Hungarian Hussar sabres and Esterhazy

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Jim,

I believe it’s not entirely clear that sabres with pearl string decorations on the knuckle guard are officers’ versions from the Esterhazy Hungarian hussars. The illustration in Wagner was done from Dolloczek (see picture below) and does not claim that the pearl string decoration necessarily is connected specifically with Esterhazy. There are plenty sabres belonging to officers of the Esterhazy hussars without this decoration and there are plenty sabres with the decoration which are not connected with Esterhazy. It can’t be ruled out that this was a fashion which started at the Esterhazy hussars and was copied.

The sabre characteristics you describe do seem French as you suggest. There were many Hungarian emigrés in France who served as hussards. Some were political refugees after the failed War of Independence by Prince Rakoczi 1703-11 and ended up in the service of French king Louis XIV. Ladislas Valentin Esterhazy was born in France and served with the Bercheny hussards before raising his own regiment in 1764. These Hungarian hussards in French service obviously used equipment similar to what they used in their native country. There may have been French hussard sabres with pearl lined guards but I never saw one.

There were also Esterhazy Hungarian infantry regiments like Nikolaus or Joseph Esterhazy at this time. Infantry sabres did not have flat pommels and did have elliptical shaped langets as you described. I attach a photo of an Austro-Hungarian infantry Prima Plana sabre with pearl line knuckle guard decoration which I saw in the Imperial Armoury in Prague (don’t know if any Esterhazy connection).

Victrix, thank you so much for this well presented insight, and I had overlooked the profoundly well informed posts of both you and Corrado on these East European sabres in previous threads.

You are exactly right of course on the Wagner example of the Esterhazy sabre, as while it was taken from the Dolleczek reference and captioned as from the Esterhazy regiment , as you say we cannot presume that the pearl string decoration was specific to the unit. Even though we know that certainly one example (as cited) had the decoration, it seems clear that officers, who typically commissioned and obtained their own swords, would often have varying decorative elements on them.


Another thing you well clarify here is that not only were there considerable numbers of Hungarians in France, as well as of course members of royal stature and high station of these families, but they were often involved in these hussar regiments there. I did not know of the Esterhazy units in France .

I am most grateful for your this historical synopsis which truly gives the perspective in better understanding the cross influences in these sword hilts of Austro-Hungary and France in these hussar regiments.


The look into the infantry versions of these sabres is also most interesting as it seems sabres are typically regarded as a cavalry weapon, and we often forget that these officers also carried them. Great example you show of the Prima-Plana sabre withe the pearl string line!


Thank you again very much

Best regards
Jim