Mamelouks de la Garde impériale
|
Mamelouks de la Garde consulaire |
|
|---|---|
 Mamelouk |
|
| active | 1801 to 1815 |
| Country |
 France
|
| Armed forces |
Grande Armée
|
| Armed forces |
Cavalerie de la Garde impériale
|
| Branch of service | Light cavalry |
| Type | Escadron |
| Insinuation | Vieille Guard |
| Location | Melun , "District Augereau" |
| commander | |
| Important commanders |
Jean Rapp |
The Mamelouks de la Garde impériale (German: Mameluken der Kaiserliche Garde) were a unit of light cavalry that was set up by Napoléon Bonaparte during the Egypt campaign and was in service from 1801 to 1815. The corps was the third cavalry formation and the first of foreigners to be integrated into the Garde impériale . Recruited at the beginning of the campaign, she was transported with the French troops to Paris and combined in an escadron , but then reduced to a company .
During the First Empire , the Mameluks were assigned to the Regiment des chasseurs à cheval de la Garde impériale . They had their first mission in the battle of Austerlitz , in the course of which they helped to drive the Russian guard cavalry to flight.
After it was able to distinguish itself several times in the campaign in Prussia and Poland , the company was transferred to Spain in 1808, where it was actively involved with heavy fighting in the suppression of the uprising in Madrid in May . The small unit was then deployed in the campaign in Austria in 1809, took part in the Russian campaign in 1812 , where it was always to be found at the side of the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde impériale . In the following year, becoming the 10th Escadron des Chasseurs , the Mameluks distinguished themselves in the battle of Reichenbach , the battle of Hanau and in the campaign in France in 1814.
After Napoleon's abdication in 1814, some of the Mameluks went to the island of Elba with the emperor , but the majority were integrated into the Corps royal des chasseurs de France (royal French hunter corps). During the reign of the Hundred Days , the company was replenished and fought alongside the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde in the Battle of Waterloo . After the king's return, the real Mameluks were moved to the depot in Marseille, where many were massacred in the course of the Terreur Blanche . In 1830, some of the survivors accompanied the French army on the campaign in Algeria as interpreters.
Campaign in Egypt
In 1798 Napoléon Bonaparte landed with about 40,000 men in Alexandria to conquer Egypt. Murad Bey Muhammad pulled his cavalry together and tried to stop the advance in the battle at Chebreiss and then through the battle of the pyramids . Due to the better discipline and firepower of the French, who had formed infantry squares, the attacks by the Egyptians failed with heavy losses. Murad Bey and the rest of his troop had to retreat to Upper Egypt.
Bonaparte ordered the General Desaix to be persecuted while he moved on to Cairo and subjugated the local population. Meanwhile, however, the French fleet was destroyed in the sea battle at Abukir , and Bonaparte could no longer count on any noteworthy supplies. He therefore decided to make the best possible use of the means offered by Egypt, and in September 1798 ordered that all Mamluks between the ages of eight and sixteen and their slaves of the same age should be incorporated into the French army.
After the victorious Battle of Abukir (1799) , Bonaparte left the Orient Army under the command of Général Kléber and went to Paris, where he was responsible for the coup that would make him First Consul and thus de facto dictator.
Kléber kept the Mameluks on duty, in November 1799 the French orderly officers were replaced by Mameluks in the same function. At the end of February 1800 there were 278 Mameluks under the French flag. The Général Jacques de Menou de Boussay, as the successor to the murdered Kléber, set up two companies of Syrian Janissaries and a company of Mamlukes, which were intended for use in the auxiliary forces. In October 1800, the three companies were combined into one regiment, which was named "Régiment de Mamelouks de la République" and was organized in the manner of the French cavalry.
In 1801 the French situation became increasingly untenable. A British expeditionary force under the command of General Abercromby landed in Egypt and defeated the French in the Battle of Alexandria (Fr .: Bataille de Canope). Menou capitulated and returned to France with his troops. He still had 760 Mameluks, Syrian Janissaries and soldiers of the Greek Legion, all of whom were allowed with their families to join the French army.
