Macedonian Hussar Regiment facts for kids
The Macedonian Hussar Regiment was a special army unit that served in the Russian Imperial Army. It was formed on May 10, 1759. These soldiers, called Hussars, were light cavalry. They were important for defending Russia's southern borders. These areas became unstable because many people were moving there, and because of the effects of a big conflict called the War of the Austrian Succession. Over the years, the regiment was created and then closed down many times, before it was finally disbanded for good in 1783.
History
In the middle of the 1700s, many people started moving from the Military Frontier of the Habsburg monarchy (a large empire in Europe) to the Russian Empire. The Russian government gave these new settlers land. These areas were soon named New Serbia and Slavo-Serbia. This happened right after the War of the Austrian Succession.
The main reason for these new settlements was to protect the southern borders of the Russian Empire. They also helped with Russian military actions in that area. Jovan Horvat was the leader of New Serbia. On March 9, 1759, with the approval of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, Horvat created the Macedonian Hussar Regiment.
New Serbia and Slavo-Serbia were actually home to many different groups of people. So, the names of the regiments formed there didn't always show their exact national makeup. Many of the people who joined the Macedonian Regiment were described by the government as Bulgarians, Vlachs, Serbs, and Greeks. Some were counted as Macedonians, and a large number of Montenegrins also joined. The commander of the Macedonian Hussar Regiment was Aleksey Kostyurin.
The special symbol, or coat of arms, for the Macedonian Hussar Regiment was approved in 1776. It showed "A silver shield in a red field, with different decorations, and under it two crossed wooden arrows covered with gold dots."
On July 26, 1761, the Macedonian Hussars joined with the existing Bulgarian Hussar Regiment. They formed one larger Macedonian Hussars Regiment. This happened because both regiments had too few soldiers on their own.
However, on May 10, 1763, Empress Catherine II issued a decree. She ordered the Macedonian Hussar Regiment to be disbanded. Its soldiers were then moved to the Polish, Moldovan, and Serbian Hussar Regiments.
Later, on December 24, 1776, a new Macedonian Hussar Regiment was created. It had six squadrons (groups of soldiers). This new regiment was formed from nine other foreign regiments. These regiments were set up in the Azov and Novorossiysk regions to protect the empire's southern borders.
Finally, on June 28, 1783, this regiment was also disbanded. Its soldiers were then assigned to the Alexandrian Hussar Regiment.
See also
- Karposh's rebellion
- Macedonian nationalism
