Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910-1911), "Mounted rifles are half cavalry, mounted infantry merely specially mobile infantry." Today, with motor vehicles having replaced horses for military transport, the motorized infantry are in some respects successors to mounted infantry.
119-404: Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry , who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat with swords and firearms from horseback. While their use goes back to the late 16th century, dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during
238-467: A rebellion in 1641 , which developed into ethnic conflict with Protestant settlers. The Irish Catholic Confederation , formed to control the rebellion, held most of Ireland in the ensuing war against the Royalists, Parliamentarians, and Covenanters. Although all three agreed on the need to quell the rebellion, none trusted the other two with control of an army raised to do so. In August 1642, failure to break
357-771: A campaign against the Scots, they refused. They then declared themselves to be permanently in session— the Long Parliament —and soon presented Charles with a long list of civil and religious grievances requiring his remedy before they would approve any new legislation. During the English Civil War, the English overseas possessions became highly involved. In the Channel Islands, the island of Jersey and Castle Cornet in Guernsey supported
476-416: A dragon's head. The practice comes from a time when all gunpowder weapons had distinctive names, including the culverin , serpentine, falcon, falconet , etc. It is also sometimes claimed a galloping infantryman with his loose coat and the burning match resembled a dragon . It has also been asserted that the name was coined by Mansfeld as a comparison to dragons represented as "spitting fire and being swift on
595-636: A former President of Peru , were the traditional Guard of the Government Palace until 5 March 1987 and its disbandment in that year. However, by Ministerial Resolution No 139-2012/DE/EP of 2 February 2012 the restoration of the Cavalry Regiment "Marshal Domingo Nieto" as the official escort of the President of the Republic of Peru was announced. The main mission of the reestablished regiment was to guarantee
714-493: A historic connection, with both the French and German dragoon regiments carrying lances during the early stages of World War I. The historic German, Russian and Austro-Hungarian dragoon regiments ceased to exist as distinct branches following the overthrow of the respective imperial regimes of these countries during 1917–18. The Spanish dragoons, which dated back to 1640, were reclassified as numbered cavalry regiments in 1931 as part of
833-568: A leading role in initiating the Mexican War of Independence in 1810, including Ignacio Allende , Juan Aldama and Agustin de Iturbide , who briefly served as Emperor of México from 1822 to 1823. Prior to the War of 1812 , the U.S. organized the Regiment of Light Dragoons . For the war, a second regiment was activated; that regiment was consolidated with the original regiment in 1814. The original regiment
952-602: A number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments . With the invention of accurate and quick firing repeating pistols and rifles in the mid-19th century, cavalry started to become increasingly vulnerable. Many armies started to use troops which could either fight on horseback or on foot as circumstances dictated. Fighting on horseback with swords and lances would allow rapid movement without cover from enemy fire , whilst fighting on foot with pistols and rifles allowed them to make use of cover and to form defensive lines. The first mounted infantry units were raised during
1071-636: A single battalion. Consequently, their employment reflected this lack of mass, with the tactics seeking to harness greater mobility and fire to overcome opposition, rather than echeloned mass attacks. Mounted infantry began to disappear with the shift from horses to motor vehicles in the 1920s and 1930s. Germany deployed a few horse-mounted infantry units on the Russian Front during the Second World War, and cyclist units on both fronts as well, and both Germany and Britain (which had used cyclist battalions in
1190-639: Is a part of 2 CMBG and the RCD Regiment with Leopard 2A4 and 2A6 tanks. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were accorded the formal status of a regiment of dragoons in 1921. The modern RCMP does not retain any military status however. Founded as the Dragones de la Reina (Queen's Dragoons) in 1758 and later renamed the Dragoons of Chile in 1812, and then becoming the Carabineros de Chile in 1903. The Carabineros are
1309-723: The English Civil War , while others have labelled them the British Civil Wars . After 1541, monarchs of England styled their Irish territory as a Kingdom —replacing the Lordship of Ireland —and ruled there with the assistance of a separate Irish Parliament . Also, with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 , Henry VIII integrated Wales more closely into the Kingdom of England . Scotland,
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#17328419967791428-671: The Australian Light Horse and the Canadian Mounted Rifles ) were MI (mounted infantry), as well as locally raised irregulars like the Imperial Light Horse and South African Light Horse . As artillery was of limited use against scattered Boer guerrilla bands later in the war, the mounted personnel of Royal Artillery units were formed into Royal Artillery Mounted Rifles . As part of the lessons learned from that war, British regular cavalry regiments were armed with
1547-622: The Bishops' Wars . Charles shared his father's belief in the Divine Right of Kings , and his persistent assertion of this standard seriously disrupted relations between the Crown and the English Parliament. The Church of England remained dominant, but a powerful Puritan minority, represented by about one third of Parliament, began to assert themselves; their religious precepts had much in common with
1666-750: The Ceylon Mounted Rifles , Cape Mounted Rifles , Natal Carbineers , and Marshall's Horse fought as mounted infantry. In the Second Boer War , the British copied the Boers and raised large forces of their own mounted infantry. Among various ad hoc formations, the Imperial Yeomanry was raised from volunteers in Britain between 1900 and 1901. Many of the contingents from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (e.g.
