| QUOTE (DaciaJC @ May 25, 2009 06:09 pm) | Hello. I'm wondering about the period from about 1740 to the mid 1800s, to be exact.
In particular, what were considered to be the strengths of the Romanian army in that period? Heavy infantry (musketeers), light skirmishing infantry, heavy cavalry, etc? Sources/links are very welcome. Specific unit names and/or pictures would be great as well.
If anybody cares to know, I'm attempting to create a Romanian civilization for the game http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Empires_III, and so I need some information on what units were considered to be the best in the Romanian army in that period.
Mulţumesc!  |
In answer to your question, and as an addition to what other people said, a few more aspects; the main source is Istoria militara a poporului român (volume III), Bucureşti, Editura Militară, 1987. As you can see, the things are far more complex.
In the beginning of the XVIIIth century, the Wallachian and Moldavian armies switched from the feudal to the territorial basis (local and paid - or excepted from various public duties in exchange for their service). Few formations were “national” (in the sense of ramification at the entire teritory); also, some (even if composed by Romanians - Moldavians, Walachians) were of the mercenary type (non-local and paid). This diversification was in exchange accompanied by an uniformization of their military role - (light) infantry and cavalry - regardless their name and uniforms. Also the weapon types used were more or less uniform: white weapons (sabii, iatagane, hangere, pumnale - sabers, half-swords, daggers), usually of the Ottoman type, plus muskets (pusti, flinte) and pistols. The costumes were in majority oriental (probably excepting the mercenary units of Western inspiration), but with strong/visible national/local influence; they were functional, far from being uniform but having a set of common traits from the members of the respective corps. It is difficult to make accurate (and documented) detailed descriptions or to identify images with their appearance.
There were some common and some specific unit types in the two principalities. The common types tended to be puscaşii (darabanii, dorobanţii) - infantry musketeers/ fussilers inherited from the XVIIth century, puşcaşii tufeccii (a new subtype, better paied, depending directly on the princiar court), călăraşii (cavalry), vânătorii (the equivalent of the future chasseurs) - musket infantry princiary guards, part of them cavalry, dragonii (drăgani in Moldavia) - dragoons of western inspiration, trained to serve both on horse and on foot. The former category of mazili/mazâli (medium cavalry of noble descent) was transformed into a new light cavalry type responsible with guarding the supplies&army camps and securing the communications during the wars. Another common type was the plăieşi (called străjeri in Moldavia, until the half of the XVIII century) - territorial frontier-guards.
Some new special units have also appeared, including the Ottoman inspired satâri/satârgii (axe-armed prince personal bodyguards, from satâr = axe, Romanian term of Turkish origin) and fustaşi (pikemen, infantry lancers) guarding princiary court and family and the treasury; at least for the latter category, the use of their specific weapon war reserved for ceremonial duties. There were also baltagarii/baltagii (from baltag, small axe), units responsible for preparing, reparing and supervising the roads - a sort of forerunners of the future military engineers.
The corps specific for each principalty were in Moldavia panţârii (probably an inspiration and adaptation from the Polish armoured XVI-XVII century hussars), which were considered effective especially against the Tartars and until towards mid-XVIII centry were organized as armoured (long mail coat, metal helmet) cavalry and joimirii roşii (red joimiri, named after the colour of their bonet) - cavalry, former Moldavian mercenary in Poland. In Wallachia can be mentioned catanele/cătanele (infantry mercenary from Transylvania or Hungary, catana = soldier in Hungarian), haiducii predaţi (also called simply predaţi) in Oltenia (surendered haidoucs/outlaws).
While the above categories had mainly military/guard duties, there were also some corps having mostly (but not exclussively) police duties. These were slujitorii and seimenii (in both principalities), serving part of them on foot and part of them on horse (the horse Moldavian seimeni functioning also as fiscal police) and poteraşii in Wallachia.
Last but not least among the other corps, there were the (most visible and well known until today) arnăuţi, albanians and romanians prince mercenary guards. It worth mentioning that initially they did not have police duties, but towards the XIXth century some of them started to be delegated to boyars’ courts, monasteries and agii (agă = police officer). Entirely a cavalry corps in the beginning, increasing their effectives in time of war, toward the end of the XVIIIth century they served part on horse part as infantry.
Few final words about effectives and organization; during the entire period, the effectives were generally reduced, and increased in time of conflict, depending on the specific context. Each of the corps consisted in few/some/many (and at least one) steaguri/steag (banners), usually each commanded by a polcovnic (colonel, Russian influence). So, roughly, we could say that the steaguri were the equivalents of regiments.
As for the panduri, as far as I know they were NOT an organic part of Wallachian army until 1821. The corps itself was probably inherited from the period of Habsburgic occupation of Oltenia (first half of the XVIII century), being similar in name and tactics with the irregulars recruited by the Austrian empire from the Balkans (pandours). After the Austrian occupation, its members served in various wars as volunteers against the Turks in the Austrian or Russian armies.
NOTE: all of the above concern the period BEFORE 1821 (1830).
|