Sowar | |
---|---|
Sowar | |
Country | Delhi Sultanate Deccan Sultanates Mughal Empire Maratha Empire British Raj India Pakistan |
Branch | Cavalry |
Equipment | Composite bow, Talwar, Spear, and Musket |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/A_Deccani_courtier_who_may_or_may_not_be_the_king_himself%2C_c.1600.jpg/220px-A_Deccani_courtier_who_may_or_may_not_be_the_king_himself%2C_c.1600.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Madras_cavalry.jpg/220px-Madras_cavalry.jpg)
Sowar (Urdu: سوار, also siwar meaning "the one who rides" or "rider", from Persian sawār)[1] was originally a rank during the Mughal Empire. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states. It is also used more specifically of a mounted orderly, escort or guard. It was also the rank held by ordinary cavalry troopers, equivalent to sepoy in the infantry — this rank has been inherited by the modern armies of India and Pakistan.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Maratha_Sowar_and_Sepoy.jpg/220px-Maratha_Sowar_and_Sepoy.jpg)
History
An image from the Carnatic Wars features a Sowar armed with a Musket.
Sowar has been used as the name of a line of wrist-watches by the Swiss West End Watch Co.
See also
References
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sowar". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Christ_Church_Mhow_Plaque_Malwa_Contingent.jpg/220px-Christ_Church_Mhow_Plaque_Malwa_Contingent.jpg)