1785-549: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland would continue to run the church. The personal union of the three kingdoms under one monarch came about when King James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I to the English throne in 1603, when he also became King James I of England and of Ireland. In 1625, Charles I succeeded his father and marked three main concerns regarding England and Wales: how to fund his government, how to reform
1904-522: The German invasion in 1940 . After World War II the dragoon regiments were reorganized as armoured reconnaissance units. "Dragon" is the rank of a compulsory service private cavalryman while enlisted (regular) cavalrymen have the same rank as infantrymen: "Grenader". The Armoured Regiment "34 Lancers" of Pakistan Army Armoured Corps is also known as "Dragoons". The "Mariscal Domingo Nieto" Cavalry Regiment Escort , named after Field Marshal Domingo Nieto ,
2023-754: The Irish Confederate Wars , the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland and the Anglo-Scottish War of 1650–1652. They resulted in the execution of Charles I , the abolition of monarchy , and founding of the Commonwealth of England , a unitary state which controlled the British Isles until the Stuart Restoration in 1660. Political and religious conflict between Charles I and his opponents dated to
2142-619: The Mexican–American War (as the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen , but redesignated Third Cavalry Regiment in 1861), and others followed, for example in Australia in the 1880s. Terms such as "mounted rifles" or "Light Horse" were often used. The French Foreign Legion used mule -mounted companies from the 1880s. Each mule was shared by two legionnaires, who took turns in riding it. This arrangement allowed faster and more prolonged marches that could cover 60 mi (97 km) in one day. In
2261-611: The New Model Army was first approved by Parliament in January 1645, it included ten regiments of cavalry, each with a company of dragoons attached. At the urging of Sir Thomas Fairfax , on 1 March they were formed into a separate unit of 1,000 men, commanded by Colonel John Okey , and played an important part at the Battle of Naseby in June. Supplied with inferior horses and more basic equipment,
2380-715: The Philippine Scouts assisted in the defense of the Philippines at the onset of World War II. The 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army also maintained a mounted reconnaissance troop throughout World War Two, which saw service in Italy and Austria during the war. Countries with entrenched military traditions, such as Switzerland, retained horse-mounted troops well into the Cold War , while Sweden kept much of its infantry on bicycles during
2499-702: The Privy Council of Scotland and controlling the Parliament of Scotland through the Lords of the Articles . He constrained the authority of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and stopped it from meeting, then increased the number of bishops in the Church of Scotland . In 1618, he held a General Assembly and pushed through Five Articles of Episcopalian practices, which were widely boycotted. After his death in 1625, James
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#17328419967792618-756: The Saskatchewan Dragoons . The Royal Canadian Dragoons is the senior Armoured regiment in the Canadian Army . The regiment was authorized in 1883 as the Cavalry School Corps, being redesignated as Canadian Dragoons in 1892, adding the Royal designation the next year. The RCD has a history of fighting dismounted, serving in the Second Boer War in South Africa as mounted infantry, fighting as infantry with
2737-516: The Scottish Civil War . There, the Royalists gained a series of victories in 1644–1645, but were crushed after the main Covenanter armies returned to Scotland upon the end of the first English Civil War. The Scots handed Charles over to the English and returned to Scotland, the English Parliament having paid them a large sum for their expenses in the English campaign. After his surrender, Charles
2856-585: The Yorktown campaign . During the Napoleonic Wars , dragoons generally assumed a cavalry role, though remaining a lighter class of mounted troops than the armored cuirassiers . Dragoons rode larger horses than the light cavalry and wielded straight, rather than curved swords. Emperor Napoleon often formed complete divisions out of his 30 dragoon regiments, while in 1811 six regiments were converted to Chevau-Legers Lanciers ; they were often used in battle to break
2975-444: The phalanx . The early pre- Marian Roman military had units consisting of infantrymen clinging to the saddles of the cavalry to take them to battle and then dismounting to fight. Gallic and Germanic warbands were reported to use double-riders, with a second warrior joining a horseman only for a short distance before dismounting to fight on foot. The Han dynasty also extensively used mounted infantry in their campaigns against
3094-489: The regicide of Charles I. Royalists dug up Cromwell's corpse and performed a posthumous execution . The religiously and politically motivated individuals held responsible for the wars suffered harsh repression. Scotland and Ireland regained their Parliaments, some Irish retrieved confiscated lands, and the New Model Army was disbanded. However, the issues which had caused the wars—religion, the powers of Parliament vis-á-vis
3213-600: The 1650–1652 Anglo-Scottish war . Under Oliver Cromwell , the Commonwealth conquered Ireland and most Irish Catholic lands were seized . The British Isles became a united republic ruled by Cromwell and dominated by the army. There were sporadic uprisings until the monarchy was restored in 1660. The term Wars of the Three Kingdoms first appears in A Brief Chronicle of all the Chief Actions so fatally Falling out in
3332-498: The 17th and early 18th centuries; they provided greater mobility than regular infantry but were far less expensive than cavalry. The name reputedly derives from a type of firearm , called a dragon , which was a handgun version of a blunderbuss , carried by dragoons of the French Army . The title has been retained in modern times by a number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments. The establishment of dragoons evolved from
3451-740: The 18th century there were four regiments of dragoons. Lithuanian cavalrymen served in dragoon regiments of both the Russian and Prussian armies, after the Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Between 1920 and 1924, and again between 1935 and 1940, the Lithuanian Army included the Third Dragoon Iron Wolf Regiment. The dragoons were the equivalent of the present-day Volunteer Forces . In modern Lithuania
