le Merite"; General Tivadar Ruesh was awarded the title of baron; Mihály Székely was promoted from the rank of captain to general after less than fifteen years of service.

While Hungarian hussars served in the opposing armies of Frederick and Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa

Maria Theresa may refer to:...
 there were no known instances of fratricidal clashes between them.

Hussar Verbounko

Verbunkos (other spellings are Verbounko, Verbunko, Verbunkas, Werbunkos, Werbunkosch, Verbunkoche) is an 18th-century Hungarian
Hungary

Hungary , officially in English the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia....
 dance
Dance

Dance is an art form that generally refers to Motion of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of Emotional expression, social social interaction or presented in a spirituality or performance setting....
 and music
Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
 genre.

The name is derived from the German
German language

German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
 word werben that means, in particular, "to enroll in the army"; verbunkos -- recruiter. The corresponding music and dance was played during military recruiting, which was a pretty frequent event at these times, hence the character of the music.

The verbunkos was important component of the Hussar tradition. When the Hungarian hussars recruited they dressed the peoples to hussar uniform, gave hussar cup for the peasants and invited them to dance.

Heavy hussars of Poland

Initially the first units of Polish hussars
Polish Hussars

The Polish Hussars were the main type of cavalry of Polish Army between the 16th and 18th centuries. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had adopted the hussars from Hungary....
 in the Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)

The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Poland state created by the accession of Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386....
 were formed by the Sejm
Sejm

The Sejm is the lower house of the Poland parliament.Before the 20th century, the term "Sejm" referred to the entire three-Chambers of parliament Polish parliament, comprising the lower house , the upper house and the monarch....
 (Polish parliament) in 1503, which hired three banners of Hungarian mercenaries. Quickly recruitment also began among Polish and Lithuanian
Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was an Eastern and Central European state from the 12th /13th century until the 18th century. It was founded by Lithuanians, at the time one of the Lithuanian mythology Baltic tribes, whose initial lands covered Auk?taitija, the eastern part of present day Lithuania....
 citizens. Being far more maneuverable than the heavily armoured lancers previously employed, the hussars proved vital to the Polish and Lithuanian victories at Orsza (1514) and Obertyn
Battle of Obertyn

The Battle of Obertyn was fought between Moldavian Prince Petru Rares and Poland King Zygmunt Stary, in the town of Obertyn, north of the Dniester River, now in Ukraine....
 (1531).
Hussar By Alexander Orlowski
Over the course of the 1500s hussars in Hungary
Hungary

Hungary , officially in English the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia....
 had become heavier in character: they had abandoned wooden shields and adopted plate metal body armour. When Stefan Batory
Stefan Batory

Stephen B?thory was a Hungarian noble Prince of Transylvania , then King consort and Grand Duke consort of Lithuania to Anna Jagiellon. He was a member of the Somlyo branch of the noble Hungary B?thory....
, a Transylvanian-Hungarian prince, became king of Poland in 1576 he reorganized the Polish-Lithuanian hussars of his Royal Guard along Hungarian lines, making them a heavy formation, equipped with a long lance as their main weapon. By the reign of King Stefan Batory
Stefan Batory

Stephen B?thory was a Hungarian noble Prince of Transylvania , then King consort and Grand Duke consort of Lithuania to Anna Jagiellon. He was a member of the Somlyo branch of the noble Hungary B?thory....
 the hussars had replaced medieval-style lancers in the Polish-Lithuanian army, and they now formed the bulk of the Polish cavalry
Cavalry

The Cavalry is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat, it represents the mobility and offensive power of the armed forces....
. By the 1590s most Polish-Lithuanian hussar units had been reformed along the same 'heavy' Hungarian model. These Polish 'heavy' hussars were known in their homeland as husaria.

With the Battle of Lubieszów in 1577 the 'Golden Age' of the husaria began. Down to and including the Battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna

The Battle of Vienna , Ukrainian language: ????????? ?????? took place on 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months....
 in 1683, the Polish-Lithuanian hussars fought countless actions against a variety of enemies. In the battles of Byczyna
Battle of Byczyna

The Battle of Byczyna was the victory of newly-elected King Sigismund III Vasa's Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army over the Austrian army of Archduke Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria, a pretender to the Polish throne....
 (1588), Kokenhusen
Battle of Kokenhausen

The Battle of Kokenhausen was a major battle opening the Polish?Swedish War . It took place on the 23 June 1601 near Kokenhausen . In the battle, Polish forces defeated the Swedish relief force and captured the besieging force, relieving the Polish garrison....
 (1601), Kircholm
Battle of Kircholm

The Battle of Kircholm was one of the major battles in the Polish-Swedish War of 1600-1611. The battle was decided in 20 minutes by the devastating charge of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth cavalry, the Winged Hussars....
 (1605), Kluszyn (1610), Trzciana
Battle of Trzciana

The Battle of Trzciana, also known as Battle of Honigfeld or Battle of Stuhm in June 1629) was one of many battles of the Polish-Swedish War ....
 (1629), Chocim (1673) and Lwów
Battle of Lwów (1675)

Battle of Lw?w or battle of Lesienice refers to a battle between the armies of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealthand Ottoman Empire that took place near the city of Lw?w on August 24, 1675....
 (1675), the Polish-Lithuanian hussars proved to be the decisive factor often against overwhelming odds.

