POLISH SABRE hussar with finger WITHOUT Scabbard

POLISH SABRE hussar with finger WITHOUT Scabbard

Manufacturer: Spanish Armourers (WZ 1750 )

Specifications:

Length: 92 cm
Weight: 1,2 kg

Polish Hussar saber is the type of sabers used by various polish cavalry formations (also hussars) in 17^th and 18^th century. It prototype was Hungarian-Polish saber used in the 16^th century.

This saber had circular curved blade. It lower part was the so-called feather – double edged top of the blade, allowed to thrusts. The hilt was strengthened by the extended cross-guard with moustache and hood, which added it weight. Thanks to this the saber was easier to control. Additionally the cross-guard with almost fully closed hilt and so-called thumb-ring protected the hand from the enemy blade. Furthermore the thumb-ring improved control over the saber and allowed to faster recovery for the next cut. The pommel was slightly moved forward.

This replica have engraved inscription “JESUS MARIA JOSEF SPES MEA” on the one side of the blade and “HUSSARIA” on the other. Made of the finest Toledo steel.

The prize doesn’t include a stand.

Historical sketch:

History of saber in Polish military reaches the second half of the 15^th century. It appeared in Poland under the influence of the Hungarians, who maintained contacts with Turks.
Initially it was only weapon of light cavalry and infantry, but even knights, who used sword in the battle, willing to use the saber while traveling, hunting and various festivals.
Above all, served them where they performed without armor, but wanted to have an effective weapon by side.
To the beginning of the 16^th century saber gained a great popularity in Poland. Already in 1503, on the streets of Cracow people said, that no one wanted to buy swords, everyone preferred saber.

So quick growth of popularity of saber was related with military raids the Crimean Tatars into lands of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Tatars cavalry, armed with bows and sometimes also sabers were mostly highly mobile and uncatchable. They’re attacking  in a small groups called besh-bash (five heads). The reception of saber into the polish army was necessity from the military point of view. An invasions of Crimean Khanate were especially often in 1474-1534 and in 1605-1633. Those raids, a lot of wars with Russia and also military alliance between Cossacks and Tatars (1648-1654) forced changes in the polish army, which extend beyond the armor modernization. After the reforms of polish parliament (sejm) in 1562 the vocational army called Permanent Defense (obrona potoczna) was replaced by quarter army (wojsko kwarciane) financed by a quarter of income from the regal land. Moreover at the beginnings of the 16^th century developed new military formation called Old Polish Unit (stare urządzenie polskie). Two strongest detachments set one after the other were supported on the flanks by three lines of smaller detachments. At the second half of the 16^th century to the unit included infantry and artillery.

The Polish Hussar, which at the beginning were light cavalry, at the half of the 16^th century took over the role of lancers. Armored with a lance (only towarzysz), sabers, plate armour and helmets (often kettle hats), polish hussars were the base of polish army. From the 1630s the number of polish hussars were gradually reducing. Abandoned plate armour and replaced these with leopards and tigers skin leathers. They started to use pistols. In the 1690s, at the end of wars with Turks, the lances were replaced by muskets. The Polish Hussar proved to be the decisive factor in the spectacular wins in the following battles: battle of Curtea de Arges (1600), battle of Kircholm (1605), battle of Kłuszyn (1610), battle of Chocim (1621) and also battle of Vienna (1683). Polish Hussar existed to the half of the 18^th century.