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Uhlans
Uhlans (; ; ; ; ) were a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. While first appearing in the cavalry of Lithuania and then Poland, Uhlans were quickly adopted by the mounted forces of other countries, including France, Russia, Prussia, Saxony and Austria-Hungary. Uhlans traditionally wore a double-breasted short-tailed jacket with a coloured 'plastron' panel at the front, a coloured sash, and a square-topped Polish lancer cap (, also called ). This cap or cavalry helmet was derived from a traditional design of Polish cap, formalised and stylised for military use. Their lances were traditionally topped with a small, swallow-tailed flag ('' pennon'') just below the spearhead. Etymology There are several suggested etymologies for the word uhlan. In the Turkic languages, ''oğlan'' means '' young man'' or ''boy''. It is probable that this entered Polish via Tatar or Turkish and was styled as ''ułan''. The Polish spelling was then adopted by German, French and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lancer
A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance by heavy cavalry, but fell out of general use in the late 16th century before its revival by light cavalry in the 19th century. 17th, 18th, and 19th century lancers The lancer ( Polish: ''ułan'', German: ''Ulan'', French: ''uhlan'') had become a common sight in the majority of European, Ottoman, and Indian cavalry forces during this time, but, with the exception of the Ottoman troops, they increasingly discarded the heavy armour to give greater freedom of movement in combat. The Polish "winged" lancers were amongst the last European units to abandon their armour. There was debate over the value of the lance in mounted combat during the 17th and 18th centuries, with most armies having very few lancer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Czapka
Czapka (, ; also spelt ''chapka'' or ''schapska'' ) is a Polish, Belarusian, and Russian generic word for a cap. However, it is perhaps best known to English speakers as a word for the 19th-century Polish cavalry headgear, consisting of a high, four-pointed cap with regimental insignia on the front (full name in Polish: ''czapka rogatywka'', initially: ''konfederatka'') to which feathers or rosettes were sometimes added. History Origins This headdress developed initially as a square-topped variant of a shako. In its early, compact form from 1784 onwards the czapka was introduced by Austrian uhlans, during the time Galicia was under Habsburg rule. Its use was spread from eastern Europe by the Polish Legion, fighting for the French in the Napoleonic Wars, and became popular not only among Napoleon's French and allied forces, such as Westphalia, Bavaria, Saxony, and Naples, but also among the armies of his enemies. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw used them for infantry and artiller ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polish Hussars
The Polish hussars (; pl, husaria ), 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 charge. The hussars ranked as the elite of Polish cavalry until their official disbanding in 1776. The hussar dress was ostentatious and comprised plated body armour (cuirass, spaulders, bevors, and arm bracers) adorned by gold ornaments, a burgonet or lobster-tailed pot helmet and jackboots as well as versatile weaponry such as lances, koncerz, sabres, backswords, pistols, maces, and hatchets. 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 hussars were light cavalry units of exiled Balkan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army (, "Common Army", recruited from all parts of the country), the Imperial Austrian Landwehr (recruited from Cisleithania), and the Royal Hungarian Honvéd (recruited from Transleithania). In the wake of fighting between the Austrian Empire and the Hungarian Kingdom and the two decades of uneasy co-existence following, Hungarian soldiers served either in mixed units or were stationed away from Hungarian areas. With the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 the new tripartite army was brought into being. It existed until the disestablishment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following World War I in 1918. The joint "Imperial and Royal Army" ( or ''k.u.k.'') units were generally poorly trained and had very limited access to new equipment bec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Duke Of Lithuania
The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Kingdom of Lithuania, Lithuania, which was established as an Absolute monarchy, absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three Duke, ducal Dynasty, dynasties that managed to stay in power—House of Mindaugas, Gediminids, House of Gediminas, and Jagiellonian dynasty, House of Jagiellon. Despite this, the one and only King of Lithuania who has ever been Coronation, crowned was King Mindaugas, Mindaugas I, although there were two more instances of royal nobles who were not officially crowned due to unfortunate political circumstances, but ''de jure'' received recognition abroad as kings of Lithuania from the pope or the Holy Roman emperor—Vytautas the Great by Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund of LuxembourgNadveckė, Ineta (6 July 2019Trys Lietuvos karaliai: vienas tikras, vienas nelabai ir vienas beveik''Lithuanian National Radio and Television, LRT''. and Wilhelm Karl, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Born into wealthy Polish aristocracy, Poniatowski arrived as a diplomat at the Russian imperial court in Saint Petersburg in 1755 at the age of 22 and became intimately involved with the future empress Catherine the Great. With her connivance, he was elected King of Poland by the Polish Diet in September 1764 following the death of Augustus III. Contrary to expectations, Poniatowski attempted to reform and strengthen the large but ailing Commonwealth. His efforts were met with external opposition from neighbouring Prussia, Russia and Austria, all committed to keeping the Commonwealth weak. From within he was opposed by conservative interests, which saw the reforms as a threat to their traditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Poczet