Until the 18th century they were considered the elite of the Commonwealth armed forces.

Hussars in the 18th century

Hussars outside the Polish Kingdom followed a different line of development. During the early decades of the 17th century hussars in Hungary ceased to wear metal body armour; and by 1640 most were now light cavalry. It was hussars of this 'light' pattern rather than the Polish heavy hussar that were later to be copied across Europe. These light hussars were ideal for reconnaissance
Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Australian, Canadian, and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon ....
 and raiding sources of fodder
Fodder

In agriculture, fodder or animal feed is any foodstuff that is used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs....
 and provisions in advance of the army. In battle, they were used in such light cavalry roles as harassing enemy skirmisher
Skirmisher

Skirmishers are infantry or cavalry soldiers stationed ahead or alongside of a larger body of friendly troops. They are usually placed in a skirmish line to either harass enemy troops or to protect their own troops from similar attacks by the enemy....
s, overrunning artillery positions, and pursuing fleeing troops.

In the late 17th and 18th centuries many Hungarian hussars fled to other Central and Western European countries and became the core of similar light cavalry formations created there. Following their example, hussar regiments were introduced into many of the armies of Europe.

Bavaria
Bavaria

Bavaria , with an area of and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, is a region located in the southeast of Germany and is the largest States of Germany of Germany by area....
 raised its first hussar regiment in 1688 and a second one about 1700. Prussia
Prussia

Prussia was, most recently, a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This state had for centuries substantial influence on Germany and European history....
 followed suit in 1721 when Frederick the Great used hussar units extensively during the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession

The War of the Austrian Succession involved nearly all the Power in international relations of Europe. The war began under the pretext that Maria Theresa of Austria was ineligible to succeed to the House of Habsburg throne, because Salic law precluded royal inheritance by a woman, though in reality this was a convenient excuse put forward by...
.

France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 established a number of hussar regiments from 1692 on, recruiting originally from Hungary and Germany, then subsequently from German speaking frontier regions within France itself. The first Hussar regiment in France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 was founded by a Hungarian lieutenant named Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny
Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny

Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny was a Hungary-born soldier who became Marshal of France....
.

Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 relied on its native cossacks to provide irregular light horse until 1741. Recruited largely from Christian Orthodox communities along the Turkish frontier, the newly raised Russian hussar units increased to 12 regiments by the Seven Years War. Founder of the first Russian Hussar regiment was Ádám Mányoki also a Hungarian officer.

Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 disbanded its first hussars in 1747 and then raised a new unit, the Espanoles Hussar Regiment in 1795.

Denmark
Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries....
 had hussars from 1762 and Sweden
Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic countries on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the ?resund Bridge in the south....
 introduced this class of cavalry about 1756.

Great Britain
Great Britain

Great Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the List of islands by area, and the largest in Europe. With a population of 58.9 million people it is List of islands by population....
 hired German hussars among their Hessian mercenaries and sent them to America to fight in the American War of Independence. Britain converted a number of light dragoon regiments to hussars in the early nineteenth century.

The United Provinces
United Provinces

United Provinces may refer to:* United Provinces, another name for the Dutch Republic , now The Netherlands* United Provinces of Agra and Oudh , a former province of British India; now Uttar Pradesh...
 raised its first Hussar regiment in 1784, and a second in 1787. During the French occupation from 1795–1813, there were a maximum of two hussar regiments. After regaining independence, the new Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army

The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands. The core fighting element of the army is divided into three separate brigades: two mechanised brigades and one airborne brigade....
 raised two hussar regiments (nrs. 6 and 8). They were disbanded (nr. 8 in 1830), or changed into Lancers (nr. 6 in 1841). In 1867, all remaining cavalry regiments were transferred to hussar regiments. This tradition remains until this day.

Hussars of the Napoleonic Wars

The hussars played a prominent role as cavalry in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts involving Napoleon I of France First French Empire and changing sets of European allies and opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815....
 (1796-1815). As light cavalrymen mounted on fast horses, they would be used to fight skirmish battles and for scouting. Most of the great European powers raised hussar regiments. The armies of France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia had included hussar regiments since the mid-18th century. In the case of Britain four light dragoon regiments were converted to hussars in 1805. Hussars were notoriously impetuous, and Napoleon was quoted as stating that he would be surprised for a hussar to live beyond the age of thirty due to their tendency to become reckless in battle, exposing their weaknesses in frontal assaults. The hussars of Napoleon created the tradition of sabrage
Sabrage

Sabrage is a technique for opening a champagne bottle with a sabre, used for ceremonial occasions. The saber is slid along the body of the bottle toward the neck....
, the opening of a champagne bottle with a saber.