In France
organization
On October 13, 1801, Bonaparte ordered his aide de camp , Colonel Jean Rapp , to assemble an escadron of 240 riders from the refugees from Egypt. Upon his arrival in Marseilles, Rapp found that the majority of the Mamelukes were either too old or lacking in discipline. At the beginning of 1802 he was only able to report 150 men as operational. Almost the entire new corps, with the exception of a few French officers, consisted of Mameluks and Syrian or Coptic soldiers who had fought with French troops in Egypt. At that time, the First Consul intended to use the Mameluks as personal bodyguards without being part of the Garde consulaire (consular guard ). It was not until April 15, 1802, that the Escadron became part of the Guard in two companies of 80 men each.
On October 1st, the unit was reorganized and now consisted of 13 officers and 159 horsemen as well as a kettledrum .
Composition:
- Staff with a Colonel , Capitaine quartier-maître (quartermaster officer), a Capitaine chargé de l'administration (administrative officer), a lieutenant-instructeur (lieutenant in training), a sergent-major , an adjudant , a vétérinaire (veterinarian), a chief trompette ( stick trumpeter), a maître-sellier (saddler), a maître-tailleur (tailor), a maître-bottier (shoemaker) and a maître-armurier (armorer)
- two companies, each with a captain , a lieutenant en premier , a lieutenant en second , a sous-lieutenant , a maréchal des logis-chef , four maréchaux des logis , a fourrier , eight brigadiers , two trumpeters, 59 horsemen and an intendant
A short time later, the companies were relocated to Melun , where they moved into their barracks , the "Quartier Augereau", while the rejected Mamluks stayed with their families in Marseille.
At the beginning of 1803 Rapp left the unit and was replaced by Colonel Pierre Louis Dupas, followed on August 29 by Capitaine Charles Delaitre . On January 21, 1804, the Mameluks were assigned to the regiment of the "Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde consulaire", which from May belonged to the Garde impériale . Ultimately, they were incorporated into the Chasseurs à cheval with a company of 125 riders . Because of the cost of the elaborate uniforms, the payment was initially lower than that of the chasseurs à cheval , but increased over time. The horses no longer came from Egypt, horses from the contingent of the Chasseurs à cheval were used.
The Mameluks in French society
When the Mameluks arrived in France, problems and confrontations arose due to the different cultures.
Capitaine Ibrahim Bey shot dead two civilians in the Quartier des Halles in Paris who had made fun of his uniform. Quoted before Bonaparte, he stated that he had acted no differently from what he would have done in Egypt. Shortly after the Mameluks arrived in Melun , there were several clashes between the French population and the newcomers. However, these incidents did not prevent the Egyptian cavalry from appearing regularly at the head of Defilees , a practice encouraged by Napoléon as he wanted through it to symbolize the greatness of his empire.
On the other hand, the Mamelukes aroused the enthusiasm of the French population. The colorful uniforms, almost overloaded with embroidery and braids, met with admiration from those present at Napoleon's coronation. They even performed in the theater and soon attracted the attention of renowned painters such as Carle Vernet , who created many depictions of the Mamelukes. The clothing fashion "à la mamelouke", which was characterized by the wearing of turbans and tunics with long sleeves, was soon very popular with women. In the army, cavalry kettlers were soon uniformed along the lines of the Mamelukes, and the saber "à la turque" was soon preferred by officers of the entire army.
Calls
From Austerlitz to Eylau
In the battle of Austerlitz they belonged to the reserve under the command of Jean Rapp, while the Russian cavalry attacked the heights of Pratzen and split up two French regiments of the Vandamme division . After an unsuccessful attack by two escadrons from the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde , supported by three escadrons from the Grenadiers à cheval der Garde, Napoléon Rapp ordered the two remaining escadrons from the Chasseurs and the Mameluks to clean up the situation. When the latter intervened in the fight, they initially hindered themselves with the mass of men and horses in a confined space. Lieutenant Renno threw himself on a Russian infantry square and thereby opened a gap into which the Mamelukes immediately penetrated and took 120 prisoners here. The momentum drove the Mameluks on, they captured a Russian battery and pursued the fleeing Russian guard cavalry. As a result of this victory, two Mameluks were able to hand over a captured standard to the emperor. One of them, Mustapha, stood walking in front of the emperor and noticed:
"Ah! When I met the Prince Constantin, I just cut them off to take them to the emperor ... "
The company's casualties included one dead and five wounded.
The Mameluks were not used in the battle of Jena and Auerstedt , but entered Berlin on October 27, 1806 . In the battle of Pułtusk they attacked the Russian cavalry and wounded 20 people.