Poczet (, "fellowship" or "retinue"; plural ''poczty'') was the smallest organized unit of soldiers in the and later also the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army from the 15th until the 18th century. The name of a medium or heavy-cavalry soldiers in poczet was pocztowy. In the cavalry, each poczet was commanded by a Companion or Armoured companion. Several Poczets were combined to form larger units like a Banner (the equivalent of a Western Company). In this context the poczet is the equivalent of the medieval Lances fournies. Pocztowy was an assistant and subordinate of the Companion, in some respects similar to more ancient knight's servant - page or squire. He was armoured like his superior, but fought in the second or third line and was responsible for guarding his back and flanks in a battle. See also * Offices in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth This article discusses the organizational and administrative structure of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Polish–Lit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Retinue
A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble, royal personage, or dignitary; a ''suite'' (French "what follows") of retainers. Etymology The word, recorded in English since circa 1375, stems from Old French ''retenue'', itself from ''retenir'', from the Latin ''retenere'': to hold back or retain. Employment Such retainers were not necessarily in the domestic service or otherwise normally close to the presence of their lord, but also include others who wore his livery (a kind of uniform, in distinctive colours) and claimed his protection, such as musicians and tutors. Some were a source of trouble and abuse in the 15th and early 16th century. Often their real importance was very different from their rank: on the one hand, sinecures and supernumerary appointments allowed enjoying benefits without performing full service. On the other hand, 'having the ear' of the master can allow one to act as a confidant in an informal capacity; or in some cases, even ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Companion (military Rank)
Companion ( Polish: ''Towarzysz'' ), plural: ''towarzysze'') was a junior cavalry officer or knight-officer in the army of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from the 16th century until its demise in 1794. Name During the 20th century, ''towarzysz'' assumed the same meaning as the Russian ('' tovarishch'', " comrade"), with the military meaning fading in use. Use of cultural expressions such as '' pan'' ("sir") was frowned upon and the communist regime encouraged use of ''towarzysz'' ("companion") or '' obywatel'' ("citizen"). Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth In the military of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, (until the 1775 AD reforms) companion was usually a noble who served in the Army for a period of time, usually less than 5 years, as a horseman with his mounted retainers (cavalry) and ''free servants'' (hussars, cossack – Armoured companion, Petyhorcy, Hajduk), or with none or one retainer and very few free servants (light cavalry e.g. Wallachian, Lisowcz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horseman's Pick
The horseman's pick was a weapon of Middle Eastern origin used by cavalry during the Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East. This was a type of war hammer that had a very long spike on the reverse of the hammer head. Usually, this spike was slightly curved downwards, much like a miner's pickaxe. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with ''war hammer''. A metal-made horseman's pick called "nadziak" was one of the main weapons of the famous Polish Winged Hussars. A weapon of late make, the horseman's pick was developed by the English and used by their heavy Billmen, a unit of heavy infantry. It was used with great success during the Hundred Years' War. A use of the horseman's pick was to tear men from their mounts. The horseman's pick was often used as a means to penetrate thick plate armour or mail which the standard sword could not. However, a number of drawbacks limited the weapon's effectiveness. Its relative heaviness made it unwieldy and, thus, easily avoided. The in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Greek ''hippeis'' and ''hoplite'' (ἱππεῖς) and Roman '' eques'' and ''centurion'' of classical antiquity. In the Early Middle Ages in Europe, knighthood was conferred upon mounted warriors. During the High Middle Ages, knighthood was considered a class of lower nobility. By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior. Often, a knight was a vassal who served as an elite fighter or a bodyguard for a lord, with payment in the form of land holdings. The lords trusted the knights, who were skilled in battle on horseback. Knighthood in the Middle Ages was closely linked with horsemanship (and especially the joust) from its origins in the 12 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