The uniform of the Napoleonic hussars included the pelisse: a short fur edged jacket which was often worn slung over one shoulder in the style of a cape, and was fastened with a cord. This garment was extensively adorned with braiding (often gold or silver for officers) and several rows of multiple buttons. Under it was worn the dolman or tunic which was also decorated in braid. On active service the hussar normally wore reinforced breeches which had leather on the inside of the leg to prevent them from wearing due to the extensive riding in the saddle. On the outside of such breeches, running up the outside was a row of buttons, and sometimes a stripe in a different colour. In terms of headwear the hussar wore either a shako
Shako

A shako is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a peak or visor and sometimes tapered at the top. It is usually adorned with some kind of ornamental plate or Cap badge on the front, metallic or otherwise, and often has a feather, Hackle, or pompon attached at the top....
 or fur busby
Busby

Busby is the English language name for the Hungarian language pr?mes cs?k? or kucsma, a military headgear made of fur, worn by Hungarian Hussar....
. The colours of dolman, pelisse and breeches varied greatly by regiment, even within the same army. The French hussar of the Napoleonic period was armed with a brass hilted sabre
Sabre

The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually but not always has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large Guard , covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger....
 and sometimes with a brace of pistols although these were often unavailable.

A famous military commander in Bonaparte's army who began his military career as a hussar was Marshal Ney
Michel Ney

Michel Ney, 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskva River , was a France soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars....
, who after being employed as a clerk in an iron works joined the 5th Hussars in 1787. He rose through the ranks of the hussars in the wars of Belgium and the Rhineland (1794 - 1798) fighting against the forces of Austria and Prussia before receiving his marshal's baton in 1804 after the Emperor Napoleon's coronation.

19th century


Eastern Europe

Although the Romania
Romania

Romania is a country located in Southeastern Europe Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian Mountains, bordering on the Black Sea....
n cavalry were not formally designated as hussars, their pre-1915 uniforms as described below were of the classic hussar type. These regiments were created in the second part of the 19th century under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, creator of Romania by the unification of Moldova and Wallachia. Romania diplomatically avoided the word "hussar" due to its connotation at the time with Austro-Hungary, traditional sovereign or rival of the Romanian principates. Therefore these cavalry regiments were called "Calarasi" in Moldavia, and later the designation "Rosiori" was adopted in Wallachia. (The word "calaras" means "mounted soldier", and "rosior" means "of red color" which derived from the colour of their uniform.) The three (later expanded to ten) Rosiori regiments were the regular units, while the Calarasi were territorial reserve cavalry who supplied their own horses. These troops played an important role in the Romanian Independence War of 1877 on the Russo-Turkish front. The Rosiori, as their name implies in Romanian, wore red dolmans with black braiding while the Calarasi wore dark blue dolmans with red loopings. Both wore fur busbies and white plumes. The Rosiori regiments were distinguished by the different colours of their cloth busby bags (yellow, white, green, light blue, light green, dark blue, light brown, lilac, pink and light grey according to regiment). The Regimentul 1 Rosiori "General de armata Alexandru Averescu" was formed in 1871, while the Regimentul 4 Rosiori "Regina Maria" was created in 1893. After World War I the differences between the two branches of Romanian cavalry disappeared, although the titles of Rosiori and Calarasi remained. Both types of cavalry served through World War II on the Russian front as mounted and mechanised units.
Latin America
In Argentina
Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is a country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city....
, the 'Regimiento de Húsares del Rey' was created in 1806 to defend Buenos Aires from the British 1806-1807 expeditions. After Revolution in 1810, it became the 'Regimiento Húsares de Pueyrredón' after its founder and first colonel, Juan Martín de Pueyrredón.

In Peru
Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, the squadrons of Hussars of the Peruvian Legion of the Guard were created in 1821 by General Jose de San Martin
José de San Martín

Jos? Francisco de San Mart?n Matorras, also known as Jos? de San Mart?n , was an Argentina general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain....
, from officers and troopers of the Squadron of "Hussars of the General's Escort", the former Squadron of Horse-Chasseurs of the Andes, which were included in the newly created army of the then recently independent republic of Peru
Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. The 4th Squadron of the Hussars of the Peruvian Legion of the Guard was organized in Trujillo under the command of Peruvian Colonel Antonio Gutiérrez de la Fuente, and was named after "Cuirassiers" in 1823 and became into "Hussars of Perú" Squadron in 1824. It was renamed "Hussars of Junin" for its performance in 1824 at the Battle of Junin
Battle of Junín

