View source for Lithuanian Tatars of the Imperial Guard

{{Short description|Military unit during the Napoleonic Wars}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Lithuanian Tatars of the Imperial Guard
| native_name = Tartares Lituaniens de la Garde Impériale
| image = Tartares lituaniens en reconnaissance.jpg
| caption = Lithuanian Tatars of the Imperial Guard conducting a reconnaissance, by Bronislaw Gembarzewski (1896)
| dates = October 1812 – April 1814
| country = {{Flag|First French Empire}}
| allegiance =
| branch = [[French Imperial Army]]
| type = [[Light Cavalry]]
| role =
| size = [[Squadron (army)|Squadron]]
| command_structure = [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]]
| garrison =
| garrison_label =
| nickname = "[[Józef Poniatowski|Poniatowski]]'s [[Cossacks]]"
| equipment =
| battles = {{Tree list}}
* [[Napoleonic Wars]]
** [[French invasion of Russia]]
*** [[Battle of Wilno (1813)|Battle of Vilnius]]
** [[War of the Sixth Coalition]]
*** [[Battle of Dresden]]
*** [[Battle of Leipzig]]
*** [[Battle of Hanau]]
{{Tree list/end}}
}}
The '''Lithuanian Tatars of the Imperial Guard''' ({{langx|fr|Tartares Lituaniens de la Garde Impériale}} '''/''' {{Langx|lt|Imperatoriškosios Gvardijos Lietuvos totoriai}}) were a [[light cavalry]] squadron of [[Napoleon]]'s [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]], in the service of the [[French Imperial Army (1804-1815)|French Army]] from 1812 to 1814. The [[Lipka Tatars]], descendants of [[Crimean Tatars]], were organized into a single [[squadron (army)|squadron]] at the beginning of the [[French invasion of Russia|Russian Campaign]]. Their first commander was Squadron Leader Achmatowicz, who was killed at [[Vilnius]] and succeeded by Captain Ulan, who led the unit through the remainder of the war. Following the [[First Abdication of Napoleon]], all foreign units were disbanded, and the regiment followed.
==Origins==
The appellation "Tartars" was commonly used in the 17th and 18th centuries, but "Tatars" has become the common usage in recent times.<ref>{{harvnb|Haythornthwaite|2004|p=13}}</ref>
During the 14th century, several families from Tatar tribes in [[Crimea]] followed Grand Duke [[Vytautas]] to [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|Lithuania]], where they served as his personal guard at [[Trakai Island Castle]].<ref name="Dutertre2009p86">{{harvnb|Dutertre|2009|p=86}}</ref> After the [[Union of Krewo|Polish–Lithuanian union]] in 1385, the Tatars divided and formed communities in several villages.<ref name="Davin2011p26">{{harvnb|Davin|2011|p=26}}</ref>
Unlike the Christian Lithuanian people, the Tatars were [[Islam|Muslims]]; they were granted religious freedom and were exempt from taxes, but still had to provide military service.<ref name="Davin2011p26"/><ref name="Pigeard1999p29">{{harvnb|Pigeard|1999|p=29}}</ref> In the 18th century, after the [[Partitions of Poland]] and Lithuania by [[Russian Empire|Russia]], [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]], and [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], the Tatars fell under Russian rule. Some Tatar volunteers served in the [[Army of the Duchy of Warsaw]] after the [[Duchy of Warsaw|duchy's]] creation by [[Napoleon]] in 1807.<ref name="Davin2011p26"/>
==Organisation==
[[File:Tartares lituaniens (par Richard Knötel).jpg|thumb|left|Lithuanian Tatars of the Imperial Guard at the charge, by [[Richard Knötel]].]]