In the Battle of Eylau, the Mameluks attacked under the command of Capitaine Renno alongside the Grenadiers à cheval and the Chasseurs à cheval in the guard cavalry of Maréchal Bessières . Four officers and five Mamelukes were wounded in this operation. In April 1807, the Chef d'escadron Delaitre was appointed major of the Chevau-légers polonais de la Garde , and the Capitaine Renno became the interim commander.
On the Iberian Peninsula
→ Napoleonic Wars on the Iberian Peninsula
In 1808, Napoléon ordered Maréchal Murat to invade Spain and occupy Madrid . The Mameluks were assigned to this expedition. Mostly Catholic, the Spanish population still remembered the rule of the Moors until the end of the 15th century. It was alive at the beginning of the 19th century and was revived by the Muslim invasion of Madrid on March 24, 1808.
The forced abdication of King Charles IV , then his son Ferdinand in favor of Joseph Bonaparte , the Emperor's brother, increased tensions between the Spanish and the French. On May 2, the Madrilenians revolted and attacked the stationed soldiers. Murat then ordered the cavalry to enter the city to quell the riot. The Chasseurs à cheval of the Imperial Guard under the command of Pierre Daumesnil were the first units, followed by the Mameluks and the rest of the guard cavalry available. They advanced along Alcala Street, where they were greeted with stones thrown, and finally reached the Puerta del Sol , where a large crowd had gathered.
With the arrival of the Mamluks began a merciless battle. The Madrilenians attacked the riders with knives, tried to jump on the horses and tear down the riders. The Mamlukes defended themselves by cutting off about a hundred heads with their cimeterres , which they were excellent at, according to Marbot .
In the turmoil, Lieutenant Chahin rescued Chef d'escadron Daumesnil, who fell to the ground after his horse died. The residents of a house on San Geronimo Street were murdered by the Mameluks in retaliation for the deaths of two of their comrades. After the clashes, the Escadron had only five officers injured and three Mamluks killed or fatally hit, losses that Ronald Pawly considered "relatively small" compared to the Mayo missions. In November 1808, Napoléon entered Spain at the head of the Grande Armée to drive the British off the peninsula. The Mameluks, who had previously been used in the battle of Medina de Rioseco , now took part in the persecution of the British who withdrew to La Coruña .
On December 29th they arrived on the battlefield at Benavente (Zamora) , where the cavalry of Henry William Lord Paget was posted as rearguard . The three escadrons of the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde and the Détachement of the Mamelukes, under the command of Général Lefebvre-Desnouettes, crossed the Esla and attacked in the direction of the place, but Paget caught the French on the flank, forcing them to retreat. The Mamelukes lost two dead, two wounded, and a rider was taken prisoner.
Second campaign in Austria and return to Spain
After the company first returned to the garrison in Melun in 1809 , they were ordered to the Grande Armée to take part in the campaign in Germany and Austria. She was not used in the Battle of Aspern , but took part in the Battle of Wagram , where she had a wounded man. After the end of the campaign, she was assigned to Spain, where the main task was to fight partisans , which caused her some losses. On May 24, 1809, she was able to distinguish herself at Prádanos , where the company under Capitaine Renno was able to capture several hundred Spanish soldiers. On March 1, 1812, the company, now only 55 men strong, left Spain for good and joined the army in Poland, which was preparing there for the Russian campaign.
The last campaigns: Russia, Germany and France
On July 1, 1812, when the campaign to Russia began, the company had 109 riders. At the beginning of the campaign, the Imperial Guard was not yet involved in major fighting. Napoléon arrived in Moscow in mid-September and left the following month at the beginning of winter. During this retreat, the Mameluks had their first heavy battle on October 25 in the battle near Horodnja , in which they were able to protect the emperor from an attack by the Cossacks. The Chef d'escadron Kirmann was wounded. During this period, the casualties increased to 34 fallen, captured and missing.
The heavy losses of the campaign led to a reclassification of the guard cavalry. On January 18, 1813, the Mameluks were incorporated as the 10th Escadron in the regiment of the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde . The 1st company belonged to the Old Guard , the 2nd Company to the Young Guard, the latter consisted mainly of conscripts.
Until June 1813, the Mameluks came only to a few combat missions because they were deployed to protect Napoléon. However, they were still able to distinguish themselves in the battle of Reichenbach and Markersdorf when they were assigned to the head of the Chasseurs à cheval to support the Chevau-légers lanciers polonais .
