Although first used as a propellant in China in around 1132, firearms and canon underwent rapid development in Europe in the 15th century and were soon used extensively by the Ottomans in European warfare, and in the conquest of the Americas. The armored knight was the most well-known heavy cavalry soldier of the Middle Ages, where a number of breeds were used in warfare, including heavy breeds for carrying armored knights and lighter breeds for hit-and-run raids or faster-moving warfare.Īrmored knights went out of use around the end of the 15th century, light cavalry gained popularity with the introduction of gunpowder in battle and the demise of the knight. In the 7th and 8th century AD, Muslim armies used light cavalry in their operations across Northern Africa, Asia, and Europe. ![]() Stirrups, which held riders securely in place while they fought, probably originated in the Asian steppes sometime around the 2nd century BC. Many East Asian cultures used cavalry and chariots frequently. The Central Asian steppes' nomadic societies' fighting strategies were ideally adapted to horses. Along with horses, mules and donkeys have also been an essential part of supporting armies in the field throughout history. The kind of horse employed changed depending on whether it was driven or ridden and used for cavalry charges, raiding, communication, or supply. The development of the saddle, stirrup, and horse collar, among other technological advances, transformed the efficiency of horses in battle.ĭepending on the style of the combat, a wide range of horse breeds and sizes were used. New training techniques emerged as formal cavalry tactics took the place of the chariot, and by 360 BC, a Greek cavalry officer named Xenophon had produced a comprehensive book on horsemanship. ![]() ![]() The first training manual for war horses that we know of was a treatise for training chariot horses, written around 1350 BC. By 1600 BC, new harnesses and chariot designs had made chariot warfare prevalent throughout the Ancient Near East.
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