Demi - lancer The " Demi - lancer " or demilancer was a type of heavy cavalry man found in Western Europe in the 16th and early 17th centuries . Characteristics . Demi - lancer was a term used in 16th century military parlance , especially in England , to designate cavalrymen mounted on unarmoured horses , armed with a slightly lighter version of the heavy lance of a man - at - arms and wearing three - quarter or half - armour , as opposed to the full plate armour of the knight or gendarme . The breastplate and shoulder defences of the demi - lancer were intended to be at least pistol proof . Often an open faced helmet , such as the burgonet , was worn in place of the fully enclosing close helm . The armour for the leg was replaced by long , cuff - topped , riding boots . In addition to the lance the demi - lancer would have been armed with one or two pistols , housed in saddle holsters , and a sword . Demi - lancers were representative of the early modern trend of reducing the coverage of armour while increasing its thickness to provide protection for the vital areas against the fire of gunpowder - based firearm s of the time , such as the caliver , arquebus and , later , the musket . This abbreviated armour was also meant to increase the mobility of the men and horses , as well as reducing the expense inherent in equipping and maintaining them throughout a long campaign . In common with other 16th - century cavalrymen , the demi - lancers were frequently used to strike the enemy ' s flank and to chase down routing troops . Recruitment . Demi - lancers were prominent in the English troops who fought in the Dutch War of Independence , and were mobilised as part of the defences of England against the invasion threat posed by the Spanish Armada . In all 2 , 711 demi - lancers were raised in England in 1588 , the Armada year . The English demi - lancers were raised using the " Trained Band " system , and from the feudal levy on nobles and ecclesiastics . Demise . The demi - lancer was replaced by similarly armoured cavalry whose primary armament was pistols , variously termed " pistoleers " , " cuirassiers " or " reiter s , " or cavalry with less armour using longer firearms ( doglock carbine s ) called " " harquebusier s . " " The trend towards the loss of the lance began in Germany in the mid 16th century , France had largely abandoned the lance by 1580 , and England by 1600 . The use of the heavy lance was found in military treatises up to the mid 17th century but its practical use had died out well before this date . The Battle of Coutras ( October 20 , 1587 ) , between Henry of Navarre , and the Duc de Joyeuse , during the French Wars of Religion , illustrated the demise of the heavy lancer . Navarre ' s cavalry were 1 , 300 armoured pistoleers whilst the Royalists under Joyeuse were 2 , 000 heavy lancers ( gendarmes ) . Within a few minutes of combat the lancers had been routed , many being captured and held for ransom . Only the hussars of Poland retained a form of heavy lance into the late 17th century . The use of the heavy lance required great skill and constant practice , whereas the use of pistols in battle was far less demanding . This is probably one factor behind the disappearance of the heavy lancer in Western Europe , another being the widespread adoption of the infantry pike .