The Austro-Hungarian light cavalry sabres models 1798 & 1824

Welcome to today's video where I'm going to introduce you to a pair of swords that are very similar in shape but have some differences. These swords are the Austro-Hungarian light cavalry sabre model 1798 and 1824. It would be unfair to talk about Austro-Hungarian sabre without introducing you to the legendary cavalrymen that used these swords. The Hussars were originally irregular light cavalrymen from Hungary whose dress, armament and tactics were heavily influenced by years of fighting the Ottoman cavalry. Hussars were known for their dashing undisciplined attitude which became very elitist but also very rapacious. But their most striking feature was their regional traditional dress which evolved into what we call the dolma, the pelis and its trousers as well as the headdress which inspired the callback. The whole thing was so colorful and flashy it was enthusiastically copied almost worldwide and especially by officers wanting to stand out from the rest. Even today some military units still use the dolma and the callback and sometimes even the chaco for ceremonial dress. Such is the power of smart looking uniforms. After their value in combat was acknowledged, other nations hired Hungarian Hussars and or recruited deserters to raise their own units which were modeled after those serving the Austro-Hungarian empire. Their primary role was with reconnaissance, being either in the vanguard and rear guard of the army when it was As such they were its eyes and ears. They were also pivotal in outpost duties and skirmishes but also harassing enemy troops, raiding and disrupting communication and supply lines. If the occasion presented itself they could also charge the enemy to break it and pursue retreating troops. Being light cavalry their armament consisted of pistols, shorter carbines such as the blunderbuss and last but not least an edged weapon that was referred to as the Hussar sabre because of its curved blade and a distinctive hilt that was in the shape of a stirrup such as the one presented here. As can be seen in the shape of their hilts they are very similar but they have a couple of decades of evolution in between. The first sword is commonly referred to as the 1798 sabre for Hussars and Lancers but it is itself an older version of a sabre that was retooled over the years and that model was the 1769 whose original form had a scabbard that was made of leather and iron fittings and had langets as well as ear rivets on each side of the grip. The 1769 model evolved in the years following its introduction in the ranks. It wasn't really issued until after 1772 and just three years later in 1775 the scabbard was already replaced with one that was completely made of steel. It is interesting to note that the resulting 1679 slash 75 sabre was the model that was the basis of design for the famous British 1796 light cavalry sabre. In 1798 another change to the form was implemented and although there are no drawn sources for this sabre pattern one change from its predecessor was clearly documented in the adjustment regulation of 1798 which stated the sabre remains as before only a loop is attached to the bracket through which a sling or sword knot passes. The sergeants also receive iron scabbards instead of the ones that were made of brass. Though unmentioned the langets were removed from the design and would no longer reappear in Austro-Hungarian swords made after that date. In June 1803 just five years after the change in hilt another modification was done in the form of a sword knot hole that was located in the quillon. This was the 1798 slash 1803 model but to confuse things a bit more it turns out that the same year another newer model was also produced but it didn't have the ear rivets and the top sword knot hole instead it had a ferrule that was added to the grip base. Despite being a different sword it was still known as the 1803 model. Five years later in 1808 another modification was done in the form of a rivet that was placed in the grip to maintain its solidity. The grip shape and the pommel caps were slightly retooled but from the drawings it is extremely hard to determine what else was different. Since this 1808 model was meant to be issued equally for the troopers and the NCOs only the quality of polish differentiated the two. The 1824 sword is the last of the line of light cavalry sub in terms of modifications and this was introduced in December 19th 1824 and again in April 22 1825. The text or ordinance to the general uniform's inspection of December 19th 1824 was the following the scabbards of cavalry sub are to be made from thicker steel in the future in order to make the scabbards of the cavalry sub more suitable for their purpose it is decided that in the future they will be made stronger for both the german cavalry and the hussars not only for the non-commissioned officers but also for the troopers. These scabbards will be fitted with a mouthpiece which will cause the sub to be kept more firmly and keep the mouth of the scabbard unchanged. Since the glue easily generates moisture this in turns helps rust the wooden inserts in the new sheet cannot be glued together they are also stronger than in the old sheet and are held in place by the mouthpiece. This confirms that the only difference to the previous model was the introduction of a small mouthpiece on the scabbard which was supposed to hold the wood inserts that were no longer glued but simply inserted. Other than that the real difference can be seen in the maker's signature for example in the specimen the font of the maker named Fischer determines the year it was made so around 1830. Before that the signature was of a handwritten type and not printed in capital letters. This model lasted more than the others and in 1845 it was officially replaced with the new line of bold guard sword that would take the lead in Austro-Hungarian edged weaponry but this was halted when in 1848 happened the Hungarian revolution or war of independence one of the most significant events in Hungary's modern history as they tried to fight for the freedoms against the emperor and among the troops that fought against the Austrian empire were the native Hussars who were still armed with the 1824 sabre thus making them a cherished weapon for some collectors. The rebellion was eventually defeated with help of the Russians but Hungary never calmed and eventually in 1867 the Austrian empire and Hungary declared the dual monarchy of the Austro-Hungarian empire which was a compromise which only partially re-established the former pre-1848 sovereignty and status of the kingdom of Hungary being separate from but no longer subject to the Austrian empire. When the conversion from 1824 to the 1845 models was made it didn't necessarily mean that the sabre disappeared completely since it was given to the supply units as a side arm. Eventually in the 1850s 1860s when the 1845s were replaced and given to the supply units where the 1824s finally removed as being too obsolete to continue their service within the Austro-Hungarian army thus ended the long line of stereotyped Hungarian trooper sabre. The 1798 ion is a very used condition which is very frequent with Austro-Hungarian swords but they were used extensively even after being replaced with new newer models. The hilt has the hole for the bracket that is now missing it is like in the sword not hole that was introduced in the modification of 1803 so as a result you can see how short the kion was in this model. The blade has on both sides the engraved imperial crowned double-headed eagle and the back of the blade has the signature fissure which was hand written and this type was used in the years 1810 to 1820. It is thus very likely that the blade was replaced sometime after 1810 meaning that this specimen or at least the hilt saw action during the campaigns from 1801 to 1814 against Napoleon's forces making it a very honorable veteran of the wars. The second sword is a bit of a mystery because I cannot confirm if it is an 1808 or 1824 sabre. It is possible that this is a transitional variant because it borrows features from both models for example the scabbard is an interior version before the 1824 but the blade lacks the engravings seen on the 1808 sabre. You can see the rivet on the center of the grip to reinforce it which is very common to the 1824 sabre but also the 1808. The one thing that makes me believe that this is an 1824 is the shape of the grip which is pretty slim and long and the top of the pommel cap which is a little screw or dome. The back of the blade is marked Fischer but this one is marked in capital letters which was used from the years 1820 to 1830. And this concludes today's video about these fine swords. Don't hesitate to comment if you want to share your thoughts about it. These are very uncommon swords outside of Europe sadly and they can be very very expensive especially this one. So thank you very much for being here today with me. I'll be seeing you in the next episode and until then take care!