3570-498: The 18th century, Spain raised several regiments of dragoons to protect the northern provinces and borders of New Spain , the present-day states of California, Nevada , Colorado , Texas , Kansas , Arizona , Montana , North Dakota , and South Dakota . In mainland Spain, dragoons were reclassified as light cavalry from 1803 but remained among the elite units of the Spanish Colonial Army . A number of dragoon officers played
3689-455: The 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel. Dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the late 17th century and early 18th century. The name is possibly derived from a type of firearm (called a dragon ) carried by dragoons of the French Army . There is no distinction between the words dragon and dragoon in French. The title has been retained in modern times by
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3808-436: The 1980s rifles were used for dismounted drill. Mounted infantry The origins of mounted infantry go back to at least the beginnings of organised warfare. With the weight of ancient bronze armor , the opposing champions would travel to battle on chariots before dismounting to fight. With the evolution of hoplite warfare, some hoplites would travel to battle on horseback, before dismounting to take their place in
3927-727: The 1st Canadian Division in Flanders in 1915–1916 and spending the majority of the regiment's service in the Italian Campaign 1944–1945 fighting dismounted. In 1994 when the regiment deployed to Bosnia as part of the United Nations Protection Force, B Squadron was employed as a mechanized infantry company. The current role of The Royal Canadian Dragoons is to provide Armour Reconnaissance support to 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) as well as C Squadron RCD in Gagetown which
4046-508: The 28 dragoon regiments of the Imperial German Army wore the infantry Pickelhaube or spiked helmet, while British dragoons wore scarlet tunics for full dress while hussars and all but one of the lancer regiments wore dark blue. In other respects however dragoons had adopted the same tactics, roles and equipment as other branches of the cavalry and the distinction had become simply one of traditional titles. Weaponry had ceased to have
4165-861: The Army, which began the Second English Civil War . The New Model Army vanquished the English Royalists and Parliamentarians, as well as their Scottish Engager allies. On account of his secret machinations with the Scottish Engagers, Charles was charged with treason against England. Subsequently, the Grandees and their civilian supporters failed to reconcile with the king or the Puritan majority in Parliament. The Grandees acted, and soldiers were used to purge
4284-572: The Austrian dragoons of the period, as the Brazilian Empress consort was also an Austrian archduchess . The color of the plumes varies according to rank. The Independence Dragoons are armed with lances and sabres , the latter only for the officers and the colour guard. The regiment was established in 1808 by the Prince Regent and future King of Portugal , John VI , with the duty of protecting
4403-408: The British Army were re-designated as hussars and when the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815, some became lancers . The transition from dragoons to hussars was however a slow one, affecting uniforms but not equipment and functions. Even titles often remained ambiguous until 1861, for example, 18th King's Light Dragoons (Hussars). The seven regiments of Dragoon Guards served as the heavy cavalry arm of
4522-517: The British Army, although unlike continental cuirassiers they carried no armour. Between 1816 and 1861, the other twenty-one cavalry regiments were either disbanded or rebadged as lancers or hussars. The creation of a unified German state in 1871 brought together the dragoon regiments of Prussia , Bavaria , Saxony , Mecklenburg, Oldenburg , Baden , Hesse , and Württemberg in a single numbered sequence, although historic distinctions of insignia and uniform were largely preserved. Two regiments of
4641-418: The British Army, which from 1746 onward gradually redesignated all regiments of "horse" (regular cavalry) as lower paid "dragoons", in an economy measure. Starting in 1756, seven regiments of light dragoons were raised and trained in reconnaissance , skirmishing and other work requiring endurance in accordance with contemporary standards of light cavalry performance. The success of this new class of cavalry
4760-446: The Cavalry Regiment "President's Escort" before receiving its current title in 1949. The Peruvian Dragoon Guard has throughout its existence worn French-style uniforms of black tunic and red breeches in winter and white coat and red breeches in summer, with red and white plumed bronze helmets with the coat of arms of Peru and golden or red epaulettes depending on rank. They retain their original armament of lances and sabres , until
4879-718: The Crown was rewarded after the 1660 Restoration of the Monarchy when Charles II dubbed it the Old Dominion . Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Ireland (proclaimed such in 1541 but only fully conquered for the Crown in 1603), tensions had also begun to mount. Thomas Wentworth , Charles I's Lord Deputy of Ireland , angered Catholics by enforcing new taxes while denying them full rights as subjects; he further antagonised wealthy Irish Catholics by repeated initiatives to confiscate and transfer their lands to English colonists. Conditions became explosive in 1639 when Wentworth offered Irish Catholics some reforms in return for their raising and funding an Irish army (led by Protestant officers) to put down
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4998-506: The Crown. Bermuda's Independent Puritans were expelled, settling the Bahamas under William Sayle as the Eleutheran Adventurers . Parliament passed An Act for prohibiting Trade with the Barbadoes, Virginia, Bermuda and Antego in October, 1650 that prohibited all trade with the rebellious colonies of Barbados, Antigua, Bermuda, and Virginia, and granting permission to English privateers to seize any ships belonging to merchants, including foreigners, who traded with those colonies. Far to
5117-582: The English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters opposed the changes Charles tried to impose on the Protestant state churches of England and Scotland . In Ireland, the only one with a Catholic majority, the Irish Confederates wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination , greater self-governance, and a reversal of land grants to Protestant settlers . The conflicts began with the Bishops' Wars of 1639–1640, when Scottish Covenanters who opposed Charles' religious reforms gained control of Scotland and briefly occupied northern England. Irish Catholics launched
