DMNamiot
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- Joined
- Apr 29, 2005
- Messages
- 4,336
Hi Guys,
I know some of you were wondering what these were and who made them etc. The ones in the picture came from Kharkoff Studios in Russia via their ebay store for some really good prices. They are susposed to be 54mm but I think they are closer to 60mm however I love them and hope I can find some more.
I have read a few books over the years that detailed the exploits of these Hussars or Heavy Cavalry of the Steppes. Their most famous engagement was against the Ottoman Turks out side of Vienna in 1683. Where 3000 of them lead by the King of Poland Jan III Sobieski broke the Ottomans line and routed a force of nearly 150,000.
Their origin were Serbian, Croatian and Hungarian hussar mercenaries who served in the Polish army from the end of the 15th century, after the death of the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus. in 1490. The Polish-Lithuanian 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 Wołodyjowski" (lit. "Sir Wołodyjowski" or "Fire in the Steppe" in the English version).
I have read the first two books of this series and highly recommend them if you are at all interested in these units. They are exceedingly difficult to locate though, my father in law has all three so I am trying to get him to loan them to me.
As for the history of these units they were very important in Poland Hungary and Lithuania as one of the very few units in the Polish-Lithuanian standing army nearly all of the rest were formed as levée en masse or what we would call conscripts, the hussars were well-trained and well-equipped. They were armed with a long sword, for fighting infantry from horseback, that could also serve as a pike, a warhammer, two pistols, a six meter long lance (nearly 20 feet long) with a pennant and could also be armed with a carbine or a bow and arrows. Until 18th century they were considered the elite of the Polish armed forces.
Another interesting thing about these units was Eastern and Western Europeans Hussars developed along very different lines. As many of you familure with the Napoleonic wars will know the Hussar of France and England were lightly armed and had a more recce/raid type job description vs the Heavy Cavalry Breaking the square or line of the Cuirassiers which had the job of the eastern Hussaria.
I will post some pictures of the ones I have so far.
Hope you all find this interesting.
Dave
I know some of you were wondering what these were and who made them etc. The ones in the picture came from Kharkoff Studios in Russia via their ebay store for some really good prices. They are susposed to be 54mm but I think they are closer to 60mm however I love them and hope I can find some more.
I have read a few books over the years that detailed the exploits of these Hussars or Heavy Cavalry of the Steppes. Their most famous engagement was against the Ottoman Turks out side of Vienna in 1683. Where 3000 of them lead by the King of Poland Jan III Sobieski broke the Ottomans line and routed a force of nearly 150,000.
Their origin were Serbian, Croatian and Hungarian hussar mercenaries who served in the Polish army from the end of the 15th century, after the death of the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus. in 1490. The Polish-Lithuanian 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 Wołodyjowski" (lit. "Sir Wołodyjowski" or "Fire in the Steppe" in the English version).
I have read the first two books of this series and highly recommend them if you are at all interested in these units. They are exceedingly difficult to locate though, my father in law has all three so I am trying to get him to loan them to me.
As for the history of these units they were very important in Poland Hungary and Lithuania as one of the very few units in the Polish-Lithuanian standing army nearly all of the rest were formed as levée en masse or what we would call conscripts, the hussars were well-trained and well-equipped. They were armed with a long sword, for fighting infantry from horseback, that could also serve as a pike, a warhammer, two pistols, a six meter long lance (nearly 20 feet long) with a pennant and could also be armed with a carbine or a bow and arrows. Until 18th century they were considered the elite of the Polish armed forces.
Another interesting thing about these units was Eastern and Western Europeans Hussars developed along very different lines. As many of you familure with the Napoleonic wars will know the Hussar of France and England were lightly armed and had a more recce/raid type job description vs the Heavy Cavalry Breaking the square or line of the Cuirassiers which had the job of the eastern Hussaria.
I will post some pictures of the ones I have so far.
Hope you all find this interesting.
Dave
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