Zouave

The Zouaves (French pronunciation: [zwav] ) were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army and other units modelled on it, which served between 1830 and 1962, mainly in French North Africa. The zouaves were among the most decorated units of the French Army. The Zouave corps was created during the conquest of Algeria in 1830 from among the local population. However, faced with the mixed success of indigenous recruitment and their desertions, the Zouaves became mixed units (including French and locals) from 1831 onwards, with a majority of Europeans. From 1842 onwards, the men recruited to serve there were exclusively French or people of French descent born in French Algeria (pieds-noirs), a policy which continued until the final dissolution of these regiments after the Algerian War. The name of the Zouave corps is inspired by the Zwawa group of tribes in Algeria ("Zwawa" being the origin of the French term zouave) who had gained a martial reputation fighting for local rulers under the Regency of Algiers. Unlike the Dey's battalion, the regiments formed by the French from 1830 onward included few Kabyles and had a more diverse indigenous recruitment (Arabs, Turks, Moors, etc.). In the 1860s, zouave units arose in many other countries. The Papal Zouaves were organized by Louis Juchault de Lamoricière, a former commander of North African zouaves, while a former zouave sergeant, François Rochebrune, organized the Polish Zouaves of Death who fought against Russia in the January Uprising of 1863–1864. In the 1870s, former Papal Zouaves formed the cadre for a short-lived Spanish zouave unit. The "zouave" title was also used by Brazilian units of black volunteers in the Paraguayan War, possibly due to a perceived link with Africa. In the United States, zouaves were brought to public attention by Elmer E. Ellsworth, who...