The armies of all times and peoples were subdivided and subdivided into various branches of the army. Cavalry (cavalry) is a special kind where riding horses were used as a means of transportation of a fighter. The word "cavalry" comes from the Latin "caballus", which means "horse". Accordingly, the Russian word “cavalry” is an etymological tracing-paper of a concept, its translation into our language.
Value
Before the active use of mobile mechanical weapons (for example, tanks), cavalry is a formidable and strong, often frightening army, which helped to win more than one battle of antiquity. Since the cavalry had high maneuverability, the ability to quickly overcome fairly large segments of the terrain, it was often used to achieve a surprise factor in battles. In the era of technological progress, of course, it lost its original significance, giving way, for example, to mobile motorized brigades. But during the Second World War, cavalry was still used in the partisan movement and even in battles along with infantry and artillery.
Classification
From the beginning, cavalry was divided into heavy and light. Light was intended for reconnaissance and sentry service. Armament - light spears, darts, bows, sabers and swords. Heavy cavalry is the striking force to achieve the power of the offensive. For example, the knight was armed with heavy spears and swords. And the knights themselves (and, often, their horses) were shackled in multi-kilogram armor. The knightly cavalry was terrifying. From one glance the enemy had a desire to retreat. However, the main drawback of the heavy cavalry was its slowness and lack of maneuverability, which, of course, played a cruel joke on it in some battles (for example, in the battle of the crusaders with the Russians, known as the Battle of the Ice).
First cavalry
Initially, cavalry emerges as irregular troops in the countries of the Ancient World: China. India, Egypt. And before its appearance, war chariots using horses were used. So in the Persian army before our era, cavalry is the main branch of the army, which was divided into light and heavy cavalry using a variety of weapons. And in ancient Greece, Athens contained an equestrian detachment of more than a thousand horsemen. In the army of Macedon, which conquered half the world, the cavalry also occupied not the last place and decided the fate of almost all the battles in Asia.