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CUIRASSIERS

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Originally appearing in Volume V07, Page 614 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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CUIRASSIERS , a See also:

kind of heavy See also:cavalry, originally See also:developed out of the men-at-arms or See also:gendarmerie forming the heavy cavalry of feudal armies. Their See also:special characteristic was the wearing of full See also:armour, which they retained See also:long after other troops had abandoned it. Hence they became distinguished as cuirassiers. The first See also:Austrian See also:corps of kyrissers was formed in 1484 by the See also:emperor See also:Maximilian and was roo strong. In 1705 See also:Austria possessed twenty regiments of cuirassiers. After the See also:war of 1866, however, the existing regiments were converted into dragoons. See also:Russia has likewise in See also:modern times abolished all but • a few guard regiments of cuirassiers. The Prussian cuirassiers were first so called under See also:Frederick See also:William I., and in the See also:wars of his successor Frederick the See also:Great they See also:bore a conspicuous See also:part. After the Seven Years' War they ceased to See also:wear the See also:cuirass on service, but after 1814 these were reintroduced, the spoils taken from the See also:French cuirassiers being used to equip the troops. The cuirass is now worn only on ceremonial parades. In See also:France the cuirassiers date from 1666, when a See also:regiment, subsequently numbered 8th of the See also:line, was formed. During the first See also:Empire many regiments were created, until in 1812 there were fourteen.

The number was reduced after the fall of See also:

Napoleon, but in modern times it has been again increased. The French regiments alone in See also:Europe wear the cuirass on all parades and at manoeuvres.

End of Article: CUIRASSIERS

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