A cuirassier ( KWIRR-ə-SEER; French: [kɥiʁasje]; French for 'one wearing a cuirass') was a cavalryman equipped with a cuirass, sword, and pistols. Cuirassiers first appeared in mid-to-late 16th century Europe as a result of armoured cavalry such as men-at-arms and demi-lancers discarding their lances and adopting pistols as their primary weapon. In the later part of the 17th century, the cuirassier lost his limb armour and subsequently wore only the cuirass (breastplate and backplate), and sometimes a helmet. By this time, the sword or sabre had become his primary weapon, with pistols relegated to a secondary function.
Cuirassiers achieved increased prominence during the Napoleonic Wars and were last fielded in the opening stages of World War I (1914–1918). A number of countries continue t...
Main article image
2june2006 374.jpg
Photo of Republic Day Parade in Rome, 2 june 2006, Festa della Repubblica Italiana.
Corazzieri, par...
6e régiment de cuirassiers 1887.jpg
Colonel de la Rochethulon presenting to the recruits the flag of the 6th regiment of cuirassiers. J...
Anton von Werner - Garde-du-Corps-Kürassier.jpg
Prussian cuirassier of the Garde-du-Corps.
(artist: Anton von Werner, year: 1882, dimensions: 50 × 3...
Armure-16e-p1030461.jpg
Armours and cuirassier armours, musee d'Art et d'Histoire de Neuchatel
Armure savoyarde IMG 3809.jpg
Cuirassier's armour in Savoyard style, ca. 1600-1610. On display at Morges military museum
Austrian cuirassier (1705).jpg
A late 19th century depiction of an Austrian cuirassier from 1705. Note the archaic zischäge helmet,...
Bataille Waterloo 1815 reconstitution 2011 cuirassier.jpg
French cuirassier during the re-enactment of the battle of Waterloo (1815), in June 2011, Waterloo, ...
Battle of Borodino panorama - detail 04.jpg
Музей "Бородинская панорама". Вид панорамы
Charge of the French Cuirassiers at Waterloo.jpg
Depicting French Cuirassiers charging onto the British squares during the Battle of Waterloo.
Corazacomlpeta.jpg
Coraza y casco
Cuirasse-Cent-Gardes.jpg
Armours and Cent-Garde armours, musee d'Art et d'Histoire de Neuchatel
French heavy cavalry Paris August 1914.jpg
French Calvary going to front, Paris
Géricault - A Charge of Cuirassiers, c. 1822 - c. 1823.jpg
A Charge of Cuirassiers
Napoleon Cuirassier in 1809 by Bellange.jpg
French cuirassier in 1809. From book of P.-M. Laurent de L`Ardeche «Histoire de Napoleon», 1843
Nicholas II of Russia in the uniform of His Majesty's Cuirassier Guards Regiment 1896.jpg
Nicholas II of Russia in the uniform of His Majesty's Cuirassier Guards Regiment.
Pappenheim Curassiers.PNG
Cuirassiers giving fire with their pistols (cuirassiers of Count Pappenheim).
Wheel-lock holster pistols, Nuremberg, c. 1650 - Higgins Armory Museum - DSC05494.JPG
Exhibit in the Higgins Armory Museum, 100 Barber Avenue, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. The museum p...
Красное село. Капитан Кирасирского полка Ее Величества в зим.обмун-нии. 1892г ГИМ e1t3.jpg
Krasnoe Selo. Captain of Her Majesty's Cuirassiers in winter uniform. 1892.