Hussar cape: features, history and interesting facts

How did the hussar cape appear? What is it? These and other questions will be answered in the article. It is known that the hussar uniform in 1812 differed in its appearance from the uniform of other cavalry. This discrepancy is explained by the origin of this type of army. In the Russian army hussars appeared in the middle of the XVIII century. At that time people from Hungary, Serbia came to serve in it. It was they who brought their kind of uniforms. The elegance and uniqueness of the hussar uniforms was pleasant, therefore it has taken root in Russia.

Equipment

Do you know what a hussar cape is? Usually it is called mentic. The uniform of the hussars changed a little during the course of the century, but it retained its features. It consisted of such things: the chakchirs, doloman, kiwer, mentik, boots, hussar sash, tashka. This also includes a saddlecloth - one of the components of a horse harness. By the way, each regiment had its own colors of hussar uniforms.

Jacket

What is a hussar cape, we will find out later, and now consider the doloman. This is a single-breasted short (to the waist) jacket with a low stand-up collar. On the chest, it was expanded by string loops into fifteen rows, which officers had a golden or silver color (in accordance with the color of the instrumental metal assigned to the shelf).

The soldiers relied on silk cords of grayish-white or yellow color. At the officers, the ends of the rope rows were decorated with gilded buttons, and in the rank and file - with copper buttons. Around the bundles, the breast of the officers' dolman was lined with a narrow silver (gold) galloon. General's jackets were also decorated with fringes. Among other things, collars of general, officer and non-commissioned officers of the Doloman were clad in different widths. The back of this product was also expanded with cords. However, not always on the jacket there were 15 rows of cords. Depending on the size on it, they could be present from 11 to 18.

The color of the dolman, collars and cuffs in each regiment were different.

Mentik

So, you already know that the hussar cape is called "mentik". It is a jacket identical to a dolman, but its collar, the bottom of sleeves and products, the edges of the sides are trimmed with fur. Servicemen of each regiment wore menticians of their own color, and it did not always coincide with the color of the dolman.

Thus, the officers of the Life Guards Regiment of the Hussar Regiment wore beaver fur of black color, and soldiers and non-commissioned officers - black inexpensive. In army hussar regiments, officers wore gray fur, private soldiers - white, and non-commissioned officers - black.

In the summer, the cops were worn to the left shoulder, and in winter - over the dolomans, put on their sleeves. That this product did not fall down, it was tied with a string that passed under the arm of the right hand. In the summer the mentik was not worn only by hussars armed with peaks. In the military situation before the attack, this cape was shot entirely or put on sleeves.

Hussar musicians (kettlebell-makers, trumpeters) had additional ornaments in the form of so-called "porch" on their shoulders, on the mantikas and dolmans, yellow and white braid on the sleeves.

Paintings

How was the Hussar cape reproduced in the pictures? Many canvases, including those written in the XIX century, depict hussars, galloping into attack in mentikah, fluttering from the shoulder. These scenes of reality do not match. Outwardly, they look beautiful, but the mantik, swaying in the wind, can play a cruel joke in battle with a hussar. He interferes with driving a horse, acting with a weapon, can disrupt the balance of a soldier in the saddle and throw him to the ground.

Chronicle

Hussar's cape has an amazing history. In general, a short jacket, decorated on the chest with cords, is called "Hungarian". This thing has invisibly penetrated into Russia. Before the Russian hussars donned the uniform in which Napoleon was defeated in 1812, the Slavs began to recognize her, beginning in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The national clothes of the Hungarians were formed on the basis of the cooperation of the Turkish costume with the ancient Hungarian. A couple of centuries on the lands of Hungary there were incessant military clashes between East and West. Ottoman oppression, numerous wars ravaged and devastated the state.

Simultaneously with the Hungarian old clothes, there were other options - oriental and medieval European suits. In the future it was the elements of the East that were used by the Hungarians and entered the elements into national dress.

The hussar cape with the fur edge is very beautiful. Headdresses with sultans, details of cut, fur trim, buckles on the chest, made in the form of rows of a picturesque cord with tassels and airy loops - all these additions have become an obligatory part of the Hungarian national costumes. Already in the XV century, they became an attribute of the uniform of an officer of light Hungarian cavalry. They were the hussars, reflecting the attacks of the Ottoman cavalry.

Further, the characteristic features of the costume of the Hungarians began to circulate in Europe. Most of the young Hungarian warriors sought a livelihood in other countries. Accepting them for military service, the authorities paid attention not only to the military glory of this people, but also colorful national attire.

Hungarian

What was the name of the short hussar cape? If you know how the hussar form appeared, you will understand why the mens and doltana jackets are often called "Hungarian". But at the same time there was another Hungarian - civilian. Very often it was a blue caftan, embroidered with cords on the chest. This attire resembled the clothes of the pre-Petrine period. The Russian landlords loved to wear it.

The Hussar form and at the same time the civilian Hungarian were popular almost until the end of the XIX century. When the nineteenth century was coming to an end, a female version of the Hungarian or Hussar jacket became fashionable - a wool short jacket, trimmed with a cord or braid.

On the catwalks today you can often see the amusing models of women's vestments in the style of the military. That is why you can admire the elements of the Russian military uniform and Hungarian. The current designers inspire folk costumes, because beauty is immortal.

Colors of regimentals on shelves

Many people like the hussar cape. Its name you now know. Let's give examples of the colors of uniforms of the following regiments:

• The Alexandrian Regiment. His men wore a mentik and a black doloman, the cuffs and collar of the dolman were red. Officers had a gray fur coat, soldiers - white, and non-commissioned officers - black. Belt-sash and chakchirs are black. The complete set of uniforms included: a black car with red trim, a black saddlecloth with a red ornament. The instrumental metal was silver. These fighters were called black hussars.
• Akhtyrsky regiment. The staff of this compound wore brown dolmens and mentis, and the dolman had yellow cuffs and a collar. The officers had fur gray fusel, soldiers - white, non-commissioned officers - black. These soldiers also wore brown belts-sashes and blue chakchirs. Tashka they had a brown with yellow trim, and a saddlecloth - blue with a yellow decoration. The instrumental metal was gold. In this regiment served as the famous partisan of the war of 1812 Davydov Denis.
• The hussars of the Belorussian regiment wore a blue doloman, a black mentik, and the collar and cuffs of the dolman were red. The soldiers' fur coat was white, the officers had gray lambskin, and the noncommissioned officers had black fur. Each soldier had a red belt-sash, blue chakchiry, a red carcass with white trim and a blue saddle cap with white trim. The instrumental metal was silver.