LITHUANIAN LIGHT CAVALRY

Even at the end of the 13th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a relatively small and pagan country covering more or less the area of today's Lithuania and part of Belarus. However, in the course of the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, thanks to such outstanding great dukes as Olgierd or Kiejstut, it definitely extended its reign to almost all of today's Belarus and Ukraine, reaching the Black Sea with its borders! It was also the ruler of this country - Jogaiłło - who concluded a personal union with Poland in Krewo, was baptized and married Jadwiga. As Władysław Jagiełło he started the rule of the Jagiellonian dynasty in the Polish-Lithuanian state. The main element of the Lithuanian army in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries was cavalry. At Grunwald, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was able to send 40 banners. A large part of them was armed in the Eastern European fashion, which resulted from the strong military influence of Rus on Lithuania. Most often, an equestrian Lithuanian warrior (14th-15th century) wore conical helmets with an elongated bell, often with a chain or scale cap. There were also hat-type helmets. The most commonly used armor was scale armor, chainmail was used less frequently. Shields were also used. Light spears called sulice, reflex bows and one-handed swords were used as offensive weapons. Andrzej Nadolski also mentions that the Lithuanian cavalry may have used sabers. Although the Lithuanian cavalry was great for reconnaissance or insurance of its own troops, it had problems with keeping the field of heavy Polish or Teutonic excavation cavalry.