5236-414: The English Parliament of those who opposed the Army. The resultant Rump Parliament of the Long Parliament then passed enabling legislation for putting Charles I on trial for treason . He was found guilty of treason against the English commons and was executed on 30 January 1649. After the execution of King Charles I the Rump Parliament passed a series of acts declaring that England was a republic; that
5355-434: The English Parliament, but as this body never held real powers, representation was ineffective. When Cromwell died in 1658 the Commonwealth fell apart—but without major violence. Historians record that adroit politicians of the time, especially George Monck , prevailed over the looming crisis; Monck in particular was deemed the victor sine sanguine, i.e., "without blood" , of the Restoration crisis. And in 1660, Charles II
5474-408: The English and Scottish Parliaments, a small group of Irish conspirators launched the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , ostensibly in support of the "King's Rights". The uprising featured widespread violent assaults on Protestant communities in Ireland, both Anglican and dissenter Protestants in Ulster whose practice was similar to the Scottish Kirk. In England and Scotland, rumours spread that the killings had
5593-413: The First World War) experimented with motorcycle battalions. Germany also utilized organic horse and bicycle mounted troops within infantry formations throughout World War Two, although bicycle use increased as Germany retreated into its own territory. Japan deployed cyclists to great effect in its 1941 to 1942 campaign in Malaya and drive on Singapore during World War II. A horsed cavalry regiment of
5712-443: The French monarchy to persecute Protestants , particularly by forcing Protestants to lodge a dragoon ( dragonnades ) in their house to watch over them at the householder's expense. Early dragoons were not organized in squadrons or troops as were cavalry, but in companies like the infantry. Their commissioned and non-commissioned officers bore infantry ranks, while they used drummers, not buglers, to communicate orders on
5831-451: The Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion ( Lithuanian: didžiojo kunigaikščio Butigeidžio dragūnų batalionas ) is designated as dragoons, with a motorized infantry role. During the times of the Viceroyalty, regiments of dragoons (Dragon de cuera) were created to defend New Spain . They were mostly horsemen from the provinces. During and after the Mexican war of independence , dragons have played an important role in military conflicts within
5950-412: The House of Commons—without the House of Lords—would sit as the legislature; and that a Council of State would act as the executive power. In the other two kingdoms the execution of Charles caused the warring parties to unite, and they recognised Charles II as king of Great Britain, France and Ireland. To deal with the threat to the English Commonwealth posed by the two kingdoms (Ireland and Scotland),
6069-426: The Imperial Guard were designated as dragoons. The Austrian (later Austro-Hungarian) Army of the 19th century included six regiments of dragoons in 1836, classed as heavy cavalry for shock action, but in practice used as multi-purpose medium troops. After 1859 all but two Austrian dragoon regiments were converted to cuirassiers or disbanded. From 1868 to 1918 the Austro-Hungarian dragoons numbered 15 regiments. During
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#17328419967796188-427: The Imperial Honor Guard was ridden by the officer making the declaration of the end of Imperial rule, Second lieutenant Eduardo José Barbosa. This is commemorated by the custom under which the horse having this number is used only by the commander of the modern regiment. There are three dragoon regiments in the Canadian Army : The Royal Canadian Dragoons and two reserve regiments, the British Columbia Dragoons and
6307-443: The Interregnum, the New Model Army occupied Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland, the new government confiscated almost all lands belonging to Irish Catholics as punishment for the rebellion of 1641; harsh Penal Laws also restricted this community. Thousands of Parliamentarian soldiers settled in Ireland on confiscated lands. The Commonwealth abolished the Parliaments of Ireland and Scotland. In theory, these countries had representation in
6426-496: The King until a surrender with honour in December 1651. Although the newer, Puritan settlements in North America, notably Massachusetts , were dominated by Parliamentarians, the older colonies to the south sided with the Crown. Friction between Royalists, most of whom were Anglican, and Puritans in Maryland came to a head in the Battle of the Severn . The Virginia Company's settlements, Bermuda and Virginia , as well as Antigua and Barbados , were conspicuous in their loyalty to
6545-455: The Kirk —and Mary, Queen of Scots , a Catholic, was forced to abdicate in favour of her son James VI of Scotland . James grew up under a regency disputed between Catholic and Protestant factions; when he took power, he aspired to be a "universal King", favouring the English Episcopalian system of bishops appointed by the king. In 1584, he introduced bishops into the Church of Scotland, but met with vigorous opposition, and he had to concede that
6664-411: The Lord Protector. When Cromwell died in 1658, control of the Commonwealth became unstable. In early 1660, General George Monck , commanding English occupation forces in Scotland, ordered his troops from the Coldstream barracks, marched them south into England, and seized control of London by February 1660. There he accumulated allies and agreements among the English and London establishments, including
6783-403: The Marshal de Brissac in 1600. According to old German literature, dragoons were invented by Count Ernst von Mansfeld , one of the greatest German military commanders, in the early 1620s. There are other instances of mounted infantry predating this. However Mansfeld, who had learned his profession in Hungary and the Netherlands, often used horses to make his foot troops more mobile, creating what
6902-578: The Netherlands and three more in Milan . In 1704, the Spanish dragoons were reorganised into regiments by Philip V , as were the rest of the tercios . Dragoons were at a disadvantage when engaged against true cavalry, and constantly sought to improve their horsemanship, armament and social status. By the Seven Years' War in 1756, their primary role in most European armies had progressed from that of mounted infantry to that of heavy cavalry. They were sometimes described as "medium" cavalry, midway between heavy/armoured and light/unarmoured regiments, though this
7021-411: The North, Bermuda's regiment of Militia and its coastal batteries prepared to resist an invasion that never came. Built-up inside the natural defence of a nearly impassable barrier reef, to fend off the might of Spain, these defences would have been a formidable obstacle for the Parliamentary fleet sent in 1651 under the command of Admiral Sir George Ayscue to subdue the trans-Atlantic colonies, but after
