SYW Hungarian Hadik Hussars

This rather dashing Hussar regiment was raised in Hungary in 1734 by Alexander Karolyi, changed inhaber in 1749 to Rudolph Palffy and changed again, in 1758, to Andreas Hadik. The figures are 25/28mm and by Crusader although a Front Rank horse has found his way into the ranks.

Hadik, whose portrait shows him as a Field Marshal in 1783, was a famous Light cavalry general in the SYW and, his biography, taken from Kronoskaf, is below:

"Andreas Hadik was born in a Hungarian family of lesser nobility.
In 1731, Hadik volunteered for the Ghilányi Hussar Regiment. In 1732, Hadik was given the rank of officer and became the standard bearer in the Dessewffy Hussar Regiment in the Austrian army. During the War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738) and the Russo-Turkish War of 1735–1739, Hadik fought in several campaigns. In 1738, Hadik was promoted to the rank of captain.

During the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), Hadik gained fame for his actions against the Prussians at the city of Neisse using surprise attacks and tricks under the unwritten laws of the so-called kleinkrieg (small war), relying on the excellent quality of his light cavalry hussars. During this war, he was promoted once more, this time to the rank of lieutenant-colonel by Maria Theresa, the queen of Hungary and archduchess of Austria.
In 1744, Hadik gained the rank of commanding colonel of the Beleznay Hussar Regiment.
In 1748, Hadik attained the rank of major-general and was appointed commander of a cavalry brigade. He also became inhaber (owner) of a hussar regiment bearing his name.

In October 1757, the already famous Hadik conducted a raid on Berlin while the main Prussian armies were busy fighting the Austrian in Silesia and the Franco-Imperials in Thuringia. With a force of 5,000 men (mostly hussars), Hadik occupied Berlin for a day and obtained a negotiated ransom of 200,000 tallers before leaving the city. For this brilliant action, Hadik was promoted lieutenant-fieldmarshal and received the Great Cross of the Maria Theresien Order.
In 1758, Hadik was promoted general of cavalry. He fought with the Reichsarmee.

In 1763, after the war, Hadik was made count and governor of the fortress of Ofen .
In 1764, Hadik became governor of the Siebenbürgen, then president of the Congress of Karlowitz. He later received the estates of Futak. In 1772, after the partition of Poland, Hadik became governor of the part of Poland attributed to Austria (Galicia and Lodomeria) an office that he assumed until June 1774. In 1774, Hadik was finally promoted Fieldmarshal.
In 1776, emperor Joseph II made him count of the Empire. Hadik also assumed the office of president of the Hofkriegsrat (Court War Council) until 1790. In two occasions, in 1778 and 1789, Hadik took the field at the head of the main Austro-Hungarian army."