In June 1812, General [[Michał Sokolnicki (general)|Michał Sokolnicki]] suggested that Napoleon create a [[regiment]] of Lithuanian Tatars. He wrote of "their probity, as well as their courage were experienced […]".<ref name="Pigeard1999p29"/> Despite Napoleon's hopes that the unit could comprise up to a thousand soldiers,<ref name="Pigeard1999p29"/> only enough Tatar volunteers could be found to form a [[Squadron (army)|squadron]].<ref name="Buckhari1978p27"/><ref name="Davin2011p26"/> It was composed of 123 men including 1 squadron leader, 1 major, 4 [[Captain (armed forces)|captains]], 7 [[lieutenant]]s and second lieutenants, and 110 [[non-commissioned officer]]s and soldiers.<ref name="Davin2011p26"/><ref name="Pigeard1999p29"/> The squadron also had an [[imam]] named Aslan Aley, who also served as a second lieutenant.<ref name="Pawly2007p40"/><ref name="Brunon1938p6">{{harvnb|Brunon|1938|p=6}}</ref>
The unit was officially created in October 1812<ref name="Tranié1982p112">{{harvnb|Tranié|Carmigniani|1982|p=112}}</ref><ref name="Pawly2007p40">{{harvnb|Pawly|2007|p=40}}</ref> and was placed under the command of [[Colonel]] Mustapha Murza Achmatowicz, who paid for the squadron's equipment and uniforms.<ref name="Buckhari1978p27">{{harvnb|Buckhari|1978|p=27}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Pigeard|1999|p=73}}</ref> The Tatars were attached to the [[3rd Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Lithuanian)|3rd Lithuanian Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard]] as scouts.<ref name="Buckhari1978p27"/>
==Military campaigns==
[[File:Lithuanian Tatars of Napoleonic army.JPG|right|thumb|275x275px|Lithuanian Tartars in service of the French with Red and White banners of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]
The squadron participated in the 1812 [[French invasion of Russia]] with the 6th Brigade of the Imperial Guard Cavalry ([[Elite Gendarmes of the Imperial Guard|Elite Gendarmes]], 3rd Lancers and Tatars).<ref>{{harvnb|Pigeard|1998|p=530}}</ref> They suffered heavy losses during the invasion, particularly at [[Vilnius|Vilna]] from 10 to 12 December where Squadron Leader Achmatowicz was killed<ref>{{harvnb|Tranié|Carmigniani|1982|p=111}}</ref><ref name="Pigeard2005p160">{{harvnb|Pigeard|2005|p=160}}</ref> with 34 of his men.<ref name="Dutertre2009p86"/> The Tatars also participated in the Battle of Kalish on 13 February 1813.<ref name="Pigeard1999p30-32">{{harvnb|Pigeard|1999|pp=30–32}}</ref> The survivors were first incorporated into the remnants of the 3rd Lancers, which had nearly been destroyed at [[Slonim]] in October 1812,<ref>{{harvnb|Tranié|Carmigniani|1982|p=97}}</ref> and then combined with the [[1st Polish Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard|Polish Lancers of the Imperial Guard]] where they formed the 15th Company, considered as "Middle Guard". By this time, the Lithuanian Tatars were led by Captain Samuel Murza Ulan<ref name="Hourtoulle2004">{{harvnb|Hourtoulle|Girbal|Courcelle|2004|p=}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Tranié|Carmigniani|1982|p=121}}</ref> with lieutenants Ibrahim and Aslan Aley as seconds-in-command, with a total strength of only 53 men.<ref name="Pigeard1999p30-32" />
From April to June 1813, on the recommendations of Colonel-Major Dautancourt, the Captain Ulan tried to recruit new cavalrymen and left for France with ''maréchal des logis-chef'' Samuel Januszerwski.<ref name="Brunon1938p6"/> Reduced to just 47 men, he was refused foreign soldier reinforcements at [[Metz]] and went to Paris to seek support from [[Minister of War (France)|Minister of War]] [[Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke]]. Unsuccessful, Ulan and 24 recruits returned to [[Friedberg, Hesse|Friedberg]], Germany, the depot of Polish Lancers.<ref name="Pigeard1999p30-32" />
The Lithuanian Tatars continued to serve under Captain Ulan as part of the Polish Lancers during the [[German Campaign of 1813|1813 German Campaign]], participating in battles at [[Battle of Dresden|Dresden]], Peterswalde, [[Battle of Leipzig|Leipzig]] and [[Battle of Hanau|Hanau]]. The Tatars were then transferred to the 3rd Polish Scouts Regiment of the Imperial Guard and saw further losses during the [[Campaign in north-east France (1814)|1814 French Campaign]], having 6 killed and 7 taken prisoner.<ref name="Pigeard1999p30-32" /> After the abdication of Napoleon on 6 April, Ulan and the few survivors returned to Lithuania.<ref name="Tranié1982p112"/> According to Pigeard, 100 men of the initial 123 died by the end of the campaign.<ref name="Pigeard2005p160"/>
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
* {{cite journal |last=Haythornthwaite |first=Philip |date=2004 |title=La Garde impériale |trans-title=The Imperial Guard |language=fr |journal=Armées et Batailles |series=Grande armées |publisher=Del Prado/Osprey Publishing |volume=1 |pages=13–52 |isbn=2-84349-178-9}}.