7140-444: The Palestine campaign Pattern 1908 cavalry swords were issued and used in the campaign leading to the fall of Damascus. Probably the last use of real dragoons (infantry on horseback) in combat was made by the Portuguese Army in the war in Angola during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1966, the Portuguese created an experimental horse platoon to operate against the guerrillas in the high grass region of Eastern Angola , in which each soldier
7259-428: The Portuguese royal family, which had sought refuge in Brazil during the Napoleonic wars . However dragoons had existed in Portugal since at least the early 18th century and, in 1719, units of this type of cavalry were sent to Brazil, initially to escort shipments of gold and diamonds and to guard the Viceroy who resided in Rio de Janeiro (1st Cavalry Regiment – Vice-Roy Guard Squadron ). Later, they were also sent to
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#17328419967797378-539: The Presbyterian Scots. The English Parliament and the king had repeated disputes over taxation, military expenditure, and the role of the Parliament in government. While James I had held much the same opinions as his son regarding Royal Prerogatives , he usually had enough discretion and charisma to persuade Parliamentarians to accept his thinking. Charles had no such skill and, faced with multiple crises during 1639–1642, he failed to prevent his kingdoms from sliding into civil war. When Charles approached Parliament to pay for
7497-429: The Royalists and a Covenanter faction called the Engagers . The Parliamentarian New Model Army then purged England's parliament of those who wanted to continue negotiations with the king. The resulting Rump Parliament approved his execution in January 1649 and founded the republican Commonwealth of England . In the Treaty of Breda , the Scots agreed to restore Charles II to the English throne, but were defeated in
7616-456: The Rump Parliament first appointed Cromwell to invade and subdue Ireland. In August 1649, he landed an English army at Rathmines shortly after the Siege of Dublin was abandoned by the Royalists following the Battle of Rathmines . Then, in late May 1650, Cromwell left one army to continue the Irish conquest and returned to England and to take command of a second English army which preemptively invaded Scotland . On 3 September 1650, he defeated
7735-400: The Scottish Kirk were opposed by most Scots, who supported a Presbyterian system of governance led by a General Assembly, and in individual churches by ministers and committees of elders . The 1638 National Covenant pledged to oppose such imposed "innovations". Signatories were known as Covenanters . In Ireland, alienated by Church of England domination and frightened by the rhetoric of
7854-416: The Scottish Covenanters at the Battle of Dunbar , and his forces then occupied Edinburgh and Scotland south of the River Forth . Cromwell was advancing the bulk of his army over the Forth towards Stirling ; when Charles II, commanding a Scottish Royalist army, stole a march on the English commander and invaded England from his base in Scotland. Cromwell divided his forces, leaving part in Scotland to complete
7973-438: The Scottish rebellion. The idea of an Irish Catholic army enforcing what many saw as already tyrannical government horrified both the Scottish and the English Parliaments, which in response threatened to invade Ireland. Charles' initial failure to end the Bishops' Wars of 1639 and 1640 quickly persuaded the antagonists that force could serve them better than negotiation. The imposition of Bishops and other Anglican practices to
8092-435: The Western Theater of the American Civil War , several infantry regiments were converted to mounted infantry and armed with repeating rifles . The Lightning Brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga was an example of these Union mounted infantry units. In the British Army , infantry units in some parts of the British Empire had a mounted platoon for scouting and skirmishing . In addition, many locally raised units such as
8211-485: The Xiongnu confederation . During many of the Han campaigns, the vast majority of the army rode on horseback; either as mounted cavalry or mounted infantry who fought dismounted. The Arabs, during their campaigns in the deserts of Mesopotamia and Syria against the Byzantines and Sassanids , used camels to enhance their mobility, marking a stark contrast to their enemies, especially in the desert environment. The Carolingians under Charlemagne also used horses as transport for
8330-549: The army modernization policies of the Second Spanish Republic . The Australian Light Horse were similar to 18th-century dragoon regiments in some respects, being mounted infantry which normally fought on foot, their horses' purpose being transportation. They served during the Second Boer War and World War I . The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade became famous for the Battle of Beersheba in 1917 where they charged on horseback using rifle bayonets in hand, since neither sabres nor lances were part of their equipment. Later in
8449-427: The battlefield. The flexibility of mounted infantry made dragoons a useful arm, especially when employed for what would now be termed " internal security " against smugglers or civil unrest, and on line of communication security duties. In Britain, companies of dragoons were first raised during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and prior to 1645 either served as independent troops or were attached to cavalry units. When
8568-538: The bulk of their army, and special care was taken to ensure the health, fodder, and availability of horses on-campaign. Other notable infantry to use horses to enhance their mobility include the Genoese crossbowmen , and Viking raiders who would gather all the horses they could find in the vicinity of their landings. Dragoons originally were mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills . However, usage altered over time and during
8687-484: The cavalry charge in the Battle of Beersheba (1917) during World War I are labelled as mounted infantry brigade in popular media; however, they were in fact mounted rifles as were the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade which also took part in this battle. Mounted rifles regiments lack the mass of a mounted infantry battalions, as a light horse brigade could only muster as many rifles in the line as
