Polish Winged Hussars?

Were Hussars the best elite cavalry units in Europe or in the world of that time period(17th, 18th century?

If you think not then say who were better.

I'd say yes, best in the world of 17th century and early 18th....

Edited by rider - 30-Apr-2007 at 07:32

battle of Vienna 1683 (hopefully) with Jan Sobieski to finish of Turks...

actually, when they crushed (3,000) the Swedish army (18,000) at Kirchenholm they were masters of their skill...

I dunno if they were the best,  personally an interesting match up would be Cataphracts versus Hussar

Originally posted by demon I said yes because I don't think any other civilizations used cavarly by 17~18th century due to the introduction of Gunpowder.

The world didn't really quit using cavalry(for all practical purposes) until the early to mid 20th Century.

"While the hussar keeps his lance the Poles shall remain masters of the field, when the lance dies so dies Poland's virtue"

I heard no exploit of this unit in 18th century, so it should be wise to limit its foremostness around 16th and 17th century.

Edited by Lohendrin

They also took a good beating from Swedish horse in a sole cavalry action during the Deluge. Too bad I don't remember the name of that battle - something they took great pride in, considering the reputation the hussars still had.

Edited by Styrbiorn

Originally posted by TJK Battle of Warsaw 1656 (lost by Poles) - action of  800- 1000 hussars commanded by prince Polubiński crushed  copmletely the reiters of Uppland, Ostgothen and Smaland regiments (sp ?) in the first swedish line but during fierce battle with the sconfd line have been repulsed by the lateral fire of Swedish royal guards reiters and Brandenburgian infantry..The charge was not supported by next polish cavalry units.

No, it was a sole cavalry battle. Warsaw I had remembered.  

I only has it from memory though, reaindg Englund's Den o�vervinnerlige (The Invincible, English title), dealing with with Karl X Gustav's wars in Poland and Denmark.

Uppland, Ostgothen and Smaland regiments (sp ?)

The regiments of Uppland, �sterg�tland and Sm�land (or in the genitive form, Upplands, �stg�ta & Sm�lands regementen - in English I'd use the first form though).

Edited by Styrbiorn

Well, in the war for Estonia between Sweden and Poland the batte of Kirholm wasnt just a single swedish disaster. The whole campaign was going bad for swedes. I think Charles IX was a poor military commander and his army in Estonia was suffering many defeats from the outnumbered Polish-Lithuanian army. In 1601 Swedes lost at Kokenhausen. In 1604 again Chodkiewicz at the battle of Weissenstein defeated Swedish army, lost only 200 soldiers and slaughtered half of the Swedes and the same did about year later at Kirholm. The fact the campaign ended and that Swedes were not repelled from Livonia was only due to fact that polish parliament decided to not give anymore monay for the continuation of the war. Important was also rebelion of Zebrzydowski against king of Poland. Most of the polish victories in the 17th century were wasted in this way. Usually after defeating enemy in the field polish armies had to retreat to take part in the civil wars. Just like later when for example Lubomirski defeated Russian armies and went back to lead his troops against king John Casimir. Many battles were won while all the wars were lost. If Poland had more centralised goverment, if the king wouldnt have to beg the parliament for each coin, if the parliament was more patriotic and interested in defending borders the history would have look completelly different and Poland could have had 10 x much bigger army than it had. But polish nobles were interested only in harvests and didnt even cared when the enemy was stealing lands somewhere far away from them. All this has to end as it ended, in the partitions of Poland in 18th century. Noone likes taxes but even for modern Poles it is hard to understand our ancestors from the past who didnt want to pay monay for their own defence and who treated their own kings like rubbish.

Edited by Mosquito

Originally posted by rider i know, they were weird but cool...and few divisions that dukes and marshals had wasnt just enough. Still, maybe Hussars hoped after the battle, if they die, they'll fly into heaven with the wings.

 

Oh yes, i think you described them well. Weird but cool LoL! Part of this mentality is still in our polish veins. We are anarchic, proud, we still are individualist's always ready to go against the main stream and always prefer more to fight against our own countrymen than against foreigners

Even on AE boards

I remember Daniel Dafoe (the one who wrote Robinson Crusoe) wrote about polish mercenary officer in England who murdered one english gentleman. Before execution the english offered him the priest and he refused saying that "he dont need any priest or confession because he is a polish nobleman so God will show him respect when he will arrive to heaven" LoL. And in fact that foolish and unlimited pride was the reason why Poland was lost. These guys were the troublemakers who didnt respect anything and anyone. But yes i agree with you that they were weird and cool. And the only thing which they really loved was their "golden freedom". The only thing which i dislike in them was that contempt which they were showing to everyone else. In their opinion they were elite of all the worlds nations and all the others were obviously worse than they.

Edited by Mosquito