The Battle of Jun?n was a military engagement of the Peruvian War of Independence, fought in the highlands of the Jun?n Region on August 6 1824....
, which was one of the Spanish-Peruvian battles which determined the final defeat of the Spanish colonial rule. Hussars of Junin fought at the battle of Ayacucho on 9 December 1824, among the liberating forces commanded by Antonio de Sucre against the loyalist Spanish forces commanded by Viceroy José de la Serna. The heroic action of the "Hussars of Junín" Regiment as part of the Light Horse commanded by General José Maria Córdoba were victorious, the battle eventuating in the capitulation of the Spanish forces, affirming the final independence of Peru. For this heroic action the "Hussars of Junín" Regiment of the Light Horse was titled after Liberator of Perú with inscription on the regimental guidon.

Hussars in the early 20th century

On the eve of World War I there were still hussar regiments in the British (including Canadian), French, Spanish, German, Russian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Romanian and Austro-Hungarian armies. In most respects they had now become regular light cavalry, recruited solely from their own countries and trained and equipped along the same lines as other classes of cavalry. Hussars were however still notable for their colourful and elaborate parade uniforms, the most spectacular of which were those worn by the two Spanish regiments, Husares de Pavia and Husares de la Princesa. A characteristic of both the Imperial German and Russian Hussars was the variety of colours apparent in their dress uniforms. These included red, black, green, dark and light blue, brown and even pink (the Russian 15th Hussars) dolmans. Most Russian hussar regiments wore red breeches as did all the Austro-Hungarian hussars of 1914. This rainbow effect harkened back to the 18th century origins of hussar regiments in these armies. The fourteen French hussar regiments were an exception to this rule - they wore the same relatively simple uniform, with only minor distinctions, as the other branches of French light cavalry. This comprised a shako, light blue tunic and red breeches. The twelve British hussar regiments were distinguished by different coloured busby bags and a few other distinctions such as the yellow plumes of the 20th, the buff collars of the 13th and the crimson breeches of the 11th Hussars.

Hussar influences were apparent even in those armies which did not formally include hussar regiments. Thus both the Belgium Guides (prior to World War I) and the Mounted Escort of the Irish Defence Forces (during the 1930s) wore hussar style uniforms.

After horse
Horse

The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
 cavalry became obsolete, hussar units were generally converted to armoured units, though retaining their traditional titles. Hussar regiments still exist today, in the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 (although amalgamations have reduced their number to two only), the French Army
French Army

The French Army, officially the Arm?e de Terre , is the Army component of the Military of France and its largest. As of 2007, the army employs 134,000 regular soldiers, 15,500 reservists, and 25,750 civilians....
, the Swedish Army
Swedish Army

The Swedish Army is the army branch of the Swedish Armed Forces, the military of Sweden....
 (Livregementets husarer (Life Regiment Hussars)), the Dutch Army and the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces." This singular institution consists of thre...
, usually as tank
Tank

A tank is a Continuous track, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility and Military tactics Offensive and defence capabilities....
 forces or light mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry

Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat .Mechanized infantry are distinguished from motorized infantry, who are transported to battle by trucks or motor vehicles, in that their vehicles provide a degree of protection from hostile fire, as opposed...
. The Danish Guard Hussars provide a ceremonial mounted squadron, which is the last to wear the slung pelisse.

The Hussar image

Kiprensky Davydov
The colourful military uniform
Military uniform

Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and Paramilitary of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian....
s of hussars from 1700 onwards were inspired by Hungarian fashions of the prevailing day. Usually this uniform consisted of a short jacket known as a dolman, or later a medium-length "attila" jacket, both with heavy horizontal gold braid on the breast, and yellow braided or gold
Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and atomic number 79. It is a highly sought-after precious metal, having been used as money, as a store of value, in jewelry, in sculpture, and for ornamentation since the beginning of recorded history....
 Austrian knot
Austrian knot

An Austrian Knot is an elaborate design of twisted cord or lace worn as part of a dress uniform, usually on the lower sleeve. It is usually a distinction worn by commissioned officer; the major exception is the hussars, in which Austrian knots are worn by all ranks....
s (sújtás) on the sleeves; a matching pelisse
Pelisse

A Pelisse was originally a cloak made of fur or lined in fur, most notably a type of dolman. Hussar regiments wore pelisses overhanging their shoulders that had fur trim....
 (a short-waisted overjacket often worn slung over one shoulder); colored trousers, sometimes with yellow braided or gold Austrian knots at the front; a busby
Busby

Busby is the English language name for the Hungarian language pr?mes cs?k? or kucsma, a military headgear made of fur, worn by Hungarian Hussar....
 (kucsma) (a high fur hat with a cloth bag hanging from one side; although some regiments wore the shako
Shako

A shako is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a peak or visor and sometimes tapered at the top. It is usually adorned with some kind of ornamental plate or Cap badge on the front, metallic or otherwise, and often has a feather, Hackle, or pompon attached at the top....
 (csákó) of various styles); and high riding boot
Boot

A boot is a type of shoe that covers at least the foot and the ankle and sometimes extends up to the knee or even the hip. Most have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
s.