In October the Mameluks took part in the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig , where one of the horsemen was captured. During the retreat to France they fought on October 30th in the battle of Hanau , where the guard cavalry carried out several attacks against the Bavarian cavalry and the positions of the artillery. The Chef d'escadron Abdallah d'Asbonne died of his wounds. The 1813 campaign in Germany cost the Escadron 59 dead.
Despite these losses, the Mameluks still took part in the campaign in France in 1814, where they could also distinguish themselves. On January 27, they fought with the naked saber in the battle near Saint-Dizier. Arrived at Montmirail with Napoléon on February 10, they attacked the next morning together with the Dragons de la Garde impériale under the command of Letort in the battle of Montmirail . The dragoons broke open several Russian infantry squares, the fleeing people were then blown up by the Mameluks and the “Grenadiers à cheval de la Garde”. The Mameluks were used on February 12 in the battle of Château-Thierry and on March 20 and 21 in the battle of Arcis-sur-Aube . In this the Mameluk Riva suffered eight wounds. Three days later, the Allies decided to march on Paris and defeated the forces of Marshals Mortier and Marmont on March 25 at the Battle of Fère-Champenoise . The Russian contingent of General Wintzingerode was defeated by Napoleon on March 26th in the battle near Saint-Dizier , in which the peloton of the Mameluks in the association of the guard cavalry was able to capture a battery with 18 guns.
On March 30th, the Allies attacked the capital. In the Battle of Paris , Général Dautancourt took command of the guard cavalry, consisting of the remains of the Grenadiers à cheval, Chasseurs, Dragoons, Mameluken, Lanciers and the Polish 3 e régiment des éclaireurs de la Garde impériale . This ragged troop took part in the defense of Clichy and then the heights of Montmartre , but then had to withdraw under fire from the enemy artillery.
Elba Island and Rule of the Hundred Days
With the abdication of Napoleon and the restoration of the Bourbon rule, the "Compagnie de mamelouks" of the Old Guard was incorporated into the "Corps royal des chasseurs de France" (Royal Hunters Corps of France). Of the only 41 Mamelukes left, only 18 were left from the Egyptian campaign. The company from the Young Guard was assigned to the 7 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval . An officer and seven horsemen followed the emperor, together with the Escadron Lanciers polonais de la Garde impériale , to Elba . During the rule of the Hundred Days , the Mameluks were reorganized into two companies by decree of April 24, 1815. The riders from the “Corps royal des chasseurs de France” were brought back, as well as 94 other Mameluks who had already retired from service. This brought the unit to a total strength of 120 riders. The chief d'escadron Kirmann became the commanding officer.
In June 1815 the Mameluks were on the side of the "Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde" in the campaign in Belgium and fought in the Battle of Ligny and the Battle of Waterloo . There is no information about the losses during this campaign.
After Napoleon was finally deposed, the remaining Mameluks were released to their families in Marseille. Here an unknown number fell victim to the White Terror of the loyal Marseilles citizens, they were massacred. Others had returned to Egypt but, fearing reprisals from the Turkish administration, returned to France, where government measures forced them to relocate to the island of Sainte-Marguerite . Through all of this adversity, the survivors had been thrown into great poverty and led an unworthy life. Four of the former officers were still able to participate as interpreters on the French expedition to Algeria in 1830.
According to the nominative list drawn up by Jean Savant, a total of 577 Mamelukes were in service.
Commanders
By decree of October 13, 1801, the First Consul commissioned one of the aides de camp , Colonel Jean Rapp , to organize the "Escadron des Mamelouks" and gave him the command. In May 1803 Rapp was transferred to the 7 e régiment de hussards , his post was taken over by Pierre Louis Dupas, an officer who had taken part in the assault on the Bastille , the campaign in Italy (1796–1797) and the campaign in Egypt. After his promotion to Général de brigade on August 29, 1803, he gave up this post. He was succeeded by Charles Delaitre . On April 7, 1807 he was appointed Colonel-Major of the "Lanciers polonais de la Garde impériale". He was temporarily followed by the Capitaine Jean Renno, until it was taken over ad interim by the Chef d'escadron François Antoine Kirmann of the “Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde” on September 10, 1808. He actually led the command until the end of the Empire in 1815.
