The cuirassier regiments at one time played a decisive role in most of the battles that took place in Europe. They are known for their victories, for example, under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. Who is cuirassier? Is it a replacement for chivalry or a radically new kind of army?
Cavalry
Cuirassier - this is part of the cavalry, which is a kind of army, riding on horseback. The term "cavalry" from the Latin language is translated as "horse". The use of such a unit in battle had many advantages. Therefore, even in the second half of the nineteenth century, it played a decisive role in most of the battles. The advantages of cavalry in armor with firearms and cold weapons are as follows:
- high mobility;
- maneuverability;
- swiftness;
- power;
- overcoming long distances in a short time.
The cavalry was made up of cuirassiers, hussars, dragoons. These units performed various functions in the troops. So, in the Russian army, the hussars were part of the light cavalry. They had to conduct reconnaissance and guard service. Dragoons served in the line cavalry. The cuirassiers were heavy. They had to close the attack.
In other countries, horse mass units were classified. So, in light cavalry the weight of horses did not exceed 500 kg. Hussars rode on them. The average implied the presence of horses whose weight was in the range of 600 kg. They were ruled by dragoons. In the heavy cavalry were horses, whose mass ranged from 600 to 800 kg. It was they who went cuirassiers, as well as carabinieri.
Kind of heavy cavalry
Who is cuirassier? The meaning of the word in a literal translation from French means "latnik". A similar kind of troops appeared in the sixteenth century. It was created to compensate for the small number of knightly cavalry. At the same time, the cuirassiers were dressed in relatively inexpensive armor, which covered only two-thirds of the body. They began to be called cuirassiers.
Cuirassier Armor
Since the cuirassier is the one who wears the cuirass, it is worth learning more about the evolution of this armor. At first, the armor differed from the knightly armor only in the absence of greaves. In addition, they did not have protection for the legs and feet. This has significantly reduced the cost of lat. This fact was liked by many poor nobles.
The first cuirassier armor weighed about 30 kilograms. There were cheaper analogues, the mass of which did not exceed 12 kg. They had similar equipment. The difference between them was in the quality of the metal, its thickness, and also in the degree of luxury of the finish.
If desired, the warrior could not purchase a full set of armor, but just a bulletproof cuirass. This option was chosen by those who could not afford expensive armor, or those who did not want to wear 30 kg. It was possible to supplement the bulletproof cuirass with whiter light accessories: plate gloves, pauldrons, legguards, and a helmet.
Cuirassier's Weapon
Cuirassier is part of the cavalry. Therefore, in battle, he used both firearms and melee weapons. The first variety included pistols and muskets. What served heavy cavalrymen as knives? Broadsword - this was the blade of a cuirassier. From German and Hungarian, the word translates as “sword” or “dagger”. It was a chopping and piercing gun with a straight blade up to 100 cm long. Broadsword could have different sharpening: one-, one and a half - and two-sided (in the first samples). He was a cross between a saber and a sword, combining their qualities.
It was cuirassiers who began to use broadswords in Western Europe from the end of the sixteenth century. In order to pierce a metal bib (cuirass), a heavy and long blade was needed. That was the broadsword. There was a Scottish variety of this weapon. It appeared in the late sixteenth century, spreading throughout the UK. Broadsword length was 75-90 cm. Its blade was quite wide. Sharpening is single-sided or double-sided. Used such a broadsword often with a round shield.
In Russia, the blade appeared under Peter the Great. It was used by dragoon regiments, and after its appearance, and cuirassiers. The blades were factory-made in Russia, and they were also imported from abroad. Weapons 85 cm long had a straight tip. In the mid-eighteenth century, the blade became a single-blade. Under Catherine the Second, the monogram “E II” was engraved on it under the crown. Broadswords remained part of the cuirassiers' weapons until they were reorganized. After that, the blades remained in only a few military units. They could only be seen in parades.
Cuirassiers in Russia
The history of cuirassiers in Russia began in 1731. Field Marshal H.A. Minikh proposed reforming the Dragoon Regiment into a cuirassier. After a couple of years, these parts of the army cavalry began to be used in the Russian army as the main striking force. The number of cuirassier regiments in Russia was constantly changing, either up or down. Since 1860, the existing regiments were reorganized into dragoons. Only four guard units of cuirassiers left.