The branch of the army, where riding horses were used as a means of transporting warriors, was called cavalry. The word itself has Latin roots and comes from “caballus”, which means “horse”. What is cavalry? The concept is an etymological tracing of the word "cavalry", a translation of this word into Russian.
Main characteristics
What is cavalry in a technical and combined arms context? What was its significance? Often, it played an important and decisive role in the battles of past eras, as it had increased maneuverability, mobility, combined with power. And the ability to overcome long distances in short periods of time, to suddenly appear, for example, on the flanks of enemy troops, made it indispensable in many famous battles. There, with the help of cavalry, many strategic and tactical tasks were solved.
Classification
What is cavalry according to the generally accepted classification? Usually, depending on the mass of the horse and the armament of the rider, the cavalry was divided into several main types.
Easy. The mass of horses is below 500 kilograms. Horse huntsmen, lancers, hussars.
Medium. The mass of horses is up to 600 kilograms. Dragoons.
Heavy. The mass of horses is over 600, sometimes more than 800 kilograms. These are knights, equestrian grenadiers, cuirassiers.
By appointment, light cavalry was intended for reconnaissance and guard purposes. Heavy - for closed attacks. The middle one was central to the battle.
Interestingly, the Cossacks, like horse warriors, were irregular troops for a long time and did not lend themselves to a general classification.
Knightly cavalry
At the end of the fifth century, devices such as stirrups were invented. Then, cavalry became the main striking force in battles. In the Middle Ages in Europe, it is becoming increasingly important. What is the cavalry of knights? Knights were, as a rule, chained in armor (subsequently - this procedure was also done with horses), armed with a sword and a heavy spear. They attacked the enemy, lined up with a wedge-shaped formation, inside which the infantry was hiding, which was to complete the rout of the enemy troops. The front rows consisted of selected knights. The weight of a knight's chain mail sometimes exceeded fifty kilograms. Later, horses began to be shackled in similar armor. The main disadvantage of the heavy knightly cavalry was its inability to maneuver actions and the pursuit of an easily moving enemy. However, the knightly cavalry for a long time remained an unprecedented and rather formidable weapon that brought the coveted victory.