Uniformity
"Your clothes should correspond to the customs of your nation."
The Mamluk uniforms can be divided into three sections, even if they generally used a similar (oriental) style until the end of their existence. At first they still wore their clothes that they had brought with them from Egypt and which were replaced in 1805 by something that was more like a regular uniform. Finally, after 1813, French predominated and a model based on the small uniform of the “Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde” was introduced in addition to the oriental clothing. While the latter helped make this unit one of the most exotic of the Imperial Guard, its practical use has often been criticized. Eugène de Beauharnais , commander of the "Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde", wrote for example in 1805:
"These poor devils are equipped for the Orient, and when it rains you can really feel sorry for them."
Teams
- until 1804
When they were erected between 1801 and 1802, they wore their richly adorned oriental clothing with many braids. With an order of April 15, 1802 it was determined that the headgear, the "Cahouk" (a cylindrical felt stump with a protruding lid, which was wrapped with a turban), had to be green, since this was the color of the Prophet Mohammed. Regardless, the Cahouk is mostly shown in red.
There was also a wide-sleeved shirt, the so-called "béniche", in different colors and decorated with borders. The sleeveless vest, the “yalek”, was worn over it. The Mameluks also had a wide Arabic belt in many colors and very wide trousers, the sarouel , which was red for everyone. The color of the leather boots was red, yellow or brown. In the summer uniform, the red trousers were replaced by white linen trousers, the turban was now made of white muslin .
- 1805-1813
In 1805 the clothing was modified and more regulated while maintaining the oriental aspect. The Cahouk was now uniformly red or carmoisine and the associated turban was uniformly white. The badges on the Cahouk are described differently, either a single round cockade on the front or a five- or six-pointed star over a crescent moon. The black hair bush at the top is also described differently, depending on the source - sometimes in one piece, sometimes with a round ball at the base, sometimes as a smaller but wider bush. The Béniche could be yellow or black, green or blue. The collar took on a more upright shape and was closed in the European style. The Yalek was blue, but a drawing by Martinet also shows the distinctive red.
- after 1813
After the heavy losses in Russia in 1812, the company was replenished by French replacements. When they were incorporated, the latter were also given the oriental uniform based on the pattern that resembled the small uniform of the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde . This included a black felt hat, a blue fabric jacket with red piped lapels in the same color, and crimson button trousers.
The epaulette and the aiguillette wore the unmistakable red. However, this outfit was only given to new French recruits, the oriental Mameluks continued to wear their old clothes.
In addition to this new uniform, the Mameluks kept an oriental outfit, which was probably worn during the campaigns. The cahouk stayed red and the turban kept its white color. The jacket was still presented in several colors with wool stripes. The vest was mandated in scarlet fabric with the same stripes. The sarouel turned amaranth, with decorations and braids made of wool.
Musician
From 1805 to 1813 the trumpeters' headgear consisted of the red cahouk with a black bush of hair and a white turban. The Béniche was light blue, the unmistakable color of the trumpeters of the Guard Cavalry, with yellow stripes in the collar color. The sleeves were decorated with alternating red and gold embroidery. The red Yalek was embroidered with gold thread. The Arab belt was light blue, the harem pants crimson, like the riders. In 1813 the trumpeters were given the French-style field uniform in addition to the oriental equipment. This uniform included a black bicorn and a dark blue jacket decorated with alternating red and yellow stripes. The aiguillette worn on the left had the same characteristics. This clothing was worn over a scarlet vest. The field pants were imperial blue with a red stripe on the side and a row of buttons. The garrison uniform was identical except for the trousers, which were light navy blue.
There were two different uniforms for the kettle drum , each corresponding to a specific period. The first, worn from 1805 to 1810, consisted of a red cahouk with gold stripes, adorned with a gold crescent moon on the front and surrounded by a gold-striped, white turban. There was a white plume on the tip. The jacket was white with blue stripes, the vest was red with gold stripes and embroidery, and so was the collar. The belt was dark blue, the sarouel made of white linen. There were also yellow boots and white gloves. A second version was worn from 1810 to 1812. It was issued on the occasion of Napoleon's marriage to Marie-Louise of Austria . It consisted of a red cahouk with yellow stripes, the headgear with a white turban decorated with a crescent moon, crowned with a single large white feather and several smaller red feathers. The coat's white jacket was light blue with yellow lacing and a red collar of the same color. The waistcoat was made of green fabric with yellow stitching and trims. The belt was made of white linen and the sarouel was red with yellow trims.
