"Cuirassiers (/ˌkwɪrəˈsɪər/; from French cuirassier [kɥiʁasje]) were cavalry equipped with cuirass armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. The first cuirassiers were produced as a ...
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result of armoured cavalry, such as the men-at-arms and demi-lancers, discarding their lances and adopting the use of pistols as their primary weapon. In the later 17th century, the cuirassier lost his limb armour and subsequently employed only the cuirass (breastplate and backplate), and sometimes a helmet. By this time, the sword or sabre had become their primary weapon, pistols being relegated to a secondary function." - (en.wikipedia.org 19.11.2019)
