Polish hussars

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Polish hussars
Shock attack
Nickname(s)The Angels of Death[1]
Motto(s)Amor Patriae Nostra Lex (Love of the fatherland is our law)
ColorsRed and white
EquipmentBurgonet, lance, mace (bludgeon), hatchet, sabre
Engagements
Tree list

The Polish hussars (/həˈzɑːrs/; Polish: husaria [xuˈsarja]),[a] alternatively known as the winged hussars, were a heavy cavalry formation active in Poland and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1503 to 1702. Their epithet is derived from large rear wings, which were intended to demoralize the enemy during a charge. The hussars ranked as the elite of Polish cavalry until their official disbanding in 1776.

The hussar dress was ostentatious and comprised plated

jackboots as well as versatile weaponry such as lances, long thrusting swords, sabres, pistols, carbines, maces, hatchets, war hammers, and horseman's picks. It was customary to maintain a red-and-white colour scheme, and to be girded with tanned animal hide. The wings were traditionally assembled from the feathers of raptors
, and the angel-like frame was fastened onto the armour or saddle.

The early

shock cavalry, with troops recruited from the Polish nobility. The Polish hussar differs greatly from the light, unarmored hussars
that developed concurrently outside Poland.

The hussar formation proved effective against

banners participated in the largest cavalry charge in history and successfully repelled the Ottoman attack. From their last engagement in 1702 (at the Battle of Kliszów
) until 1776, the obsolete hussars were demoted and largely assigned to ceremonial roles.

History

Entrance of winged Polish hussar delegates in La Rochelle, France, in 1573, following the Siege of La Rochelle (1572–1573) and their offering of the Polish throne to the Duke of Anjou.

The etymology of the word hussar stems from the Serbian word gusar meaning "wanderer/brawler".

deli cavalry.[6] In the 15th century, the hussars based on those of Matthias Corvinus were adopted by some European armies to provide light, expendable cavalry units.[6]

The oldest reference of hussars in Polish records dates to the year 1500, when the Rascians were employed by Grand Treasurer

banner of the royal household.[7] However, it is possible that they were in service much earlier and their contribution was not well-documented.[8] As the Ottoman raids on the southeastern frontier intensified, the so-called Rascian Reform (1500–1501) during the reign of John I Albert solidified the role of an early hussar in Polish ranks.[9]

A historical reconstruction of a Winged Hussar, 2013.

The first hussar formation was established by the decree of the

Polish Crown victories during the early 16th century, exemplified by the victories at Orsha (1514) and Obertyn
(1531). During the so-called "transition period" of the mid-16th-century, heavy hussars largely replaced armoured lancers riding armoured horses, in the Polish Obrona Potoczna cavalry forces serving on the southern frontier.

Polish hussars during entry into Kraków, detail of so-called Stockholm Roll, 1605.

The true winged hussar arrived with the reforms of the

chorągiew husarska
).

Over the course of the 16th century, hussars in

elected King of Poland and later accepted as a Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1576, he reorganized the hussars of his Royal Guard into a heavy formation equipped with a long lance as their main weapon. By the reign of Bathory (1576–1586), the hussars had replaced medieval-style lancers in the Polish Crown army, and they now formed the bulk of the Polish cavalry
. By the 1590s, most Polish hussar units had been reformed along the same "heavy" model. These heavy hussars were known in Poland as husaria.

With the

Polish–Muscovite War
, the Muscovites and Swedes outnumbered the Commonwealth army 5 to 1, yet were heavily defeated.

Over time, the role of the Hussar evolved into a reconnaissance and advanced scout capacity. Their uniforms became more elaborate as their armour and heavy weapons were abandoned. In the 18th century, as infantry firearms became more effective, heavy cavalry, with its tactics of charging into and breaking infantry units, became increasingly obsolete and hussars transformed from an elite fighting unit to a parade one.

Instead of ostrich feathers, the husaria men wore wooden arcs attached to their armour at the back and raising over their heads. These arcs, together with bristling feathers sticking out of them, were dyed in various colours in imitation of laurel branches or palm leaves, and were a strangely beautiful sight to behold ... – Jędrzej Kitowicz (1728–1804).[10][11]

Tactics

See also: Cavalry tactics
Hussar formation at the Battle of Klushino (1610), painting by Szymon Boguszowicz, 1620.

The hussars represented the heavy cavalry of the Commonwealth. The

towarzysze
with duties (keeping order, helping with manoeuvres) within the banner during battle, but their functions are rather poorly understood.

