Polish Winged Hussar 1576-1775

'It would be futile to tell of the grandeur and beauty of this cavalry...it is a chivalry that has no equal in the world' -Cosimo Brunetti For most of the 17th Century, the armies of Poland were dominated by the hussars, mounted armored noblemen who fought with lance, sword, and pistol. Fearless, well-trained and led, and tactically versatile, the hussars earned for themselves a reputation as the finest cavalry in Eastern Europe, and maybe all the world. At the Battle of Kircholm in 1605 the Polish hussars became one of the only cavalry forces in European history to defeat an army of pikemen unaided. It was later in their history, particularly in their period of decline in the late 17th and early 18th Centuries, that the hussars' decorative wings, sometimes attached to the man and sometimes to the horse, reached their heyday. Ultimately the hussars of Poland would be remembered for their colorful ornamentation at least as much as their battlefield value. Author Richard Brezezinski offers a solid and highly readable account of the Polish hussars in this book. He has authored several other books on Eastern European history for Osprey, and also served as a historical advisor for `With Fire and Sword' an epic Polish film featuring the winged hussars themselves. In this well-written book he clearly describes the recruitment and social origins, organization, armor and equipment, and tactics of the hussars, as well as outlining both their rise and fall to prominence. Like any Osprey book, this title is above all a powerful visual source. Eight color plates by Velimir Vuksic capture the colorful appearance of the proud hussars and their armor and `wings', as well as their heraldry. Numerous examples of contemporary artwork and some photographs, including one from `With Fire and Sword' are featured throughout the book as well. In short then, this is a good introduction to the cavalry of 17th Century Polish Armies, an elite of European military history who seem to be largely unsung outside of their Country.

A great, great value for the price! The author spared nothing in putting this superb and scholarly, accurate, gem together. This should be in every school and library to enlighten people about a fascinating time in Poland,s history. Also, a fun and quick way to learn about a unique time in World History, as well. Highly recommended - Enjoy!!!

This book is excellent for studying Polish Winged Knights. Polish Winged Knights marched to save Vienna from the Muslims in the 1600's. This great accomplishment against impossible odds is not known but should be. Poland saved all of Europe from Muslim conversion and went unthanked by all. After a record fast march, the Knights were outnumbered ten to one and won.

Brzezinski is without a doubt one of the leading experts on winged Polish/Lithuanian/Hungarian hussars in the world today. There have been many years of hard research done by the author before this publication and you can tell by every page you read in this excellent book. Still he does not get stiff or academically boring. A very easily read and informative book with very fine illustrations by Velimir Vuksic.

Seeing that I had never heard of either the author or the illustrator, I was pleasantly suprised by the professionalism of this Osprey Title. The author sticks for the most part to the typical osprey title style, with sections detailing tactics and training etc. However he differed from the rudimentery "bullet point" writing I have seen in so many osprey sections. The author, Brzezinski combines first hand sources with his own writing succsessfully keeping the book both informative and interesting. The illustrator also for the most time does an excellent job. His figures are detailed and well-proportioned they are well detailed and paint a excellent picture. Overall an excellent book for a fascinating period.