Was (wer) ist DRAGOON - definition
![Battle of Jena]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Battle of Jena.jpg?width=200 "Battle of Jena]]")
![United States dragoons charging Mexican infantry at the [[Battle of Resaca de la Palma]] in May 1846.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Battle of Resaca de la Palma.jpg?width=200 "United States dragoons charging Mexican infantry at the [[Battle of Resaca de la Palma]] in May 1846.")
![Cartoon of a French dragoon intimidating a [[Huguenot]] in the ''[[Dragonnades]]''](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Dragonnades430.jpg?width=200 "Cartoon of a French dragoon intimidating a [[Huguenot]] in the ''[[Dragonnades]]''")
![[[Baden]] dragoon in a [[World War I]] monument at [[Karlsruhe]].
While almost an [[anachronism]] after the early stages of that war, German dragoons did see continuing service on the Eastern Front until 1917. Note the functional [[Stahlhelm]] helmet.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Karlsruhe Leibdragonerdenkmal.jpg?width=200 "[[Baden]] dragoon in a [[World War I]] monument at [[Karlsruhe]].
While almost an [[anachronism]] after the early stages of that war, German dragoons did see continuing service on the Eastern Front until 1917. Note the functional [[Stahlhelm]] helmet.")
![The Independence Dragoons during the arrival ceremony of French president [[Jacques Chirac]] at the [[Palácio da Alvorada]] in [[Brasília]], 25 May 2006](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Lula Chirac Alvorada.JPG?width=200 "The Independence Dragoons during the arrival ceremony of French president [[Jacques Chirac]] at the [[Palácio da Alvorada]] in [[Brasília]], 25 May 2006")
![Memorial stained glass window at [[Royal Military College of Canada]] of 2770 LCol KL Jefferson, a member of the [[12th Manitoba Dragoons]], an [[armoured regiment]] of the [[Canadian Army]] and [[Canadian Forces]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Memorial Stained Glass window, 2770 LCol KL Jefferson, Royal Military College of Canada.jpg?width=200 "Memorial stained glass window at [[Royal Military College of Canada]] of 2770 LCol KL Jefferson, a member of the [[12th Manitoba Dragoons]], an [[armoured regiment]] of the [[Canadian Army]] and [[Canadian Forces]]")
![Pedro of Braganza]] (later Emperor of Brazil as Pedro I) declares the [[Independence of Brazil]] while surrounded by his guard of honour, which later became known as Independence Dragoons, 7 September 1822](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pedro Américo - Independência ou Morte - Google Art Project.jpg?width=200 "Pedro of Braganza]] (later Emperor of Brazil as Pedro I) declares the [[Independence of Brazil]] while surrounded by his guard of honour, which later became known as Independence Dragoons, 7 September 1822")
![French dragoon of the [[Volontaires de Saxe]] regiment, mid-18th century](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Volontaires de Saxe, Dragon (cropped).jpg?width=200 "French dragoon of the [[Volontaires de Saxe]] regiment, mid-18th century")
Wikipedia
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat with swords and firearms from horseback. While their use goes back to the late 16th century, dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the 17th and early 18th centuries; they provided greater mobility than regular infantry but were far less expensive than cavalry.
The name reputedly derives from a type of firearm, called a dragon, which was a handgun version of a blunderbuss, carried by dragoons of the French Army.
The title has been retained in modern times by a number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments.
