Hungarian-Polish- Lithuanian hussars 16-17 centuries

Tons of info exists about winged hussars, but I would like to ask the real specialists of this topic regarding their cold arms arsenal. In majority of sources and on all images hussars are shown with pike, saber and long stabbing sword (konchar), sometimes with military hammers and pistols/short rifles. But somewhat (not in all sources) mentioned that hussars also used broadswords instead of konchar or saber, however as a secondary weapon... On some pictures hussars are shown with shorter and wider blades than konchars attached to their saddles under left knee, but not on a single picture I saw hussar with drawn broadsword in battle.
Using broadsword looks logic because very often they had to face armored infantry of cavalry (like swedish or ottoman) and after pike is broken or in close quarters, they had to put out some blade. Saber is good against unarmored foe, not so effective agains cuirasses, morions or burgonets or just a good mail. Koncesz or konchar is literarily a long 1,20 m. piercer, not effective in close battle, only good for finishing enemy and backstabbing the running enemy.
So my question is how hussars effectively fought in close quarters against armored enemy? Did they use pallos or broadsword widely or not? Could you share some images of this weapon from museums or collections?

Short answer? Any way he could. Hussars weren't regular formation, they've consisted of nobility and only weapons provided by formation's "owner" were lances, rest being brought by hussars themselves, so it highly depended on from where - and when - they've came.

Now, real quick, as I need to run, the broadsword you're talking about is most probably "pałasz", also long, broad sword, that could be used only to stab enemies. Also, I think you're underestimating ability to cut into pieces enemy with breastplate and helmet with saber, not to mention that military picks (nadziak) were also quite popular - and so much appreciated for its effectiveness, that it was even forbidden from civilian use.

Do not look here said:

the broadsword you're talking about is most probably "pałasz", also long, broad sword, that could be used only to stab enemies

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Yes, pallos or palasz, implemented by hungarian mersenary hussars in 16th sentury, but this weapon due to broad heavy blade was used more for cutting and chopping through armor and thrusting also. Military pick  - yes, very effective, but it could stuck deep in enemy and hussar had to leave it there, if operating from horse.

Weapons were passed toward fighting rows as needed (you have to remember that actual winged hussars were creating only face of formation, with lighter equipped riders and servants on the back), so "stucking" wasn't such an issue, especially that they were basing mainly on mobility and if they stopped moving, they wouldn't get into hand-to-hand combat, but break off, retreat, take new lances and charge again. It's hard to talk about some kind of general equipment of Winged Hussars, as formation functioned for long time and different listy przypowiednie (letters from king/hetman informing rotmistrz - commander of hussar banner - about size of poczet, recquired equipment and weapons and stuff alike) were sent as they were facing different enemies.

About the actual usage... well, again, it depends but we have at least one source of it, as hetman Stefan Żółkiewski writes about Battle of Klushino, pardon my non-period sounding translation

And when there were no one left of German infantry, whom stood by fence as obstacle for us, few banners* of ours rallied and charged the foreign cavalry, who still had them - with lances, who haven't - with koncerz, pałasz

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* - as in single unit, that's as close as I can translate term "rota"

Oh, and interesting fact about the broadsword that you've described, that I found in one of the books - don't have the actual quote, but it looks like it indeed was pałasz/pallos, as Guillame Levasseur de Beauplan in his Description writes that Winged Hussar when going on war took koncerz or pałasz and strapped it under left knee. But whenever he took both, koncerz was under right knee and pałasz under left.

And last thing, funfact about how exotic was weaponry of hussars, A Relation of the State of Polonia and the united Provinces of that Crowne, Anno 1598 mentions usage of two-handed sword, which appears also much later on Martino Altomonte's painting Siege of Vienna.

I'm gratefull for comments

matmohair1 said:

Spoiler

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thank you, but images are of period 100 years prior to topic. We are discussing heavy hussars.

scar1981 said:

thank you, but images are of period 100 years prior to topic. We are discussing heavy hussars.

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Actually, you did not specify heavy hussars. Most 16th century hussars were light cavalry.

Engraved sabre-scabbard chape of c.1500 with an image of a Serbian or Hungarian hussar
. Hungarian or Serbian Hussars in Armies of the Middle Ages, Volume 2 by Ian Heath, based on the engraved sabre-scabbard chape
Ten Hungarian lancers in The Entry of Emperor Charles V into Augsburg, 1530, by Jörg Breu the Elder
Duel between Hungarian Lieutenant and Turkish Bey, 16th century
Ferdinand of Tyrol in Hungarian Tournament attire, 16th century
Ferdinand of Tyrol's 'White hussar' clothing and weaponry, Hofjagd-und Rüstkammer, Wien
Vulgaris Hungarus Hungarian gentry by Theodor de Bry, 16th century
Hungarian Hussar of the sixteenth century, by Jost Amman
Hungarian cavalry by Hans Weigel, 1577
Brenhidai Huszár Péter, late 16th century

Druzhina
16th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Very nice pics, Druzhina, thank you for them. I always loved the early hussars style, they looked flamboyant enough to walk side by side with landsknechte.

Druzhina said:

scar1981 said:

thank you, but images are of period 100 years prior to topic. We are discussing heavy hussars.

Click to expand...

Actually, you did not specify heavy hussars. Most 16th century hussars were light cavalry.

Engraved sabre-scabbard chape of c.1500 with an image of a Serbian or Hungarian hussar
. Hungarian or Serbian Hussars, by Ian Heath
Ten Hungarian lancers in The Entry of Emperor Charles V into Augsburg, 1530, by Jörg Breu the Elder
Duel between Hungarian Lieutenant and Turkish Bey, 16th century
Ferdinand of Tyrol in Hungarian Tournament attire, 16th century
Ferdinand of Tyrol's 'White hussar' clothing and weaponry, Hofjagd-und Rüstkammer, Wien
Vulgaris Hungarus Hungarian gentry by Theodor de Bry, 16th century
Hungarian Hussar of the sixteenth century, by Jost Amman
Hungarian cavalry by Hans Weigel, 1577
Brenhidai Huszár Péter, late 16th century


Druzhina
16th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

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Thanks, I really didn't stress any attention on heaviness of hussars, my mistake. But again, mostly only sabers no broadswords. However from some sources  - saber was mostly implemented in Poland during Batory rule towards the end of 16th century. It means that untill this period polish warriors used strait swords...

http://mek.oszk.hu/01800/01885/html/index309.html
http://mek.oszk.hu/00900/00941/html/img/nagy/4bd3.jpg
http://mek.oszk.hu/00900/00941/html/img/nagy/4be7.jpg
http://mek.oszk.hu/09100/09175/html/images/1662.jpg