# Canonical recap data for Fusilier (2013)
# Source: https://recap.at/2013/fusilier
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: fusilier
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2013/fusilier"
title: Fusilier
aliases:
- Fusilier regiment
- Fusil musket
- Light infantry designation
subtitle: "On this day (05/22), 13 years ago: Fusilier Lee Rigby is murdered by two Islamic extremists in Woolwich, Southeast London."
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2013-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2013
decade: 2010
summaryShort: Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French word fusil – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has been used in contrasting ways in different countries and at different times, including soldiers guar
summaryLong: Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French word fusil – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has been used in contrasting ways in different countries and at different times, including soldiers guarding artillery, various elite units, ordinary line infantry and other uses.
lede: Fusilier is a historical military term with roots in 17th-century France, derived from the fusil—an early flintlock musket. The designation has been applied to soldiers across different nations and centuries in widely varying ways, sometimes denoting elite units and other times serving as a catch-all label for infantry.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Fusiliers_de_La_Morli%C3%A8re_-_Fantassin_XVIIIe_si%C3%A8cle.jpg/1280px-Fusiliers_de_La_Morli%C3%A8re_-_Fantassin_XVIIIe_si%C3%A8cle.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Fusilier"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Etymology origin
  value: French word 'fusil' from 17th century
- label: Weapon type
  value: Flintlock musket
- label: Geographic adoption
  value: France, Britain, Prussia, Spain, Russia, and colonial militaries
- label: Primary usage period
  value: 1680s–1900s
- label: Unit classification variation
  value: Elite light infantry to standard-issue designation depending on nation and era
timeline:
- date: 1670-01-01
  title: Fusil musket introduction in French military
  description: The French army begins fielding the fusil, a flintlock musket that gives its name to the soldiers who carry it.
- date: 1690-01-01
  title: British adoption of fusilier regiments
  description: The British military establishes dedicated fusilier units, initially as elite light infantry armed with the shorter fusil compared to musketeer counterparts.
- date: 1740-01-01
  title: Fusilier designation standardization
  description: Across European militaries, fusilier becomes an established infantry classification with varying tactical roles in different nations.
- date: 1800-01-01
  title: Napoleonic Wars prominence
  description: Fusilier regiments play major roles in Napoleonic campaigns across Europe; the designation becomes associated with disciplined line infantry.
- date: 1850-01-01
  title: Transition to rifled muskets
  description: As rifled weaponry replaces smooth-bore muskets, the fusilier designation persists but loses its specific connection to fusil armament.
- date: 1900-01-01
  title: Fusilier regiments in imperial militaries
  description: By the 20th century, fusilier remains primarily a traditional regimental title rather than a functional weapons-based distinction in most armies.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusilier"
  title: Fusilier
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The fusilier terminology shaped how European and colonial armies organized and classified their fighting forces across three centuries. Its flexibility as a designation reflects broader patterns in how military hierarchies adapted to changing weapons technology and tactical doctrine.
categories: []
taxonomy:
domain: military
eventTypes:
- arms_race
canonicalClasses:
- transformation
- creation
impactRadius: global
velocity: gradual
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: single_domain
lifecycleClass: growth
metaDescription: "Fusilier: 17th-century military term for soldiers armed with fusil muskets, used differently across nations and eras."
wikidataQid: Q1483744
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20130502023524/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusilier"
  capturedAt: 2013-05-02
  label: Fusilier
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusilier"