European (but not British) hussars traditionally wore long moustaches (but no beards) and long hair, with two plait
Plait

A plait may mean either:* A braid-like knot* A pleat* Plait , a fold in the columella of a gastropod mollusc* an opensource shell based playlist generator and command line jukebox...
s hanging in front of the ears as well as a larger queue
Queue (hairstyle)

The queue or cue is a hairstyle in which the hair is worn long and gathered up into a pigtail. It was worn traditionally by certain Indigenous peoples of the Americas groups, Indian Brahmins and the Manchu of Manchuria....
 at the back. They often retained the queue, which used to be common to all soldiers, after other regiments had dispensed with it and adopted short hair.

Hussars had a reputation for being the dashing, if unruly, adventurers of the army. The traditional image of the hussar is of a reckless, hard-drinking, hard-swearing, womanising, moustachioed
Moustache

A moustache is facial hair grown on the upper lip. Often the term implies that the wearer grows only upper-lip hair while shaving the hair on his chin and cheeks....
 swashbuckler
Swashbuckler

Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that developed in the 16th century to describe rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen. It is based on a fighting style using a side-sword with a buckler in the off-hand, which was filled with much "swashing and making a noise on the buckler"....
. Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, Deputy Lieutenant was a Scotland author most noted for his stories about the Detective fiction Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger....
's character Brigadier Etienne Gerard of the French Hussards de Conflans has come to epitomise the hussar of popular fiction - brave, conceited, amorous, a skilled horseman and (according to Napoleon) not very intelligent. Brigadier Gerard's boast that the Hussards de Conflans (an actual regiment) could set a whole population running - the men away from them and the women towards them, may be taken as a fair representation of the espirit de corps of this class of cavalry.

Less romantically, 18th century hussars were also known (and feared) for their poor treatment of local civilian
Civilian

A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces. The term is also often used colloquially to refer to people who are not members of a particular profession or occupation, especially by law enforcement agency, which often use rank structures similar to those of military units...
s. In addition to commandeering local food-stocks for the army, hussars were known to also use the opportunity for personal looting
Looting

Looting , to rob, sacking, plundering, despoiling, or pillaging is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe or riot, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting....
 and pillaging.

Armament and tactics

Hussar armament varied over time. Until the 1600s it included a cavalry sabre
Sabre

The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually but not always has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large Guard , covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger....
, lance
Lance

The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different pole weapons based on the spear. The name is derived from lancea, Ancient Rome auxiliaries' javelin, although according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word may be of Iberian language origin....
, long wooden shield
Shield

A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. The term often refers to a device that is held in the hand, as opposed to armour or a bullet proof vest....
 and, optionally, light metal armour
Armour

Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat....
 or simple leather vest. Their usual form of attack was to make a rapid charge in compact formation against enemy infantry
Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who are primarily trained for the role of fighting on foot. A soldier in the infantry is known as an infantryman. Infantry units have more physically demanding training than other branches of armies, and place a greater emphasis on fitness, physical strength and aggression....
 or cavalry
Cavalry

The Cavalry is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat, it represents the mobility and offensive power of the armed forces....
 units. If the first attack failed, they would retire to their supporting troops who re-equipped them with fresh lances, and then would charge again.

Polish heavy hussars were much more heavily-armed. Apart from the Polish sabre
Szabla

Szabla [] is the general Slavic languages word for sabre. In particular, it is used to describe a specifically Eastern European one-edged sabre-like m?l?e weapon with a curved blade and, in most cases, a two-bladed tip called a feather ....
 and the lance
Lance

The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different pole weapons based on the spear. The name is derived from lancea, Ancient Rome auxiliaries' javelin, although according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word may be of Iberian language origin....
, they were usually also equipped with two pistols, a small rounded shield and koncerz
Koncerz

A koncerz is a type of sword used by Poland-Lithuania horsemen in the renaissance period. It is thin and long and generally used by a type of heavy cavalry to go through an armour plate, but not to slash....
, a long (up to 2 metres) yet light sword
Sword

A sword is a long, edged piece of metal, used as a cutting, thrusting, and clubbing weapon in many civilizations throughout the world. The word sword comes from the Old English language wikt:sweord, cognate to Old High German swert, Middle Dutch swaert, Old Norse sver? Old Frisian and Old Saxon swerd and Dutch langua...
 used in charge when the lance was broken. Also the armour became heavier and with time it was replaced by shield armour.

