why sabre ?

ariel · 28th March 2005, 01:34 AM

Sometimes in the beginning of the second milennium the European knights faced Central Asian warriors, Turks, Tatars etc.
The European chivalrous style of combat involved heavy lance and straight sword, both essentially thrusting weapons of heavy cavalry. The "Asians" used lightning attacks of the light cavalry, showers of arrows directed primarily against horses and quick slashes of the curved sabers against poorly defended and often retreating infantry.
I would guess that the khights were so impressed (or shocked!) that they have gradually adopted the "Asian" style of combat as well as their weapons. Polish and Hungarian hussars, with their closest contact withe the Turks and the Tatars, became the first and the best European light cavalrymen and the French even called their hussar sabers "a la hongroise" (Hungarian style). The very word Uhlan is Tatar in origin.
So, I do not think there were any scientific studies of the matter: the change in tactics determined the choice of a weapon.
And, Jim, despite Pushkin's bragging about Caucasian kinjals, he was killed by a pistol.... And by a Frenchman, to boot...

Jim McDougall · 28th March 2005, 02:03 AM

Ariel,
Pretty ironic huh!!

Whats that old saying about bringing a knife to a gunfight? I know ,I know , it was a pistol duel!
Interesting notes on the development of light cavalry. Always thought that subject was extremely fascinating and my earliest collecting focused on cavalry sabres.
Best regards,
Jim

28th March 2005, 01:34 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Sometimes in the beginning of the second milennium the European knights faced Central Asian warriors, Turks, Tatars etc. The European chivalrous style of combat involved heavy lance and straight sword, both essentially thrusting weapons of heavy cavalry. The "Asians" used lightning attacks of the light cavalry, showers of arrows directed primarily against horses and quick slashes of the curved sabers against poorly defended and often retreating infantry. I would guess that the khights were so impressed (or shocked!) that they have gradually adopted the "Asian" style of combat as well as their weapons. Polish and Hungarian hussars, with their closest contact withe the Turks and the Tatars, became the first and the best European light cavalrymen and the French even called their hussar sabers "a la hongroise" (Hungarian style). The very word Uhlan is Tatar in origin. So, I do not think there were any scientific studies of the matter: the change in tactics determined the choice of a weapon. And, Jim, despite Pushkin's bragging about Caucasian kinjals, he was killed by a pistol.... And by a Frenchman, to boot...

28th March 2005, 02:03 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Ariel, Pretty ironic huh!! Whats that old saying about bringing a knife to a gunfight? I know ,I know , it was a pistol duel! Interesting notes on the development of light cavalry. Always thought that subject was extremely fascinating and my earliest collecting focused on cavalry sabres. Best regards, Jim