8806-551: The changes that ultimately would shape modern Britain but, in the short term, these conflicts in fact resolved little for the kingdoms and peoples. The English Commonwealth did achieve a notable compromise between the monarchy and republic which survived destabilising problems for nearly the next two hundred years. In practice, Oliver Cromwell exercised political power through his control over Parliament's military forces, but his legal position—and provisions for his succession—remained unclear, even after he became Lord Protector . None of
8925-457: The church, and how to limit the English Parliament's interference in his rule. At that time, he showed little interest in his other two kingdoms, Scotland and Ireland. James VI remained Protestant, taking care to maintain his hopes of succession to the English throne. He duly became James I of England in 1603 and moved to London. James concentrated on dealing with the English court and Parliament , running Scotland through written instructions to
9044-448: The conquest there, then led the rest south in pursuit of Charles II. The Royalist army failed to gather much support from English Royalists as it moved south into England; so, instead of heading directly towards London and certain defeat, Charles aimed for Worcester hoping that Wales and the West and Midlands of England would rise against the Commonwealth. This did not happen and, one year to
9163-829: The country such as the Battle of Puebla during the French intervention , until the Mexican Revolution . One of the best-known military marches in Mexico is the Marcha Dragona (dragon march), the only one currently used by cavalry and motorized units during the parade on 16 September to commemorate Independence Day. In the Norwegian Army during the early part of the 20th century, dragoons served in part as mounted troops, and in part on skis or bicycles ( hjulryttere , meaning "wheel-riders"). Dragoons fought on horses, bicycles and skis against
9282-574: The day after the Battle of Dunbar, the New Model Army and the English militia regiments vanquished the last Royalist army of the English Civil War at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651. It was the last and most decisive battle in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Having defeated all organised opposition, the Grandees of the Parliamentary New Model Army and their civilian supporters dominated
9401-586: The different branch of service, belonged to the so-called Gemeine rank group. The guard of honour for the President of Brazil includes the 1st Guards Cavalry Regiment of the Brazilian Army , known as the "Dragões da Independência" (Independence Dragoons). The name was given in 1927 and refers to the fact that a detachment of dragoons escorted the Prince Royal of Portugal and Brazil, Pedro of Braganza , at
9520-594: The double ability of dismounted action as well as the new cavalry tactics in their training and a growing acceptance of the impracticality of employing historical cavalry tactics against modern firepower. Upon the reinstatement of Uhlan and Hussar Regiments in 1907 their training pattern, as well as that of the Cuirassiers of the Guard, remained unchanged until the collapse of the Russian Imperial Army. In Japan, during
9639-611: The dragoon regiments were cheaper to raise and maintain than the expensive regiments of cavalry. When in the 17th century Gustav II Adolf introduced dragoons into the Swedish Army, he provided them with a sword, an axe and a matchlock musket, using them as "labourers on horseback". Many of the European armies henceforth imitated this all-purpose set of weaponry. Dragoons of the late 17th and early 18th centuries retained strong links with infantry in appearance and equipment, differing mainly in
9758-474: The dragoons chasing the guerrillas and pushing them in one direction, with the airmobile troops being launched from helicopter in the enemy rear, trapping the enemy between the two forces. Until 1918, Dragoner (en: dragoon) was the designation given to the lowest ranks in the dragoon regiments of the Austro-Hungarian and Imperial German armies. The Dragoner rank, together with all other private ranks of
9877-432: The early years of his reign. While the vast majority supported the institution of monarchy, they disagreed on who held ultimate authority. Royalists generally argued political and religious bodies were subordinate to the king, while most of their Parliamentarian opponents backed a limited form of constitutional monarchy . This was worsened by differences over religion and religious freedom . Reformed Protestants such as
9996-480: The enemy's main resistance. In northern and eastern Europe they were employed as heavy cavalry, while in the Peninsular War they also fulfilled the role of lighter cavalry, for example in anti-guerrilla operations. In 1809, French dragoons scored notable successes against Spanish armies at the Battle of Ocana and the Battle of Alba de Tormes . Post 1805, the 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th regiments of Light Dragoons of
10115-589: The fall of Barbados, the Bermudians made a separate peace that respected the internal status quo. The Parliament of Bermuda avoided the Parliament of England's fate during The Protectorate , becoming one of the oldest continuous legislatures in the world. Virginia's population swelled with Cavaliers during and after the English Civil War. Even so, Virginia Puritan Richard Bennett was made Governor answering to Cromwell in 1652, followed by two more nominal "Commonwealth Governors". The loyalty of Virginia's Cavaliers to
10234-732: The financial muscle of the City of London . On 5 May 1646, at Southwell, Charles I surrendered to the Scottish army besieging Newark-on-Trent . What remained of the English and Welsh Royalist armies and garrisons, surrendered piecemeal over the next few months. Meanwhile, the rebellious Irish Catholics formed their own government— Confederate Ireland —intending to help the Royalists in return for religious toleration and political autonomy. Troops from England and Scotland fought in Ireland, and Irish Confederate troops mounted an expedition to Scotland in 1644 , sparking
10353-413: The king's sanction, which, for many, foreshadowed their own fate if the king's Irish troops landed in Britain. Thus the English Parliament refused to pay for a royal army to put down the rebellion in Ireland; instead Parliament decided to raise its own armed forces. The king did likewise, rallying those Royalists (some of them members of Parliament) who believed their fortunes were best served by loyalty to
10472-408: The king. The English Civil War ignited in 1642. Scottish Covenanters (as Presbyterians there called themselves) joined forces with the English Parliament in late 1643 and played a major role in the ultimate Parliamentary victory. Over the course of more than two years, the king's forces were ground down by the efficiency of those of Parliament, including the New Model Army , backed as they were by