Unlike their lighter counterparts, the Polish hussars were used as a heavy cavalry for line-breaking charges against enemy infantry. The famous low losses were achieved by the unique tactic of late concentration. Until the first musket
Musket

A musket is a Muzzle -loaded, smoothbore long gun, which is intended to be fired from the shoulder.Usually, the musket is thought to be the weapon that replaced the arquebus, and was in turn replaced by the rifle....
 salvo
Salvo

A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their weapon with gun powder and shot....
 of the enemy infantry, the hussars were approaching relatively slowly, in a loose formation. Each rider was at least 5 steps away from his colleagues and the infantry using still undeveloped muskets simply could not aim at any particular cavalryman. Also, if a hussar's horse was wounded, the following lines had time to steer clear of him. After the salvo, the cavalry rapidly accelerated and joined up the ranks. At the moment of the clash of the charging cavalry with the defenders, the hussars were riding knee-to-knee.

Hussars of the Polish Commonwealth were also famous for the huge 'wings' worn on their backs or attached to the saddles of their horses. There are several theories which try to explain the meaning of the wings. According to some they were designed to foil attacks by Tatar lasso
Lasso

A lasso, lariat, or riata is a loop of rope that is designed to be thrown around a target and tighten when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy....
; another theory has it that the sound of vibrating feathers attached to the wings made a strange sound that frightened enemy horses during the charge. However, recent experiments carried over by Polish historians in 2001 did not support any of these theories and the phenomenon remains unexplained. Most probably the wings were worn only during parades and not during combat, but this explanation is also disputed.

Current hussar units


Argentina

The 'Regimiento Húsares de Pueyrredón' currently serves as an armor regiment (the 'RCT No 10 Húsares de Pueyrredón') using its Revolutionary era uniforms in full regalia during formal parades.

Canada

Note: All Canadian hussar regiments are reserve force armoured reconnaissance units.
  • 1st Hussars
    1st Hussars

    The 1st Hussars is an armoured Primary Reserve regiment of the Canadian Forces, currently based in London, Ontario and Sarnia, Ontario....
  • 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)
    8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)

    The 8th Canadian Hussars is the longest serving armoured regiment in the Land Force Command. A Squadron being Regular Force served in CFB Gagetown and B, C and HQ Squadrons served in Sussex, Moncton and Sackville....
  • The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)
    The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)

    The Royal Canadian Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. The unit is based in Montreal....
  • Sherbrooke Hussars
    Sherbrooke Hussars

    The Sherbrooke Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured warfare regiment of the Canadian Forces....


Denmark

  • Gardehusarregimentet
    Gardehusarregimentet

    Gardehusarregimentet is one of two cavalry regiments of the Royal Danish Army. Its name is often abbreviated GHR. It was formed in 2001 through the amalgamation of the original Guard Hussars with two infantry regiments:...
     (English: Guard Hussar Regiment). Founded in 1762. Currently it is a mixed armour/infantry unit with seven battalions. In addition to its operational role, the Guard Hussar Regiment is one of two regiments in the Danish Army (along with the Den Kongelige Livgarde
    Den Kongelige Livgarde

    Den Kongelige Livgarde is an infantry regiment of the Royal Danish Army, formed in 1658. It serves a dual role as both a front line combat unit, and as a guard/ceremonial unit in regard to the Danish monarchy....
    ) to be classed as 'Guards'; in this case, the Guard Hussars perform the same role as the Household Cavalry
    Household Cavalry

    The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth of Nations to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country?s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state....
     do in the British Army. In mounted parade uniform the Gardehusarregimentet are the only hussars to still wear the slung and braided pelise which was formerly characteristic of this class of cavalry.


France

  • 1st Airborne Hussars Regiment
    1st Parachute Hussar Regiment

    The 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment is an airborne cavalry unit in the French army. It is stationed in Tarbes and is a part of the 11th Parachute Brigade....
     (or 1st Hussar Parachute battalion
    1st Parachute Hussar Regiment

    The 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment is an airborne cavalry unit in the French army. It is stationed in Tarbes and is a part of the 11th Parachute Brigade....
    ) : . Founded in 1720, currently stationed in Tarbes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France
    Tarbes

    Tarbes is a France town and commune in France, in the d?partement in France of Hautes-Pyr?n?es, of which it is the pr?fecture. It is part of the historical region of Gascony....
    . Formerly the "Hussards de Bercheny", after the founder, Count Bercheny
    Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny

    Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny was a Hungary-born soldier who became Marshal of France....
    , who was a Hungarian noble. French official website :
  • 2čme régiment de Hussards (2e RH) (2nd Hussar Regiment). Founded in 1735, currently stationed in Sourdun, Provins
    Provins

