Recently, I played M&B Napoleonic wars, and during a Commander Battle, I asked my teammates, why are the Hungarian Hussars, are Austrian Hussars? They said: "because Austria occupied Hungary". "Yes. But then why there are any Hungarian grenadiers, or Hungarian Line Infantry, why they aren't Austrians?" They told me, that I should learn history, and I must be 14. Well, I'm actually 17, and grade 5* at history (american system, grade A+), and, well, I don't think it's so useful when we are talking about Hungarian history, but I am a Hungarian, and I have a high school graduation from History (I choosed, to write it earlier).
A little History lesson:
In the middle age, Hungarian heavy cavlary failed to resist against the Ottoman Sphais (light cavlary), so John Hunyadi (governor of Hungary, defender of Belgard, father of Matthias "Corvinius" Rex), realized, he needs light cavlary. In those times, a lot of Serbians were left Serbia, and "emigrated" to Hungary, because of the Turks, and the Serbian nobels, called Martaloc, started to loot south Hungary, Hungarians were unable to resist, cause of the hit-and-run tactics. Hunyadi created the Hussars, according to Martaloces. He died early, so His son, the famous Hungarian- Bohemian king, Hunyadi Mátyás, aka Matthias Corvinius Rex, recruited huge amount of mercanaries, and he trained, and equipped the cavlary, as his father wrote down, creating a new era of Hungarian military History called, "Vitéz" era. Vitéz is a non- translateable Hungarian word, meaning holy, brave and glorious kind of warrior.
Hussars first wore leather, and light lamellar armor under it, they were equipped with a lance for charges, and a Szablya (Polish- Hungarian sabre) for close-range, and a fancy, but sharp shield, for on- foot combat. How Polish Winged Hussars founded? VITÉZ Count Báthory were Polish king.
Last Hungarian king died, Austrian "Kaiser" became Hungarian king, melting Hungary into the Austrian Empire, starting the post-"Vitéz" era. Baranta, Hungarian material art, used by Vitéz people became forbidden, Hussars were disbanded, and they start to loot in Hungary, they were called "Betyár"-s. Thanks to these people Baranta lived through the centuries, and now it's a new trend in Hungary. Youtube it, if you would like, it's a very fancy fighting style Back to the History lesson: Through the uprise of count Rákóczi, a Transilvanian noble, the descendant of Vitéz people, called "Kuruc" were reformed, and showed the Austrians: Hussars are valueable cavlary.
Kuruc warriors showed the style of classical Hussars, they wore fancy dress, their horses were well trained ones, and they were equipped with a modern Hussar Szablya.
Austrians decided to create units like this, but Kurucs, as their ansectors, became betyárs. Austrians recruited Pandours, to catch betyárs, but they faild to do this, so the kaiser used the Hungarian greed, and offered a huge ammount of money, so betyárs became soldiers. They told how they were trained, how they trained their horses, so Austrians, created the classical Hussars.
Austria send Hussars, to train first the Prussian, later the Russian cavlary making them the fourth, and the fifth nation with Hussars (Hungary->Poland->Austria->Prussia->Russia). I count Serbia as 0th, cause, those weren't hussars, but the roots of them.
Austrians realized, that the best Hussars are the Hungarians, so this is why Austrian Hussars were mostly Hungarians. This is like Polish people were so good lancers, Uhlans were recruited from Poland most likely.
Last time Hussars went to fight: WWII, as supporting units. 9 of the last Hussars are still alive.
Don't belive me, thinking i'm just a nationalist? (altrough I have no political visions, I'm just a history fan)
Check this out: http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Au...y.htm#_hussars <-shows the nationalities of the calvary.
So basically this is why I messed up on the Austrian Hussar thing. Call Hungarian grenadiers Austrian grenadiers please, or call Austrian Hussars Hungarian Hussars.
Thank you for listening.