What is cavalry? Classification and use in battles

The sort of troops, where horsebacks were used as a means of transportation of soldiers, 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 word for "cavalry", the translation of the word into Russian.

Main characteristics

What is the cavalry in the technical and general-military 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 travel long distances in short periods of time, 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 decided.

Classification

What is the cavalry, according to the generally accepted classification? Usually, depending on the horse's mass and the rider's weapons, the cavalry was divided into several main types.

Easy. The weight of horses is below 500 kilograms. Horse huntsmen, lancers, hussars.

Average. The weight of horses is up to 600 kilograms. Dragoons.

Heavy. The weight of horses is over 600, sometimes over 800 kilograms. These are knights, horse grenadiers, cuirassiers.

On purpose, the light cavalry was intended for reconnaissance and sentry purposes. Heavy - for close attacks. The middle occupied the central places in the battle.

It is interesting that the Cossacks, as equestrian warriors, for a long time were irregular troops and did not yield to the general classification.

Knight's cavalry

At the end of the fifth century, such devices as stirrups were invented. At the same time, cavalry becomes the main striking force in battles. In the Middle Ages in Europe, it is becoming increasingly important. What is the cavalry of the knights? Knights were, as a rule, dressed in armor (later - such a procedure was done with horses), armed with a sword and a heavy spear. They attacked the enemy, lined with a wedge-shaped formation, inside which the infantry was hidden, which was to complete the rout of enemy troops. The front ranks consisted of selected knights. The weight of the chain armor sometimes exceeded fifty kilograms. Later, horses began to be shackled in this kind of armor. The main disadvantage of heavy knightly cavalry was its inability to maneuver and pursue an easily moving enemy. However, the knightly cavalry remained for a long time an unprecedented and rather formidable weapon that brought the coveted victory.