    Provins is a communes of France of France. Population : 11,667, while 12,814 people live in Provins and the surrounding built-up area.Provins, Town of medieval fairs, was listed as a UNESCO...
     arrondissement. Traditionally called "Chamborant".
  • 3čme régiment de Hussards (3e RH) (3rd Hussar Regiment). Founded in 1764, currently stationed in Immendingen, Tuttlingen
    Tuttlingen

    Tuttlingen is a town in Baden-W?rttemberg, capital of the Tuttlingen . The county includes several surrounding towns including Trossingen, Spaichingen, and M?hlheim....
     district, Germany. Part of the Franco-German Brigade. Formerly the "Hussards d'Esterhazy".
  • 4čme régiment de Hussards (4e RH) (4th Hussar Regiment). Founded in 1791, currently stationed in Metz
    Metz

    Metz is a city in the northeast of France, capital of the Lorraine R?gion in France and prefecture of the Moselle Departments of France.It is located at the confluence of the Moselle River and the Seille rivers....
    .


It should be noted that because of political upheavals, such as the French Revolution and the Restoration of 1815, the French Hussar regiments do not have the same historical continuity as their counterparts in some other armies.

Hussard noir (black hussar) was the nickname of primary teachers in the Third Republic
French Third Republic

The French Third Republic was the political regime of France between the Second French Empire and the Vichy France. It was a republican parliamentary democracy that was created on 4 September 1870 following the collapse of the Empire of Napoleon III of France in the Franco-Prussian War....
 because of their black coat.

Netherlands

The Dutch
Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic languages spoken by over 22 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as a second language."1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language speakers of Dutch is very small. Most native...
 word for hussar is huzaar .
  • Regiment Huzaren Prins van Oranje
    Regiment Huzaren Prins van Oranje

    The Regiment Huzaren Prins van Oranje is an armoured regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named after William III of the Netherlands, eldest son of William II of the Netherlands....
  • Regiment Huzaren Van Boreel
    Regiment Huzaren Van Boreel

    The Regiment Huzaren van Boreel is an armoured regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named for Willem Francois Boreel. It currently serves in the armoured Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance role; the regiment provides two armoured reconnaissance squadrons assigned to each of the army's two mechanized brigades, w...
     (armoured reconnaissance)
  • Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander
    Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander

    The Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander is an armoured regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named after Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, the second son of William II of the Netherlands....
     (disbanded 2007)
  • Regiment Huzaren Van Sytzama
    Regiment Huzaren Van Sytzama

    The Regiment Huzaren Van Sytzama is an armoured regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named for Willem Hendrik Baron van Sytzama. The regiment serves as part of 13 Gemechaniseerde Brigade operating the Leopard 2 main battle tank....
Except for the Huzaren Van Boreel, every regiment operates in the armoured role in one of the two mechanized brigades of the Dutch army
Royal Netherlands Army

The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands. The core fighting element of the army is divided into three separate brigades: two mechanised brigades and one airborne brigade....
, using the Leopard 2
Leopard 2

The Leopard 2 is a Germany main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s and first entering service in 1979. The Leopard 2 replaced the earlier Leopard MBT as the main battle tank of the German Army....
 main battle tank. Each of these brigades also has a squadron from the Huzaren Van Boreel attached for reconnaissance. There is also a mounted unit for ceremonies: . It is linked to the Huzaren Prins van Oranje although riders from other regiments participate as well.

Peru

The 1st Cavalry, "Glorious Hussars of Junin Liberator of Perú"
Junín

Jun?n may refer to:...
 Regiment forms a personal mounted guard to the Peruvian President Alan García Pérez
Alan García Pérez

Alan Gabriel Ludwig Garc?a P?rez is the current President of Peru, having won the Peruvian national election, 2006 on June 4, 2006 in a run-off against Union for Peru candidate Ollanta Humala....
 since 1987 and wear a stylized uniform of a red coat and blue breeches, that are supposed to have been worn in 1824. The hussars carry lances on parade, and mount a dismounted guard in the Government Palace of Perú
Government Palace (Peru)

The Government Palace of Peru, also known as House of Pizarro, built in 1937, is located on the north side of the Plaza Mayor of Lima, Lima, "City of the Kings." It was the house of the Peruvian government headquarters and was built over a huge Indian burying ground Waka that had a shrine of Indian chief Taulichusco....
.

Poland

Because the Polish word pancerny initially was used to denote both as a standard adjective meaning "armoured" and a Polish cavalryman lighter than the heavy hussar, currently most Polish armoured units are named "Armoured Cavalry" in reference to the hussar tradition of the Polish cavalry. Similarly, Polish aeromobile forces retain the traditions of 19th century light cavalry.
  • 11 Dywizja Kawalerii Pancernej of Jan III Sobieski
  • 6 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej
  • 9 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej
  • 10 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej
  • 15 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej
  • 34 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej


Sweden

  • Livregementets husarer (English: Life Regiment Hussars). Founded in 1667 when the Uplandian Cavalry were made into a royal guards regiment. Today Livregementets husarer, also known as K 3, is the last remaining hussar regiment in Sweden and trains one of the two special service units of the Swedish army: the parachute rangers.


