Hussars

[Yoda Power]

What exactly is a Hussar? I know they were cavalry used by the Polish, Germans, Russians and Swedes, or am i wrong?

 

[polymath]

A subject after my own heart.

Some helpful links, the second link is rather good on the history side of it:

http://www.rencentral.com/sept_vol1/hussars.shtml

http://www.angelfire.com/mn3/pnaf/WingedHussars.html

 

[Yoda Power]

Originally posted by polymath
A subject after my own heart.

Some helpful links, the second link is rather good on the history side of it:

http://www.rencentral.com/sept_vol1/hussars.shtml

http://www.angelfire.com/mn3/pnaf/WingedHussars.html

Thanks, it was some interesting reading. I see Hungary and Serbia used hussars too, but what about sweden and germany? I always thougt they employd hussars in their armies too.

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

Hussars are Hungarian, the distinct costume is of Magyar origin.

All military used them during the late 18th and early 19th century, some nations much earlier, the first "Hussars" were mounted Magyar (Hungarians) of the 10th century.

They were intended as light cavalry, to scout, protect flanks, attack enemy supply lines, and sometimes in mainline combat vs disrupted infantry.

A nice book on the subject is "Cavalry, The History of a Fighting Elite" by V. Vuksic & Z. Grbasic..

 

[napoleon526]

In 18th and 19th century armies, Hussars generally considered themselves to be superior to other cavalry units in the army. They were said to be rakish, rougeish characters, who did not take well to discipline. Their uniforms were more flashy and fashionable than other soldiers, and hussars had an expensive lifesytle to maintain. Generals and staff officers wore hussar uniformsto be on the cutting edge of fashion.

 

[Archer 007]

The last use of Hussars was in the Korean War, but they were in tanks.

 

[Illustrious]

Originally posted by archer_007
The last use of Hussars was in the Korean War, but they were in tanks.

Last use by whom? We in the UK have still got quite a few of them, you know! (And yes, they are in tanks).

 

[FlakJacket]

I think it was the British 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, who fought in Centurion tanks, that he was refering to.

 

[Archer 007]

Originally posted by FlakJacket
I think it was the British 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, who fought in Centurion tanks, that he was refering to.

Correct comrade. That was the last time they've been used in war.

 

[Illustrious]

Originally posted by archer_007
Correct comrade. That was the last time they've been used in war.

Ah right - wondered if you might have meant them. Regiment now known as the Queen's Royal Hussars (bl**dy mergers! Shame we only have two hussar regiments left now).

Question for other nations reading this thread: has anyone else still got any of the colourfully named regiments in their armies? Hussars, lancers, cuirassiers, carabiniers etc.... Even if you stick the men in tanks, it's good to preserve the old traditions.

 

[Yoda Power]

I would like to keep this thread for Hussars on horses if you dont mind.

Anyone have more to say?

 

[Stefan Haertel]

I'm no expert on -not even overly interested in- military history, but I know of some use in Germany... during the Imperial age ("Kaiserzeit", i.e. the time of the emperors) the main cavalry unit was the cuirasserie. But there were also elite hussars. I think there was a unit called "Todeshussaren" ("Death hussars"), one of whose members was... Wilhelm II! Maybe you have seen pictures of him in the black, seemingly eastern European dress. That's their dress. I'll see if I can find a pick and attach it here (if there is interest).

 

[Yoda Power]

I'll see if I can find a pick and attach it here (if there is interest).

sure do that.

 

[napoleon526]

Here's an early 17th century Polish hussar:

 

[napoleon526]

A painting of a late 18th/early 19th century Hussar:

Another Napoleonic hussar:

A Russian Hussar:

 

[Yoda Power]

Was it only Polish Hussars that had "wings"?

BTW nice pics

 

[napoleon526]

Originally posted by Yoda Power
Was it only Polish Hussars that had "wings"?

BTW nice pics

"Winged" hussars were generally Polish nobility. The uniform made it's way into all European armies, but only Polish hussars had the 'wings.' I honestly don't know what they were for, other than to look impressive.

 

[Mikoyan]

The Swedish Army still has a unit called "The Life-Regiment's Hussars" or something like that.

 

[Vrylakas]

As AofA mentioned, hussars derive from the Hungarians' Steppe cavalry that burst violently into Europe in the 9th and 10th centuries. At the time most of Europe was pouring on the armor for its mounted warriors but the Magyar riders who raided across Europe literally ran circles around them until Otto I learned the lesson and met fire with fire at Lechfeld (Augsburg) in 955. The idea was having a light cavalry that could be all over the battlefield quickly, applied as needed where needed. A mounted knight in full armor in 1000 A.D. often wore as much as 140 kg/300 lbs., which really cut down on mobility.

Firearms diminished the need for armor in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the old Hungarian huszárok were revived, this time with lances and sidearms. The Poles became most famous for their Hussars for three reasons:

1. Poland's great land empire was based on the northern European plain, from eastern Pomerania to the Ukrainian breadbasket, which meant that the terrain was excellent for horse-mounted warfare.

2. The Polish husaria (hussars) were used to great effect, in massed concentration. They became known and feared throughout Europe, especially in the eastern imperial lands.

3. The wings. These were just for effect ultimately, but it worked. Imagine standing in the 17th century on a flat plain where there's nowhere to run and hide, and you (an illiterate mercenary) see a horde of thundering horses barreling down on you with these wings flying in the wind. Yer doomed.

I'll attach two images, a 19th century painting (romanticized somewhat but not inaccurate) and a shot from a 2000 film called Ogniem i mieczem (With Fire and Sword) about 17th century Ukrainian cossack uprisings in eastern Poland, which had several excellent scenes recreating dramatic charges of the husarzy.

 

[Vrylakas]

Hmmm, somehow haven't figured out to attach multiple images to a single post. Here's the shot from the film: