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Hussars
 

Hussar (original Serbian spelling: Gussar; via the Hungarian huszár to the French hussard) refers to a class of light cavalry, Serbian in origin but subsequently via Hungary imitated throughout Europe. Today for traditional reasons some military units still have 'hussar' as part of their title.

History

Light hussars

The word hussar (pronounced huh-ZAR, huh-SAR, or hoo-ZAR; IPA: , refers specifically to a light cavalryman, and probably derives from Serbian gussar ("highwayman", or brigand), a type of flamboyant 15th century cavalryman. The word could also possibly have been borrowed by the proto-Magyars (Hungarians), from Turkic equestrian peoples, prior to their arrival in Hungary. As the Uyghur Turks used this word to denote a soldier, which for an equestrian people would most likely be a cavalryman. The first light cavalry units of that name were those formed by Serbian gentry who sought refuge in Hungarian Croatia after their defeat in the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. The word Hussar is first mentioned in a written document of 1403. Initially fighting in various smaller units, Hungarian hussars were reorganised into a strong, highly-trained and motivated unit during the reign of King Matthias I Corvinus of Hungary. Under his command the units took part in the war against the Ottoman Empire in 1485 and proved successful against the Turkish Spahis. After Matthias' death in 1490 many hussars sought their fortunes as mercenaries in other Central and Western European countries and became the core of similar light cavalry formations created there. For instance, princes of Austria hired Hungarian hussars as mercenaries for wars against their European opponents, while other Hungarian hussars served at home to defend the country against Turkey.

Serbian origins

It is widely thought that the original hussars were influenced by the traditions of early Magyar light cavalry in terms of weaponry, military tactics and dress. But in fact the hussars originated in Serbia towards the end of the 14th century. Serbian light cavalry traditions in turn were, just like the Magyars, strongly informed by contact with Turkic equestrian peoples. These Serbian gussars fled from Rascia (Serbia) under the onslaught of the Turkish Ottomans after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 to neighbouring Croatia which at that time was part of the Hungarian kingdom, hence the misinterpretation of the hussars having a Hungarian origin. In Hungarian Croatia these Serbs patroled the borders with the Ottoman Empire and soon became a part of the Croatian and Hungarian tradition of light cavalry.

In the years 1541–1699, during the Turkish wars, two-thirds of Hungary was overrun by the Turks. To cope with this threat, Hungarians built a strong series of border fortresses and manned them with Hussars, thus keeping Turkish and Tartar raiders away from the hinterland. During these centuries, Hungarians employed hit-and-run tactics very well. Even more, hussars in many countries were volunteer troops and so they had boosted morale. The most famous operation of light hussars were the Sack of Berlin in 1757. A Hungarian count, Andreas Hadik , marched secretly and swiftly through the Prussian territory, sacked Berlin and returned without losses. Both type of Hussars' tactics were based on the same principle: one quick, deadly strike.

Polish Winged Hussars

The Polish hussars, in contrast to Serbian, Croatian and Hungarian ones, developed into heavy armoured cavalry during the second half of the 16th century. Their origin were Serbian hussar mercenaries who served in the Polish army from the end och the 15th century. The Polish Winged Hussars are not as well-known in Western Europe, only after the Battle of Vienna 1683 — and mainly after the famous films based on the novels of Sienkiewicz: Ogniem i Mieczem (With Fire and Sword), Potop (The Deluge) and Pan Wolodyjowski (Lit. "Sir Wolodyjowski" or "Fire in the Steppe" in the English version).

Heavy hussars

Initially the first hussar units in the Polish-Lithuanian Union were formed by the Polish parliament in 1503, which hired three banners of Serbian mercenaries. There are references though to Serbian hussars in Polish Treasury registers from the year 1500, and they were most probably in Polish service even before that date. Quickly recruitment also began from among Polish and Lithuanian citizens. Being far more manoeuvrable than the heavily armoured lancers previously employed, the hussars proved vital to the splendid Polish victories at Orsza (1514) and Obertyn (1531). By the reign of King Stefan Batory the hussars had replaced medieval-style lancers in the Polish army, and they now formed the bulk of the Polish cavalry.

Over the course of the 1500s hussars in Hungary had become heavier in character: they had abandoned wooden shields and adopted plate metal body armour and helmets ( The helmet was of Roman origin and went from the Romans to the Arabs who passed it on to the Turks who in turn passed it on to the Hungarians and Poles. It is actually the origin of the "Papenheimer" helmet that came to England during the Civil War, and was used by Oliver Cromwell ). When Stefan Báthory, a Transylvanian-Hungarian prince, became king of Poland in 1576 he found Polish hussars had developed along Croatian and Hungarian lines, becoming a heavy formation, equipped with a long lance as their main weapon. By the 1590s most Polish hussar units had been reformed along the same 'heavy' Croatian and 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. Until the Battle of Vienna in 1683, the Polish hussars fought countless actions against a variety of enemies, and rarely lost a battle. In the battles of Byczyna (1588), Kokenhusen (1601), Kircholm (1605), Kłuszyn (1610), Gniew (1626), Chocim (1673), Lwów (1675) and the Battle of Vienna 1683, the Polish hussars proved to be the decisive factor often against overwhelming odds.

As one of the very few units in the Polish standing army (most of other units were formed as levée en masse), the hussars were well-trained and well-equipped. They were armed with a sabre, a long sword (for fighting infantry from horseback), a warhammer, two pistols, a six meters long lance with a pennant and were further occasionally armed with a carbine or arrows and a bow. Until 18th century they were considered the elite of the Polish armed forces. Because of the fame and prestige that surrounded the hussars, many of them were accepted into nobility. Although by 18th century their importance was diminished by the introduction of modern infantry firearms and quick-firing artillery, the Polish hussars' tactics and armament remained almost unchanged and most inapt. When they finally were disbanded in 1776 their traditions were officially passed on to the Uhlans.

Hussars in Western Europe

Hussars outside of Eastern and Central Europe 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 copied across Europe. These light hussars were ideal for reconnaissance and raiding sources of fodder and provisions in advance of the army. In battle, they were used in such light cavalry roles as harassing enemy skirmishers, overrunning artillery positions, and pursuing fleeing troops.

Frederick the Great used hussar units extensively during the War of the Austrian Succession and they were widely utilised in the armies of the various German states. Great Britain hired German hussars among their Hessian mercenaries for service in the American War of Independence. France established a number of Hussar regiments, originally from Hungarian refugees though subsequently recruited from nearer German speaking regions, such as Alsace and Lorraine.

The Hussar Image

The colourful uniforms of hussars from 1700 onwards were inspired by Hungarian fashions.

This uniform usually comprised 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 Austrian knots on the sleeves; a matching pelisse (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 (a high fur hat with a cloth bag hanging from one side; although some regiments wore shakos of various styles); and high riding boots.

European (but not British) hussars traditionally wore long moustaches (but no beards) and long hair, with two plaits hanging in front of the ears as well as a larger queue 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 swashbuckler. Arthur Conan Doyle'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 Gerald's boast that the Hussards de Conflans could set a whole population running - the men away from them and the women towards them, may be taken as a fair summary 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 civilians. In addition to commandeering local food-stocks for the army, hussars were known to also use the opportunity for personal looting and pillaging.

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.

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 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 (although amalgamations have reduced their number to two only), the French Army, the Swedish Army, the Dutch Army and the Canadian Forces), usually as tank forces or light mechanized infantry. The Danish Guard Hussars provide a ceremonial mounted squadron, which is the last to wear the slung pelisse.

Armament and tactics

Hussar armament varied over time. Until the 1570s in both Poland and Hungary it included a cavalry sabre, lance, long wooden shield and, optionally, light metal armour. From the 1570s Polish hussars abandoned the use of shields and became more heavily-armoured. Apart from the sabre and the lance, they were usually also equipped with one or two pistols and a koncerz - a long (up to 2 metres) sword used in the charge when the lance was broken.

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 to explain the meaning of the wings. According to some they were designed to foil attacks by Tatar lassos; another theory has it that the sound of vibrating feathers attached to the wings frightened enemy horses during the charge. However, experiments carried out since the 1970s do not support any of the theories. The most probable explanation is: hussars wings, along with wild predators' fur worn on backs and with lance were for a psychological reason - they were part of husarias legend, making them mythological creatures; making every enemy sure that these are those dreadful, invincible hussars. King Stefan Batory wrote: "(...) feathers and other embellishment for magnificence and enemies' dread."