* {{cite book |last=Dutertre |first=Gilles |date=2009 |title=Les Français dans l'histoire de la Lituanie : 1009-2009 |trans-title=The French in Lithuania's History : 1009-2009 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u0N4BvCLG6sC |language=fr |publisher=L'Harmattan |isbn=978-2-296078529}}.
* {{cite journal |last=Davin|first=Didier |date=April 2011 |title=Des Tartares pour l'Empereur ou le destin tragique des Tartares lithuaniens (1812-1814) |trans-title=Tartars for Emperor or the tragic fate of Lithuanian Tartars (1812-1814) |language=fr |journal=Figurines |volume=93 |pages=26–27}}.
* {{cite journal |last=Pigeard |first=Alain |date=1 January 1999 |title=Les tartares lithuaniens |trans-title=The Lithuanian Tartars |language=fr |journal=Tradition Magazine |issue=8 |pages=29–32}}.
* {{cite book |last=Pigeard |first=Alain |date=1998 |title=Les campagnes napoléoniennes : 1796-1815 |trans-title=The Napoleonic Campaigns: 1796-1815 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eAgAQAAMAAJ |language=fr |publisher=Quatour}}
* {{cite book |last=Pigeard |first=Alain |date=2005 |title=La Garde impériale : 1804-1815 |trans-title=The Imperial Guard: 1804-1815 |language=fr |publisher=Tallandier |isbn=978-2-847341775}}.
* {{cite book |last1=Tranié |first1=Jean |last2=Carmigniani |first2=Juan-Carlos |date=1982 |title=Les Polonais de Napoléon : l'épopée du 1er régiment de lanciers de la garde impériale |trans-title=The Poles of Napoleon: the epic of the 1st Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard |language=fr |publisher=Copernic}}.
* {{cite book |last=Brunon |first=Jean |date=1938 |title=Des Tatars au service de Napoléon : sur un projet de soulèvement des Cosaques et des Tartares au profit des Armées françaises et aperçu historique sur l'escadron de Tartares lithuaniens de la Garde impériale, 1812-1814 |trans-title=Tatars to the service of Napoleon: on a project of Cossacks and Tartars's uprising to the benefit of French Armies and historical overview of the Lithuanian Tartars's squadron of the Imperial Guard, 1812-1814 |language=fr |location=Marseille |publisher=Raoul et Jean Brunon}}.
* * {{cite book |last1=Hourtoulle |first1=François-Guy |last2=Girbal |first2=Jack |last3=Courcelle |first3=Patrice |date=2004 |title=Soldats et uniformes du Premier Empire |trans-title=Soldiers and uniforms of the First French Empire |language=fr |publisher=Histoire et Collections |isbn=978-2-913903548}}.
* {{cite journal |last=Buckhari |first=Emir |date=1978 |title=Napoleon's Guard Cavalry |journal=Men-at-Arms |publisher=Osprey Publishing |volume=83 |isbn=0-85045-288-0}}.
* {{cite journal |last=Pawly |first=Ronald |date=2007 |title=Napoleon's Polish Lancers of the Imperial Guard |journal=Men-at-Arms |publisher=Osprey Publishing |volume=440 |isbn=978-1-84603-256-1}}
{{Imperial Guard of Napoleon I}}{{Foreign regiments of the French Imperial Army during the Napoleonic Wars}}
[[Category:Lipka Tatars]]
[[Category:French military units and formations of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1814]]
[[Category:Regiments of Napoleon I's Imperial Guard]]
[[Category:Military history of Lithuania]]
[[Category:Cavalry regiments of Lithuania]]
[[Category:Cavalry regiments of France]]
[[Category:Regiments of the First French Empire]]