Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.17234/RadoviZHP.57.30 169
The Influence of Xenophon’s Book The Cavalry Commander on the Development of Cavalry in the Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th Century (Summary)
Filip Katanić
Sažetak
The paper examines the influence of Xenophon’s book The Cavalry Commander on the development of cavalry in the Habsburg Monarchy during the 18th century. Xenophon’s The Cavalry Commander is considered the first systematic written account on cavalry in European literature. This book laid the foundation for cavalry training and the use of cavalry in war and peace for the future. By stipulating the standards that the Athenian cavalry force and its commander must meet in order to create a powerful instrument of war – cavalry – and use it in war and peace as an instrument to increase the political power of the state, Xenophon influenced cavalry commanders and military thinkers in the age of the Enlightenment, notably, the Habsburg Field Marshal Ludwig Andreas Khevenhüller. In his book, Xenophon described the duties of the Athenian cavalry commander, the organization of smaller units into tactical and operational formations for specific cavalry actions and operations, different styles of riding, training, and the use of cavalry weapons like the long lance for thrusting or shorter javelins for throwing. In short, the book details the entire process of becoming a professional cavalryman. The structure, approach, methodology and aim of Xenophon’s book had been used as a model for the first systematic, written cavalry manual in the Habsburg Monarchy for the entire Habsburg cavalry force. Written in 1739 by the Austrian Field Marschall Ludwig Andreas Khevenhüller, an experienced and distinguished Habsburg cavalry commander like Xenophon himself, this manual was titled Exercitium zu Pferd und zu Fuβ sowohl über ein ganzes regiment, als auch über eine Compagnie oder kleinen troupp ins besondere (Rules and Regulations for exercises on horseback and on foot, Vienna, 1739), later known as the Khevenhüller Regulation of 1739. Like his role model Xenophon 2107 years earlier, Khevenhüller endeavoured to create a powerful instrument of war – the Habsburg cavalry – for the same reasons as Xenophon had done, to lay the foundation of cavalry drill and training for the entire Habsburg army during 18th century. The cavalry regulation of 1796, Neustes reglement für die sämtliche Kaiserlich Königliche Kavallerie (New Regulation for entire Imperial and Royal Cavalry, Frankfurt; Leipzig, 1796) is entirely based on the Khevenhüller Regulation, therefore providing proof of continuity in cavalry drill and training from Khevenhüller to the end of the 18th century. In this respect, the paper analyses similarities and differences between the two, particularly because both authors employed empirical-inductive, comparative, historical, and analytical-synthetic methods in their works as forms of argumentation. Given that both authors lived, worked, and served as cavalry commanders in broadly comparable historical circumstances, it is noteworthy how the influence of ideas, concepts and practices of military art in antiquity found its place in the period of firepower and the emergence of modern warfare.
Ključne riječi
Xenophon; The Cavalry Commander; cavalry; cavalry art; Khevenhüller; Khevenhüller Cavalry Regulation of 1739; The Habsburg Monarchy
Hrčak ID:
349079
URI
Datum izdavanja:
21.12.2025.
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