Old soldiers never die

The word “hussar” derives from Hungarian “huszár” or Serbian “gusar” meaning a robber and refers to units of Serbs who fought against their deadly enemy – Turks in Hungarian and Polish armies. It was used with reference to both Polish winged hussars and Hungarian hussars. At first Polish hussars were light cavalry units but they started to become heavier during the reign of King Stefan Batory (1576-1586). In 1610 at the battle of Kłuszyn, hussars as a heavy formation charged against Russian and Swedish infantry 10 times, beating and slaughtering enemy ranks. Apart from a heavy sabre, a Polish hussar was also armed with a long light lance, longer than infantry weapon and a stabbing sword with which he would puncture enemy’s chain mail garment. With time hussars were also equipped with firearms. The reason why Polish hussars’ charges were so effective was not only the famous wings (both the wings and pennants attached to the ends of lances scared enemy horses) but also very tough and expensive horses. They were not heavy but had to carry a 100-kg rider in full armour. Polish hussars took part in battles from the beginning of the 16th century till the middle of the 18th century. They belonged to the so-called national contingent, i.e. they were never borrowed from foreign armies, like dragoons. Units of hussars, very effective in breaking enemy ranks, were usually used at decisive moments of battles.

Hungarian hussars were light cavalry units which would charge after rejecting all heavy weapons. Their characteristics were fierce charges, aggressiveness and a tendency to engage in direct combat. Hungarian hussar units were used for reconnaissance, protection of own infantry units and destruction of enemy units so quickly as to prevent them from developing battle order. During retreat, they would trouble the enemy and control its movements. Hussars all over the world wore uniforms after Hungarian fashion. They did not use armour which became a relic even in the 17th century. Their distinctive mark was a dolman – a decorated tight jacket borrowed from Turkish janissaries, with lambskin lining and a loose-hanging pelisse over-jacket, which flapped during an attack like huge black wings. Hussars’ faces also must have looked scary: their facial hair and eyebrows were usually dyed black. Their tight trousers, decorated with embroidery, were adjusted to riding a horse and were similar to those worn by Polish highlanders. They used short guns and pistols and typical curved and heavy sabres. On their heads they wore shakoes or bearskins. The so-called Hussars of Death looked particularly scary in their black dolmans with silver ornaments looking like skeleton’s ribs and huge metal skulls and crossbones on bearskins. They appeared relatively late in Poland but their career here was spectacular. The first Polish hussar unit was set up by Major Ksawery Krasicki; he recruited Poles coming from the territory of Poland belonging to Austrians during the Kościuszko Uprising in 1794. There were two units (10th and 13th) of hussars in the army of the Duchy of Warsaw. They took part in 1812 and 1813 campaigns. In the 19th century those exotic “riders from hell” became popular not only in salons but also started to feature in theatres and opera houses. Authors of librettos written for Viennese and Budapest operettas took a special liking to Hungarian hussars. The humorous advice given to less talented authors who did not know what to write next was to bring a troop of hussars on the stage. Other countries also contributed their share to Hungarian hussars’ popularity; “Huzarenmars”, a Dutch piece by H.A. Karels is considered one of the most beautiful if not the most beautiful hussar songs in the world.

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