Current hussar units

Canada

All Canadian hussar units are in the reserve force and are roled as armoured reconnaissance.

Denmark

  • Gardehusarregimentet (English: Guard Hussar Regiment). Founded in 1614, this is the oldest regiment of hussars in the world. 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) to be classed as 'Guards'; in this case, the Guard Hussars perform the same role as the Household Cavalry do in the British Army.

France

Netherlands

The Dutch word for hussar is huzaar.

Except for the Huzaren Van Boreel, every regiment operates in the armoured role in one of the three mechanized brigades of the Dutch army, using the Leopard 2 main battle tank. Each of these brigades also has a squadron from the Huzaren Van Boreel attached for reconnaissance.

Peru

  • Regiment of Hussars of Junin. The regiment was created in 1821 by General Jose de San Martin to protect the then recently independent country of Peru. Today, it guards the entrance of the Peruvian Government House wearing the traditional uniform that dates from 1821.

Poland

Because the Polish word pancerny initially was used to denote both as a standard adjective meaning "armoured" and a Polish heavy hussar, currently most Polish armoured units are named "Armoured Cavalry" and refer to the hussar tradition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Similarly, Polish aero mobile forces refer to traditions of 19th century light cavalry.

Romania

In Romania the hussar regiments were known as "Călăraşi" (Moldavia) and "Roşiori" (Wallachia). The three (later expanded to ten) Roşiori regiments were the regular units while the Călăraşi 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 Roşiori, as their name implies in Romanian, wore red tunics with black braiding while the Călăraşi wore dark blue dolmans with red loopings. Both wore fur busbies and white plumes. The Roşiori 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).

After World War I the differences between the two branches of Romanian cavalry disappeared, although the titles of Roşiori and Călăraşi remained. Both types of cavalry served through World War II on the Russian front as mounted and mechanised units.

The city of Roşiori bears its name due to a hussar unit stationed there in the 17th century by Prince Brâncoveanu.

United Kingdom

Regular Units:

Territorial Army Units:

Presently, both Regular regiments operate in the armoured role, primarily operating the Challenger 2 main battle tank. The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars {RGH) are a Territorial Army Unit based in Cirencester and forms C (RGH) Sqn Royal Wessex Yeomanry as an Armoured Replacement Squadron. The hussar regiments are grouped together with the dragoon and lancer regiments in the order of precedence, all of which are below the dragoon guards. The King's Royal Hussars still retain the crimson trousers of the old 11th Hussars in most orders of uniform.

The Light Dragoons was formed by the amalgamation of two hussar regiments, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars, in 1992.

Bibliography

  • Zbigniew Bocheński, Ze studiów nad polską zbroją husarską in: Rozprawy i sprawozdania Muzeum Narodowego w Krakowie. Kraków, 1960
  • Leszek Podhorodecki, Sławne bitwy Polaków
  • Bronisław Gembarzewski, Husarze. Ubiór, oporządzenie i uzbrojenie 1500 – 1775 *
  • Janusz Sikorski, Zarys dziejów wojskowości polskiej do roku 1864
  • Jan Chryzostom Pasek, Pamiętniki
  • Mirosław Nagielski, Relacje wojenne z pierwszych lat walk polsko-kozackich powstania Bohdana Chmielnickiego
  • Jerzy Teodorczyk, 'Bitwa pod Gniewem 22.IX – 29.IX. 1626, pierwsza porażka husarii' * Studia i materiały do historii wojskowości, Warsaw, 1966
  • J. Cichowski, A. Szulczyński, Husaria
  • Jakub Łoś, Pamiętnik towarzysza chorągwi pancernej
  • Barczy Zoltán - Somogyi Győző: Magyar huszárok (Budapest, Móra, 1987)
  • Radosław Sikora, Fenomen husarii. Toruń 2004.
  • Radosław Sikora, Wojskowość polska w dobie wojny polsko-szwedzkiej 1626-1629. Kryzys mocarstwa. Poznań 2005.

See also

External links

Cavalry | Polish cavalry

Husaren | Húsar | Husaro | Hussard (cavalerie) | Húsar | הוסרים | Huszár | 軽騎兵 | Husar | Husaria | Hussardo | Гусар | Husaari | Husar

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Hussar".

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