A tall military hat with a plume or pompom, typically cylindrical with a visor.
From Hungarian 'csákó,' which originally meant 'peaked' (referring to the visor). The style was adopted from Hungarian hussars (light cavalry) by other European armies in the late 1700s. Hungarian cavalry were renowned for their distinctive uniforms, and the shako became a symbol of military elegance across Europe. The word traveled through German 'Tschako' before entering English, carrying the legacy of Hungarian military fashion across the continent.
This dramatic military hat with its towering plume started with Hungarian cavalry and became the height of Napoleonic military fashion. Those elaborate feathers weren't just for show - they made soldiers look taller and more intimidating on the battlefield.
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