The Polish hussars' primary battle tactic was the mounted

cuirassiers to quick light-armed Tatars. There was a death penalty for selling a hussar horse (sometimes the horses were referred to as "tarpan") to someone outside of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.[12]

Armour and weaponry

The hussars'

towarzysz were required to provide the arms and armour for themselves and their retainers, except for the lance which was provided by the King.[13]
Each lance's horses also came at each towarzysz husarski's expense. During their heyday, 1574–1705, winged hussars carried the following arms and armour:

The

kopijka
, and was 3 to 3.6 metres (9.8 to 11.8 ft) long and was used against the Tatars and Turks in late-17th-century wars.

Grand Standard Bearer of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (Chorąży Wielki Koronny) on the Stockholm Roll (c. 1605).

The

szabla husarska
.

Hussars sometimes carried additional weapons, such as a 'nadziak' (

Towarzysz husarski carried one or two wheellock (later flintlock) pistols in the saddle holsters, while retainers also might have carried a pistol or light wheellock arquebus or carbine
; from the 1680s a carbine for retainers was mandatory.

Individual hussars may have possibly carried a

Tatar or Turkish composite bow with arrows in a quiver, especially after the mid-17th century, when many 'pancerny' companions became hussars, and some sources of the late 17th century note the existence of bows amongst the hussar companions. During the first half of the 18th century, while in non-military attire, the hussars' companion carried a bow in a bow case to denote his military status. Yet bows in bow cases were carried by all cavalry officers of the National Army until the reforms of the 1770s, including uhlan
units in the Saxon service.

At the height of their prowess, from 1576 to 1653, hussar armour consisted of a comb-like

cuisse thigh, and poleyn
knee protection, underneath a thigh-length coat of mail or specially padded coat with mail sleeves. Retainers usually wore less expensive and older armour, often painted black, and, after the 1670s, might have no cuirass, according to some sources.

The hussar armour was light, usually around 15 kilograms (33 lb), allowing them to be relatively quick and for their horses to gallop at full speed for long periods. Albeit from the 1670s onwards, chain-mail was used when fighting the Muslim Tatars in the southeastern borderlands of the Commonwealth. A rarely-used

John Sobieski
, but perhaps due to costs and weight, remained popular mostly with the winged hussar commanding officers.

The

Podhorce Castle
paintings, he had the exotic pelt underneath his saddle or wrapped around his hips. Wolf, brown bear and lynx pelts were reserved for leaders and veterans (starszyzna).

Koncerz husarski – Koncerz a stabbing type of sword of the Polish hussars, often used against heavily armored opponents.

Legacy

The Polish hussars are depicted on the commemorative 500 złotych gold coin.[14]

Badge of the Polish 11th Armoured Cavalry Division featuring a stylized hussar wing and helmet.

The badge of the Polish Army's 11th Armoured Cavalry Division features a stylized hussar wing and helmet.[15] The Division's patron is Jan III Sobieski, who led the winged hussars at the Battle of Vienna, and the unit's commemorative badge is inscribed with the inherited battle honour "Vienna 1683".[15]

In 2016, the Swedish metal band Sabaton wrote the song "Winged Hussars" for their album The Last Stand. The song is about the Battle of Vienna in 1683 and the Hussars' charge which helped defeat the Ottomans.[16]

One, then two for one scene, were featured in the Canadian TV series Murdoch Mysteries, in the 2018 season 11 episode 16 entitled, "Game of Kings".

In 2023, in the Netflix series 1670, Bogdan is seen wearing the winged hussars in Season 1 Episode 1, "The Assembly".

See also

Notes

  1. ^

References

Citations

  1. ^ Marek Kępa 2017.
  2. ^ Showalter & Astore 2007, p. 44
  3. ^ Nicolle & Sarnecki 2008, p. 19
  4. ^ Nolan 2006, p. 428
  5. ^ Hientze 2018, p. 2
  6. ^ a b Davies 2012, p. 7–
  7. ^ Plewczyński 1994, p. 47
  8. ^ Brzezinski 1987, p. 14
  9. ^ Plewczyński 1995, pp. 109, 215
  10. ISBN 8322326823
    .
  11. ^ Kitowicz, Jędrzej (1855). Opis obyczajów i dziejów za panowania Augusta III [Description of customs and history during the reign of Augustus III] (in Polish). Petersburg i Mohylew: Bolesław M. Wolff.
  12. ^ "Husaria w Kętrzynie" [Hussars in Kętrzyn]. Hodowca i Jeździec (in Polish). October 4, 2012.
  13. ^ Sikora, Radosław (17 January 2019). "Ciekawostki na temat husarii, o których nie uczyli Cię w szkole" [Interesting facts about hussars that you were not taught about in school]. Ciekawostki Historyczne (in Polish). Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Husarzy na monetach" [Hussars on coins]. Onet Wiadomosci (in Polish). Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  15. ^ a b "11th Lubuska Armored Cavalry Division: Colours and symbols". Wojsko Polskie. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  16. ^ "Winged Hussars – Lyrics". Sabaton.net. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polish Winged Hussars.
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