United Kingdom

  • The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish)
  • The King's Royal Hussars
  • 60 (Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars) Signal Squadron
    60 (Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars) Signal Squadron

    The Squadron is a Royal Signals Territorial Army unit based in Aylesbury, with detachments at Bedford and Cambridge. The role of the Squadron is to provide secure radio communications in support of 2 Signal Brigade, using a variety of communications equipment....
  • Leicestershire Yeomanry
    Leicestershire Yeomanry

    The Leicestershire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794 and again in 1803, which provided cavalry and mounted infantry in the South African War and First World War and provided two field artillery regiments of the Royal Artillery in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Leicestershire a...
     (P.A.O)


Presently, the first two regiments operate in the Armoured role, primarily operating the Challenger 2 main battle tank. The Hussar regiments are grouped together with the Dragoon
Dragoon

A dragoon is a soldier intended primarily to fight on foot but trained also in horse riding and cavalry combat, especially during the late 17th and early 18th centuries when dragoon regiments were established in most European armies....
 and Lancer
Lancer

A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used in mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as 700BC and subsequently by Greek, Macedonian, Persian, Gallic and Roman horsemen" The weapon was widely used in Asia and Europe during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance by armoured cavalry before being adopted by light...
 regiments in the order of precedence, all of which are below the Dragoon Guards.

Although a Dragoon regiment, The Light Dragoons
The Light Dragoons

The Light Dragoons is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army in the British Army.It was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of two regiments, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars becoming the first dragoon regiment in the British Army for over twenty years....
 was formed by the amalgamation of two Hussar regiments, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)

The 13th/18th Royal Hussars was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army....
 and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars

The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army. It was created as part of the reduction in the cavalry in the aftermath of World War I....
, in 1992. This marks a reversal of the trend during the mid-19th century when all light dragoon regiments then existing were converted to hussars.

60 (RBH) Sig Sqn is a Territorial Army unit within 36 (Eastern) Signal Regiment
36 (Eastern) Signal Regiment

36 Signal Regiment is Territorial Army regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. The regiment forms part of 2 Signal Brigade, providing military communications for national operations....
 and was formed in 1999 from the 5th Battalion The Royal Green Jackets.

See also


Further reading

  • Radoslaw Sikora, Fenomen husarii
  • Bronislaw Gembarzewski, Husarze. Ubiór, oporzadzenie i uzbrojenie 1500 – 1775
  • Zbigniew Bochenski, Ze studiów nad polska zbroja husarska in: Rozprawy i sprawozdania Muzeum Narodowego w Krakowie. Kraków, 1960
  • Marek Plewczynski, Obertyn 1531
  • Romuald Romanski, Beresteczko 1651
  • Leszek Podhorodecki, Slawne bitwy Polaków
  • Szymon Kobylinski, Szymona Kobylinskiego gawedy o broni i mundurze
  • Janusz Sikorski, Zarys dziejów wojskowosci polskiej do roku 1864
  • Jan Chryzostom Pasek
    Jan Chryzostom Pasek

    Jan Chryzostom Pasek was a Polish nobleman and writer in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He is best remembered for his memoirs , which are a valuable historical source about Baroque sarmatism culture and events in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...
    , Pamietniki
  • Miroslaw Nagielski, Relacje wojenne z pierwszych lat walk polsko-kozackich powstania Bohdana Chmielnickiego
  • Bitwa pod Gniewem 22.IX – 29.IX. 1626, pierwsza porazka husarii in: Studia i materialy do historii wojskowosci, Warsaw, 1966
  • J. Cichowski, A. Szulczynski, Husaria
  • Jakub Los, Pamietnik towarzysza choragwi pancernej
  • Brzezinski, Richard. Polish Armies 1569-1600. (volume 1) #184 in the Osprey Men-at-Arms Series. London: Osprey Publishing, 6, 16.
  • Brzezinski, Richard. Polish Winged Hussar 1576-1775. Warrior Series. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2006.
  • Hollins, David. Hungarian Hussars 1756-1815. Osprey Warrior Series. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, Ltd., 2003.
  • Klucina, Petr. (Illustrations by Pavol Pevny), Armor: From Ancient To Modern Times. Reprinted by New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1992, (by permission of Slovart Publishing Ltd, Batislava).
  • Ostrowski, Jan K., et al., Art in Poland: Land of the Winged Horsemen 1572-1764. Baltimore: Art Services International, 1999.
  • Wasilkowska, Anna. The Winged Horsemen. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Interpress, 1998.
  • Zamoyski, Adam. The Polish Way. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1996.


External links