In addition to the kettle drum and the trumpeters, there were two tambours de basque , two cymbaliers and two bell trees .
When marching past, the music formed the head of the column in the established order: the kettledrum was followed by the stick trumpeter, then the music master, the trumpeters and then the rest of the musicians.
Officers
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- until 1804
A drawing by Hoffmann, made during the ceremonies of Napoleon's coronation, shows a Mamluk officer in Egyptian clothing. He is wearing a white turban around a red cahouk, both with yellow stripes. The Cahouk is surmounted by a white heron feather, a distinguishing mark of the Ottoman officers. The green béniche with silver braids is worn under a short-sleeved orange Yalek. The sarouel is carmine red, as are the boots.
- 1805 to 1813
At that time, the officer's uniform had many decorations, mainly on the sleeves, waistcoat and jacket. In addition, many officers deviated from the regulations in order to have the uniforms made to their taste.
“There were no limits to the imagination, both in terms of the colors of the fabrics and the shape of the embroidery. There are many jackets in very light colors, white, off-white or striped, and the fabrics from which most uniforms are made were made of silk. "
One large officer's uniform, present in an Alsatian collection, features a white turban and a crimson cahouk with stripes on which a black heron feather is attached. The Béniche is white, with gold stripes and embroidery, and the Yalek is red gold-plated. The Arabic belt is blue and the harem pants are very dark red. The portrait of Chef d'escadron François Antoine Kirmann, made by von Bockenheim, shows the same appearance, but here with a white heron feather and a yellow silk belt with red and black stripes. An illustration by Ernest Fort, based on Spanish documents, also shows a Mamluk officer wearing a garrison uniform, accompanied by his African servant. This uniform is characterized by a high white cap, crowned by a sickle and from which a black horse's tail hangs, a white vest with striking gold decorations and white harem pants are worn.
- after 1813
In 1813 the officers, like the rest of the troops, wore oriental clothing as well as a uniform that was adapted to the French style. The characteristics of this new uniform were described in the tariff des matières , which listed all the items that were to be given to the Mameluk when he entered the corps. The French uniform for the officers consisted of a black bicorn, a fur-lined coat made of blue cloth with a black border made of lambskin, yellow braids and laces. The trousers were blue, the boots black with a yellow tassel and border. The little French uniform came with a blue camp cap trimmed with yellow strings. A red flame trimmed with gold hung from a yellow tassel. The mantle was shaped like a frock coat of imperial blue cloth with epaulette and yellow Aiguillette. The braid and piping were red, and each skirt of the frock coat was adorned with two crescent moons. The breeches were made of blue sheepskin with red lampasses and were closed on the side with a row of buttons.
Armament
The armament of the Mameluks, which the specialist Christian Ariès threw together ("arsenal ambulant") called, was the subject of a decree of April 1, 1802, in which the weapons were designated for the corps. Some Mamelukes brought their own Egyptian weapons to France and kept them in use. The weapons made by the Versailles Manufactory in France were inspired by the oriental style (saber, dagger, tromblon , etc.). They also carried a cartouche and a bandolier made of red or green saffiano leather. Nevertheless, the Mameluks were regularly equipped with the standard equipment of the French cavalry in the campaigns.
Edged weapons
They consisted of the saber "à la mamelouk", a dagger , a club , a battle ax and a lance . The delivery of these weapons by the Manufactory in Versailles has been proven. Commandant Bucquoy states, however, that these objects were not all produced, issued or used in the same period and that the formation of a lancer company was abandoned. The curved sword "the Mamluk" hung from the waist and was attached to the belt. The blades of the sabers and daggers were rare pieces and were not supplied by the Versailles manufactory. The dagger was in a copper sheath. Most of these weapons, carried more for parade than campaign, disappeared between 1809 and 1812, as did the ax, which was not generally carried.
Firearms
This included a rifle , a tromblon , two pairs of belted pistols , and a powder bottle . The tromblons assigned to the Mameluks, which were produced in 73 copies, were in use especially before 1809 and were then gradually abandoned in favor of the rifle. The latter was over a meter long and weighed 3.45 kg. It was the 1793 model that was manufactured in the Versailles factory. It was similar to the model used in the infantry and therefore did not meet the needs of the cavalry. The so-called "belt pistols" that were kept in the so-called "Kobourg" were slightly shorter than the normal saddle pistols. Many officers wielded a pistol that was longer than the rider's and that was covered with more wood. They were the unit's most expensive weapons, costing around 150 francs.
