Sabre

The sabre (British English) or saber (U.S. English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central-Eastern European cavalry such as the hussars, the sabre became widespread in Western Europe in the Thirty Years' War. Lighter sabres also became popular with infantry of the late 17th century. In the 19th century, models with less curving blades became common and were also used by heavy cavalry. The last sabre issued to U.S. cavalry was the Patton saber of 1913. Szabla wz. 34 was the last sabre issued to the Polish cavalry, in 1934. The military sabre was used as a duelling weapon in academic fencing in the 19th century, giving rise to a discipline of modern sabre fencing (introduced in the 1896 Summer Olympics) loosely based on the characteristics of the historical weapon in that it allows for cuts as well as thrusts.

Quotes

So long as we still live, what the foreign power has seized from us, we shall recapture with a sabre.
- Józef Wybicki, "Mazurek Dąbrowskiego" (1747), the Polish national anthem
- Original Polish: Kiedy my żyjemy co nam obca moc wydarła, szablą odbijemy.

Don't draw it without need, don't hide it without glory.
- Traditional slogan for sabre holster
- Original Russian: Без дела не вынимай, без славы не вкладывай
- Original Spain: No me embaines sin razón - no me saqués sin honor

Without God, do not even approach the threshold, without the karabela do not get out of bed.
- Polish proverb
- Original Polish: Bez Boga ani do proga, bez karabeli ani z pościeli

Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there, ...
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.
- Alfred Tennyson, "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1854), st. 4

External links

Encyclopedic article on Sabre on Wikipedia