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The Hessian (; from
Footwear History
{{Historical clothing 18th-century fashion 19th-century fashion Boots Historical footwear History of clothing (Western fashion)
The Hessian (; from Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Dar ...
in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
) is a style of light boot that became popular from the beginning of the 19th century.
History and description
First worn by German soldiers in the 18th century, these military riding boots became popular in England, particularly during theRegency period
The Regency era of British history officially spanned the years 1811 to 1820, though the term is commonly applied to the longer period between and 1837. King George III succumbed to mental illness in late 1810 and, by the Regency Act 1811, h ...
(1811–1820), with their polished leather and ornamental tassels. Initially used as standard issue footwear for light cavalry regiments, especially hussars
A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely a ...
, they would become widely worn by civilians as well.
The boots had a low heel, and a semi-pointed toe that made them practical for mounted troops, as they allowed easy use of stirrups. They reached to the knee and had a decorative tassel at the top of each shaft, with a "v" notch in front.
The Hessian boot would evolve into the rubber work boots known as "Wellington boot
The Wellington boot was originally a type of leather boot adapted from Hessian boots, a style of military riding boot. They were worn and popularised by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. The "Wellington" boot became a staple of pr ...
s" and the cowboy boot
Cowboy boots are a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a high heel that is traditionally made of stacked leather, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing. Cowboy boots are normally ma ...
.
See also
*Hessian (soldier)
Hessians ( or ) were German soldiers who served as auxiliaries to the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. The term is an American synecdoche for all Germans who fought on the British side, since 65% came from the German states o ...
References
External links
Footwear History
{{Historical clothing 18th-century fashion 19th-century fashion Boots Historical footwear History of clothing (Western fashion)