Tromblon of the Mameluks. Publication in: Description de l'Égypte .
"Kobourgs" of the Mameluks. Publication in: Description de l'Égypte .
Cimeterre the Mamelukes. Publication in: Description de l'Égypte
Saddlery
In 1805 the Mamluk saddle was subject to regulation. The saddlecloth was dark green, edged with carmine red, edged with white piping and decorated with alternating white and carmine-red fringes.
The back pommel was made in the oriental style, the coat sack in the French pattern was green with a crimson border and white piping around both ends. The saddlecloth of the trumpeters was the same as that of the riders, only the color was changed - dark carmine red with green and white piping. The Arab stirrups made of gray or gold metal also acted as spurs thanks to their pointed ends.
The regulations for the officer's saddlecloth stipulated that instead of crimson, gold-colored material was to be used. Deviations were permitted, however, and so the saddlecloths of some officers were made from the skins of predators in the style of light cavalry, or the officers rode in the oriental style without a saddlecloth at all.
The Chef d'escadron François Antoine Kirmann used a panther skin.
“By comparing this saddlery with that of Prinz Eugen, we can conclude that this fantasy is a special feature of the corps leaders. It is also used by General Lasalle , for example . "
Standard and Pennant
On December 18, 1805, the Mameluks were awarded the flag with the imperial eagle by Napoléon for their services in the Battle of Austerlitz, and Lieutenant Pierre Mérat was appointed first porte-étendard (standard bearer / ensign). It was the 1804 model, the eagle was made by the "Établissements Thomire et Chaillot". The flag bore the inscription "L'Empéreur des Français à la compagnie des Mamelouks de la Garde impériale" on the front and "Valeur et Discipline" on the back. With a decree of April 15, 1806, the company was granted four horse tails. These were attached to 2.7 meter long flagpoles with a copper shaft that was decorated in a diamond shape. At the top of the flagpole above the horse's tail there were two large and one small copper balls. Two of the horse tails were black, one red, and one yellow.
- Standard
Front model 1812
Back of model 1812
Flag eagle
In December 1811, the previous standard bearer Lieutenant Marat was replaced by Lieutenant Jean-François Fonnade, who held the post until August 1815. In 1813 the Mameluks received the new standard from the 1812 model.
The Commandant Bucquoy stated that a campaign flag was probably wielded during the campaigns in Germany in 1813 and in France in 1814. It is said to have consisted of carmoisine red velvet, with a silver, crowned eagle on the front, over it a currency ribbon with the inscription "Garde Impériale", including such a ribbon with the inscription "Escadron de Mamelouks". The corners were each decorated with a silver crescent moon and star. There was also the letter "N" on each side of the eagle. The other side was decorated with silver links, in the center were the names of the battles "Ulm, Austerlitz, Iéna, Eylau, Friedland, Eckmühl, Essling, Wagram".
Footnotes
- ^ Decree of Napoléon Bonaparte of September 8, 1798 in the Google book search (from Œuvres complètes de Napoléon. Volume 2. FG Cotta, Stuttgart / Tübingen 1822, p. 500).
- ↑ Major was not a rank, but the name for the head of the regimental administration.
- ↑ after Pawly 2006, p. 30
- ↑ after Bucquoy 1977, p. 108
- ↑ after Bucquoy 1977, p. 114
- ↑ after Bucquoy 1977, p. 108
- ↑ a shoulder lacing, similar in the broader sense to the Fourragère
- ↑ According to Commandant Bucquoy, it was not certain whether the few oriental recruits even received the French uniform.
- ↑ The illustration of the horse does not yet show a cold-blooded horse, as it was later used for the kettledrum because of its more phlegmatic character.
- ↑ a pistol pouch for two pistols
- ↑ French referred to as "grandes pommes". Since “pomme” can have several meanings, it is not clear what exactly is meant here.