10591-557: The late 19th and early 20th century, dragoons were deployed in the same way as in other armies, but were dressed as hussars . In the period before 1914, dragoon regiments still existed in the British and French armies, as well as the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Canadian, Peruvian, Swiss, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Spanish. Their uniforms varied greatly, lacking the characteristic features of hussar or lancer regiments. Uniforms bore occasional reminders of their mounted infantry origins:
10710-634: The loss of pay and prestige. Towards the end of 1776, George Washington realized the need for a mounted branch of the American military. In January 1777 four regiments of light dragoons were raised. Short term enlistments were abandoned and the dragoons joined for three years, or "the war". They participated in most of the major engagements of the American War of Independence , including the battles of White Plains , Trenton , Princeton , Brandywine , Germantown , Saratoga , Cowpens , and Monmouth , as well as
10829-604: The mobility, flexibility and available numbers of the dragoon regiments made them particularly suitable for repressive work of this nature over a wide area. In the Spanish Army, Pedro de la Puente organized a body of dragoons in Innsbruck in 1635. In 1640, a tercio of a thousand dragoons armed with the arquebus was created in Spain. By the end of the 17th century, the Spanish Army had three tercios of dragoons in Spain, plus three in
10948-576: The national police of Chile. The military counterpart, that of the 15th Reinforced Regiment "Dragoons" is now as of 2010 the 4th Armored Brigade "Chorrillos" based in Punta Arenas as the 6th Armored Cavalry Squadron "Dragoons", and form part of the 5th Army Division. The Royal Danish Army includes amongst its historic regiments the Jutish Dragoon Regiment , which was raised in 1670. The modern French Army retains three dragoon regiments from
11067-528: The newly constituted Convention Parliament , to which he was elected a member. Monck, first a Royalist campaigner, then a Parliamentary soldier, now contrived the Restoration of the monarchy. Monck arranged that the Convention Parliament would invite Charles II to return as king of the three realms—which was done by act of Parliament on 1 May 1660. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms prefigured many of
11186-529: The politics of all three nations for the next nine years (see Interregnum (1649–1660) ). As for England, the Rump Parliament had already decreed it was a republic and a Commonwealth . Ireland and Scotland were now subjugated and ruled by military governors, and constituent representatives from both nations were seated in the Rump Parliament of the Protectorate , where they were dominated by Oliver Cromwell ,
11305-468: The practice of sometimes transporting infantry by horse when speed of movement was needed. In 1552, Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma , mounted several companies of infantry on pack horses to achieve surprise, another example being that used by Louis of Nassau in 1572 during operations near Mons in Hainaut , when 500 infantry were transported this way. It is also suggested the first dragoons were raised by
11424-632: The resulting political deadlock sparked the First English Civil War , which pitted Royalists against both the Parliamentarians and their Covenanter allies in England and Wales. The war in England ended when Charles surrendered to the Scots in 1646, but divisions among his opponents and his refusal to make significant political concessions caused a renewed outbreak of fighting in 1648. In the Second English Civil War , Parliamentarians again defeated
11543-442: The same rifle as the infantry and became well-trained in dismounted tactics. A version of the standard infantry rifle, the shorter-barreled LEC or "Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mark I" had been introduced in 1896. Many European armies also used bicycle infantry in a similar way that mounted infantry used horses. However they were handicapped by the need for proper roads. The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade which took part in
11662-516: The security of the President of the Republic and of the Government Palace. This regiment of dragoons was created in 1904 following the suggestion of a French military mission which undertook the reorganization of the Peruvian Army in 1896. The initial title of the unit was Cavalry Squadron "President's Escort". It was modelled on the French dragoons of the period. The unit was later renamed as
11781-528: The several constitutions proposed during this period was achieved. Thus the Commonwealth and Protectorate of the Parliamentarians—the wars' victors—left no significant new form of government in place after their time. Still, in the long term, two abiding legacies of British democracy were established during this period: English Protestants experienced religious freedom during the Interregnum , but there
11900-527: The snow-free months. Wars of the Three Kingdoms English Parliamentarian victory The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of England , Scotland and Ireland , then separate entities in a personal union under Charles I . They include the 1639 to 1640 Bishops' Wars , the First and Second English Civil Wars ,
12019-694: The south to serve against the Spanish during frontier clashes. After the proclamation of the Brazilian independence , the title of the regiment was changed to that of the Imperial Honor Guard, with the role of protecting the Imperial Family . The Guard was later disbanded by Emperor Pedro II and would be recreated only later in the republican era. At the time of the Republic proclamation in 1889, horse No. 6 of
12138-508: The substitution of riding boots for shoes and the adoption of caps instead of broad-brimmed hats to enable muskets to be worn slung. A non-military use of dragoons was the 1681 Dragonnades , a policy instituted by Louis XIV to intimidate Huguenot families into either leaving France or re-converting to Catholicism by billeting ill-disciplined dragoons in Protestant households. While other categories of infantry and cavalry were also used,
12257-638: The third separate kingdom, was governed by the House of Stuart . By means of the English Reformation , King Henry VIII made himself head of the Protestant Church of England and outlawed Catholicism in England and Wales . In the course of the 16th century, Protestantism became intimately associated with national identity in England; Catholicism had come to be seen as the national enemy, particularly as it
12376-487: The thirty-two in existence at the beginning of World War I: the 2nd , which is a nuclear, biological and chemical protection regiment, the 5th , an experimental Combined arms regiment, and the 13th (Special Reconnaissance). Beginning in the 17th century, the mercenary army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania included dragoon units. In the middle of the 17th century there were 1,660 dragoons in an army totaling 8,000 men. By
