Polish way: the light cossack cavalry in the era of military revolution

Abstract

The aim of the article is to show the way of adaptation of the military potential of the Crown to the Tatar threat, which first emerged in 1468. In connection with the particular geopolitical situation we present the dissimilarity of military reforms from those in Western Europe. In order to prevent Tatar raids, a standing frontier army (obrona potoczna or Permanent Defense). In the 1520s an innovative strategy was developed involving creating two defense lines with a very deep military recognition led 500 kilometers east of Lviv, already on the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The consequence of applying the new model of defense was a new type of armed forces developed approximately two decades later, the cossack cavalry. We present a phenomenon of forming a uniform, as regards the armament, light cavalry, which was a process taking place in the 1540s and 50s. Earlier the troops consisted of soldiers differently equipped and armored, as well as using various horses. Out of this chaos there emerged more unified units, which was a result of experiences of south-east borderline defense. It was emphasized that a key role in the tactical innovation was played neither by commanders-in-chief nor by political and governmental factors but mid-level commanders (starosts, rotmistrzes). It was they experimenting with different types of arms brought about a revolution in the rearmament and uniformity of the cavalry. It is indicated that the main originator of the transformations was the Bar and Trembowla starost Bernard Pretwicz. We can perceive a clear influence of political decisions and strategic concepts on the final transformations in the warfare tactics.

Keywords:

military revolution, modernization processes, strategic innovations of the 16th c., tactical innovations of the 16th c., old-Polish military, cossack cavalry, military camps