- ↑ In some pictorial representations, the horse's tail is placed under the eagle instead of the standard, but this has not been proven.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 5-7
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 10
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 11 and 12
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 14
- ↑ Brunon 1963
- ↑ a b Pawly 2006, p. 15
- ↑ a b Haythornthwaite 2004, p. 6
- ↑ Liliane and Fred Funcken: L'uniforme et les armes des soldiers du Premier Empire. : de la garde impériale aux troupes alliées, suédoises, autrichiennes et russes. Volume 2. Casterman, Tournai 1969, ISBN 2-203-14306-1 .
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 14
- ↑ Grigsby 1996, pp. 13 and 14
- ↑ Amaury Faivre d'Arcier, Jean Tulard: Mamelouks (= Dictionnaire Napoléon ). Fayard, Paris 1987.
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 8
- ↑ Henry Lachouque: La Garde impériale (= Les Grands moments de notre histoire ). Lavau cell, 1982.
- ↑ a b Pawly 2006, p. 22
- ↑ Pigeard 2005, p. 153
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 24
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 33
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 34
- ^ Thierry Lentz: Murat et le "Dos de Mayo". Fondation Napoléon, April 2008.
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 35 and 36
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 36
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 36 and 37
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 37 and 38
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 39
- ↑ Dezydery Chłapowski: Mémoires sur les guerres de Napoléon, 1806-1813. Plon-Nourrit, Paris 1908 ( digitized on Gallica ).
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 40 and 41
- ↑ Pawly 2006, p. 41
- ↑ Tranié / Carmigniani 1989, p. 110
- ↑ Tranié / Carmigniani 1989, p. 223
- ↑ Tranié / Carmigniani 1989
- ↑ Pigeard / Bourgeot 2013, p. 69
- ↑ Pawly 2006, pp. 10 and 14
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, p. 111
- ↑ Juhel 2009, p. 7
- ↑ a b Bucquoy 1977, p. 120
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, p. 117
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, p. 113
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, pp. 120 and 121
- ↑ Alaric / Étienne 1998, p. 16
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, p. 112
- ↑ Alaric / Étienne 1998, pp. 16, 17 and 21
- ↑ Alaric / Étienne 1998, pp. 19 and 21
- ↑ Pigeard 2005, p. 155
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, pp. 115 and 117
- ↑ Bucquoy 1977, p. 127
literature
- Philip Haythornthwaite, Richard Hook: La Garde impériale (= Armées et batailles. No. 1). Del Prado & Osprey Publishing, 2004, ISBN 2-84349-178-9 .
- Rémy Alaric, Jean-Marcel Etienne: L'arsenal ambulant des Mamelouks de la Garde impériale. In: Gazette des armes. No. 287, 1998.
- Eugène-Louis Bucquoy: La Garde impériale. Troupes à cheval (= Les Uniformes du Premier Empire. Volume 2). Jacques Grancher, Paris 1977, 210 pp., Chapter Les Mameluks des Gardes Consulaire et Impériale .
- Alain Pigeard: La Garde impériale (1804-1815) (= Bibliothèque napoléonienne ). Tallandier, 2005, ISBN 978-2-847341-77-5 .
- Jean Tranié, Juan-Carlos Carmigniani: Napoléon. 1814 - La campagne de France. Pygmalion / Gérard Watelet, 1989, ISBN 978-2-85704-301-0 .
- Alain Pigeard, Vincent Bourgeot: La cavalerie de la Garde impériale. Soteca, 2013, ISBN 979-10-91561-58-7 .
- Jean Brunon: Les mameluks d'Égypte. The mameluks de la Garde impériale. Raoul et Jean Brunon, Marseille 1963.
- Ronald Pawly, Patrice Courcelle: Napoleon's Mamelukes. In: Men-at-Arms. No. 429, Osprey Publishing, 2006, ISBN 1-84176-955-X .
- Lucien Rousselot, Edward Ryan: Napoleon's elite cavalry. Cavalry of the Imperial Guard, 1804-1815. Greenhill, 1999, 208 pp., ISBN 978-1-85367-371-9 .
- Darcy Grimaldo Grigsby: Mamelukes in Paris. Fashionable Trophies of Failed Napoleonic Conquest. University of California, Berkeley 1996.
Web links
- Les mamelouks arméniens de l'armée napoléonienne in GlobalArmenianHeritage
- Thérèse Blondel Ablon: Moïse Zumero, dernier mameluk de la Garde impériale ( Memento of March 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) in Histoire du Consulat et du Premier Empire