12495-650: The three Kingdoms by James Heath, published in 1662, but historian Ian Gentles argues "there is no stable, agreed title for the events....which have been variously labelled the Great Rebellion, the Puritan Revolution, the English Civil War, the English Revolution and… the Wars of the Three Kingdoms." It is generally used by modern historians who see the conflicts in each state as driven by overlapping but often distinct issues, rather than as mere background to
12614-602: The time when he declared the Brazilian independence from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves on 7 September 1822. The Independence Dragoons wear 19th-century dress uniforms similar to those of the earlier Imperial Honor Guard, which are used as the regimental full dress uniform since 1927. The uniform was designed by Debret , in white and red, with plumed bronze helmets. The colors and pattern were influenced by
12733-607: The traditional orange uniform braiding of the dragoons was replaced by the standard yellow of the Cavalry branch. This marked the official end of dragoons in the U.S. Army in name, although certain modern units trace their origins back to the historic dragoon regiments. In practice, all US cavalry assumed a dragoon-like role, frequently using carbines and pistols , in addition to their swords . Between 1881 and 1907, all Russian cavalry (other than Cossacks and Imperial Guard regiments) were designated as dragoons, reflecting an emphasis on
12852-586: The wing". Finally, it has been suggested that the name derives from the German tragen or the Dutch dragen , both being the verb to carry in their respective languages. Howard Reid claims the name and role descend from the Latin Draconarius . Dragoon is occasionally used as a verb meaning to subjugate or persecute by the imposition of troops; and by extension to compel by any violent measures or threats. The term dates from 1689, when dragoons were being used by
12971-464: Was a classification that was rarely used at the time. Their original responsibilities for scouting and picket duty had passed to hussars and similar light cavalry corps in the French, Austrian, Prussian, and other armies. In the Imperial Russian Army , due to the availability of Cossack troops, the dragoons were retained in their original role for much longer. An exception to the rule was
13090-611: Was approached by the Scots, the Presbyterians in the English Parliament, and the Grandees of the New Model Army, all attempting to reach an accommodation with him and among themselves which would achieve peace while preserving the crown. But now, a breach between the New Model Army and Parliament widened day by day, until the Puritans in Parliament, with allies among the Scots and the remaining Royalists, saw themselves strong enough to challenge
13209-428: Was armed with a G3 battle rifle for combat on foot and with a semi-automatic pistol to fire from horseback. The troops on horseback were able to operate in difficult terrain unsuited to motor vehicles and had the advantage of being able to control the area around them, with a clear view over the grass that foot troops did not have. Moreover, these unconventional troops created a psychological impact on an enemy that
13328-510: Was called an armée volante (French for 'flying army'). During the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors fought on horse with arquebuses , prefiguring the origin of European dragoons. The origin of the name remains disputed and obscure. It possibly derives from an early weapon, a short wheellock , called a dragon because its muzzle was decorated with
13447-575: Was consolidated with the Corps of Artillery in June 1815. The United States Dragoons was organized by an Act of Congress approved on 2 March 1833 after the disbandment of the Battalion of Mounted Rangers . The unit became the "First Regiment of Dragoons" when the Second Dragoons was raised in 1836. In 1861, they were re-designated as the 1st and 2nd Cavalry but did not change their role or equipment, although
13566-532: Was embodied in the rivals France and Spain . Catholicism, however, remained the religion of most people in Ireland and for many Irish it was a symbol of native resistance to the Tudor conquest of Ireland . In the Kingdom of Scotland , the Protestant Reformation was a popular movement led by John Knox . The Scottish Parliament legislated for a national Presbyterian church—namely the Church of Scotland or
13685-467: Was none for English Catholics. During the term of their control, the Puritan partisans abolished the Church of England and the House of Lords . Cromwell denounced the Rump Parliament and dissolved it by force, but he failed to establish an acceptable alternative. Nor did he and his supporters move in the direction of popular democracy, as the more radical Parliamentarians (the Levellers ) wanted. During
13804-421: Was not used to facing horse troops, and thus had no training or strategy to deal with them. The experimental horse platoon was so successful that its entire parent battalion was transformed from an armored reconnaissance unit to a three-squadron horse battalion known as the " Dragoons of Angola ". One of the typical operations carried out by the Dragoons of Angola, in cooperation with airmobile forces, consisted of
13923-508: Was restored as king of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Under the English Restoration the political system returned to the prewar constitutional position. Although Charles II's Declaration of Breda in April 1660 had offered reconciliation and promised a general pardon for crimes committed during the English Civil War, the new régime executed or imprisoned for life those directly involved in
14042-592: Was succeeded by his son Charles I, who was crowned in Holyrood Palace , Edinburgh , in 1633, with full Anglican rites. Charles was less skillful and restrained than his father; his attempts to enforce Anglican practices in the Church of Scotland created opposition which reached a flashpoint when he introduced the Anglican Book of Common Prayer . His confrontation with the Scots came to a head in 1639, when he tried and failed to coerce Scotland by military means during
14161-418: Was such that another eight dragoon regiments were converted between 1768 and 1783. When this reorganisation was completed in 1788, the cavalry arm consisted of regular dragoons and seven units of dragoon guards . The designation of dragoon guards did not mean that these regiments (the former 2nd to 8th horse) had become household troops, but simply that they had been given a more dignified title to compensate for
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