Polish hussars

Polish hussars
Active	1503–1702 (disbanded in 1776)
Allegiance	Kingdom of Poland  Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Type	Heavy cavalry
Role	Maneuver warfare Raiding Shock attack
Nickname(s)	The Angels of Death[1]
Motto(s)	Amor Patriae Nostra Lex (Love of the fatherland is our law)
Colors	Red and white
Equipment	Burgonet, lance, mace (bludgeon), hatchet, sabre
Engagements	Tree list Crimean–Nogai slave raids in Eastern Europe Battle of Martynów Battle of Ochmatów (1644) Lithuanian–Muscovite War (1512-1522) Battle of Orsha Moldavian–Polish War (1530–1538) Battle of Obertyn Danzig rebellion Battle of Lubieszów War of the Polish Succession (1587–1588) Battle of Byczyna Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611) Battle of Wenden (1601) Battle of Kokenhausen Battle of Reval (1602) Battle of Kircholm Polish–Muscovite War (1605–1618) Siege of Smolensk (1609–1611) Battle of Klushino Battle of Moscow (1612) Polish–Ottoman War (1620–1621) Battle of Khotyn (1621) Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629) Battle of Gniew Battle of Wenden (1626) Battle of Trzciana Battle of Górzno Smolensk War Siege of Smolensk (1632–1633) Deluge Khmelnytsky Uprising Battle of Zhovti Vody Battle of Loyew (1649) Battle of Berestechko Battle of Loyew (1651) Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) Battle of Shklow Battle of Polonka Battle of Lyubar Battle of Chudnov Second Northern War Battle of Wojnicz Battle of Warka Battle of Kłecko Battle of Warsaw (1656) Polish–Ottoman War (1672–1676) Battle of Khotyn (1673) Battle of Lwów (1675) Great Turkish War Polish–Ottoman War (1683–1699) Battle of Hodów Battle of Vienna Battle of Párkány Battle of Podhajce (1698) Great Northern War Battle of Kliszów

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 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, 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 hussars were light cavalry units of exiled Serbian warriors who came to Poland from Hungary as mercenaries in the early 16th century. Following the reforms of King Stephen Báthory (r. 1576–1586), the Polish military officially adopted the unit and transformed it into heavy shock cavalry, with troops recruited from the Polish nobility. The Polish hussar differs greatly from the light, unarmoured hussars that developed concurrently outside Poland.

The hussar formation proved effective against Swedish, Russian, and Ottoman forces, notably at the battles of Kircholm (1605), Klushino (1610), and Khotyn (1673). Their military prowess peaked at the Siege of Vienna in 1683, when hussar 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.

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