A soldier of a light cavalry regiment. Hussars were originally mounted troops raised in 1485 by Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, to fight the Turks. As good light cavalry was scarce, other countries soon developed their own hussars: Frederick II (the Great) proved the superiority of Prussian hussars over those of Austria during the War of the Austrian Succession. Britain hired hussars from several German states in the 18th century, sending them to America where they were hated by the patriots.