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Concept
Hussar
Summary
A hussar (həˈzɑr , hʊˈzɑr ; huszár ˈhusaːr; husarz ˈxusaʂ; husar / хусар xûsaːr) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry regiments in European armies during the late 17th and 18th centuries. By the 19th century, hussars were wearing jackets decorated with braid plus shako or busby hats and had developed a romanticized image of being dashing and adventurous.
Several modern armies retain the designation of hussars for armored (tank) units. In addition a number of mounted units survive which wear historical hussar uniforms on parade or while providing ceremonial escorts.
Historically, the term derives from the cavalry of late medieval Hungary, under Matthias Corvinus, with mainly Serb warriors.
Etymologists are divided over the derivation of the word hussar. Several alternative theories are summarised below.
According to Webster's Dictionary, the word hussar stems from the Hungarian huszár, which in turn originates from the medieval Serbian husar (Cyrillic: хусар, or gusar, Cyrillic: гусар), meaning brigand (because early hussars' shock troops tactics used against the Ottoman army resembled that of brigands; in modern Serbian the meaning of gusar is limited to sea pirate), from the Medieval Latin cursarius (cf. the English word corsair).
Another theory is that the term is an original Hungarian one, having nothing in common with the Serbian gusar. The hussars' tactics and riding skills were characteristic of the early Hungarian warriors and in the ancient and early medieval ages were used by many ethnicities on the Eurasian steppe, like Huns, Avars, Pechenegs, Cumans and later by the Mongols and Tatars. This type of light cavalry was especially characteristic of the Hungarian armies, at first equipped with bows, arrows, spears, and sabers which were only later exchanged for rifles and carbines.
Official source
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