Italian Spahis
Encyclopedia
Italian Spahis were light cavalry
colonial troops of the Kingdom of Italy
, raised in Italian Libya
between 1912 and 1942.
raised squadrons of locally recruited Spahi cavalry after the conquest of Libya
from the Ottoman empire
.
These differed from their French namesakes
in that their prime role was that of mounted police, tasked with patrolling rural and desert areas. The name is the French form of the Ottoman word sipahi
, a word originally derived from Middle Persian term Spah meaning "army", or "horsemen".
Although they had Italian officers these spahis were more loosely organised than the regular Libyan cavalry regiments (Savari
). They wore a picturesque dress modelled on that of the desert tribesmen from whom they were recruited.
and mainly contributed to the full control of Cyrenaica
& Fezzan
, which was not completed until 1932. Since then they patrolled the border areas of Italian Libya.
In 1936 Spahis and other Libyan units took part in the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and received a "Gold Medal of Honor" for their distinguished performance in battle
. In 1934 he was in Libya commanding this irregular cavalry.
In 1935, Guillet participated with the Spahis of Libya in the War of Ethiopia, where these Libyan troops fought bravely.
They suffered heavy losses during the Battle of the Marmarica
(December 1940) and were formally disbanded in January 1943 following the Italian withdrawal into Tunisia
. Italian Spahis were in control of Ghat and Ghadames
until the first weeks of 1943.
The role of the Spahis and other mounted troops was limited mainly to patrol and scouting work by the demands of modern mechanised warfare.
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
colonial troops of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
, raised in Italian Libya
Italian Libya
Italian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya...
between 1912 and 1942.
Characteristics
The Italian colonial administration of LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
raised squadrons of locally recruited Spahi cavalry after the conquest of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
from the Ottoman empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
These differed from their French namesakes
Spahi
Spahis were light cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now recruited in mainland France...
in that their prime role was that of mounted police, tasked with patrolling rural and desert areas. The name is the French form of the Ottoman word sipahi
Sipahi
Sipahi was the name of several Ottoman cavalry corps...
, a word originally derived from Middle Persian term Spah meaning "army", or "horsemen".
Although they had Italian officers these spahis were more loosely organised than the regular Libyan cavalry regiments (Savari
Savari
Savari was the designation given to the regular Libyan cavalry regiments of the Italian colonial army in Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. The word "savari" was derived from a Persian term for "horsemen" .-Organisation:...
). They wore a picturesque dress modelled on that of the desert tribesmen from whom they were recruited.
History
The Italian Spahis formed part of the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali della Libia (Royal Corps of Libyan Colonial Troops), which included desert and camel troops, infantry battalions, artillery and cavalry. The Truppe Coloniali saw extensive service during the Italian conquest of TripolitaniaTripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and mainly contributed to the full control of Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
& Fezzan
Fezzan
Fezzan is a south western region of modern Libya. It is largely desert but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise inhospitable Sahara.-Name:...
, which was not completed until 1932. Since then they patrolled the border areas of Italian Libya.
In 1936 Spahis and other Libyan units took part in the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and received a "Gold Medal of Honor" for their distinguished performance in battle
The Spahis of Amedeo Guillet
Te most famous group of Italian Spahis was the one of Amedeo GuilletAmedeo Guillet
Amedeo Guillet was an officer of the Italian Army. He was born in Piacenza. Descended from a noble family from Piedmont and Capua, he graduated from the Academy of Infantry and Cavalry of Modena in 1930 and began his career in the Italian Army. Dying at the age of 101, he was one of the last men...
. In 1934 he was in Libya commanding this irregular cavalry.
In 1935, Guillet participated with the Spahis of Libya in the War of Ethiopia, where these Libyan troops fought bravely.
World War II
On the eve of Italy's entry into World War II the Royal Corps of Libyan Colonial Troops comprised approximately 28,000 locally recruited personnel, of which nearly one thousand were the Italian Spahis.They suffered heavy losses during the Battle of the Marmarica
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
(December 1940) and were formally disbanded in January 1943 following the Italian withdrawal into Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. Italian Spahis were in control of Ghat and Ghadames
Ghadames
Ghadames or Ghadamis is an oasis town in the Nalut District of the Fezzan region in southwestern Libya.-Geography:Ghadames lies roughly to the southwest of Tripoli, near the borders with Algeria and Tunisia. Ghadames borders Illizi Province, Algeria and Tataouine Governorate, Tunisia.The oasis...
until the first weeks of 1943.
The role of the Spahis and other mounted troops was limited mainly to patrol and scouting work by the demands of modern mechanised warfare.
See also
- Italian LibyaItalian LibyaItalian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya...
- History of Libya as Italian colonyHistory of Libya as Italian ColonyThe History of Libya as an Italian colony began in the 1910s and lasted until February 1947, when Italy officially lost all the colonies of the former Italian Empire.-First years:...
- SpahiSpahiSpahis were light cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now recruited in mainland France...
- SavariSavariSavari was the designation given to the regular Libyan cavalry regiments of the Italian colonial army in Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. The word "savari" was derived from a Persian term for "horsemen" .-Organisation:...
- DubatsDubatsDubats was the designation given to armed irregular bands employed by the Italian Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941...
- ZaptieZaptiéZaptié was the designation given to locally raised gendarmerie units in the Italian colonies of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland between 1889 and 1942....