The Historical Alphabet/Qalam
Discovering something new about the world in which our ancestors lived—and our own today—is a truly exciting experience! To share this joy with our readers, the Qalam editorial staff, together with the technology company Citix @citix.me, has created a fascinating project of important and interesting historical facts collected in an alphabet. You can now see them on Citix city smartboards and read more on our website.
Uhlans
A Light Cavalry That Existed in Many Countries
The word uhlan probably comes from the Turkish word oğlan meaning ‘a young man’. In the Golden Horde, princes were called oğlans. Since they had the best armor and horses in the army, the Europeans began to call the elite cavalry uhlans. The uhlans were armed with sabers, pikes, and pistols, and wore a special headdress with a flat top, similar to the ancient Mongolian cap. They were an important part of various armies from the eighteenth to the beginning of the twentieth century. Their units were part of the Russian, French, Italian, and many other armies. To this day, formations of uhlans are part of some guard units, such as the Guardia Real of Spain. And in Kazakhstan, uhlan now means ‘guard’.
16th Uhlans Regiment Of Duchy Of Warsaw/Alamy