Rittmeister

Rittmeister (German for "Ride master" or "Cavalry master") was a military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in the armies of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, and some other states. He would typically be in charge of a squadron (a troop in the United States), and was the equivalent of a Captain. The exact name of this rank maintains a variety of spellings in different languages (all Germanic):
 * Ryttmästare,
 * Ritmester,
 * Rittmester,
 * Rittmeister,

The Dutch equivalent, Ritmeester, still serves as the official designation for officers in the cavalry branches of the Royal Dutch Army.

The Norwegian equivalent, Rittmester, still serves as the official designation for officers in the armoured and mechanized infantry branches of the Norwegian Army. In Sweden the rank was known as Ryttmästare, and in Denmark (until 1951) as Ritmester.

The armies of Poland, Lithuania and Russia adopted, but localised, the Germanic term for someone of similar rank. These were:
 * Rotmistrz,
 * Rotmistras,
 * Ротмистр.

In the Polish army (from the 15th century to the mid-20th century) a Rotmistrz commanded a formation called a rota. However, a "Rotmistrz" of the Husars was commander of between 100 and 180 husars, having lieutnant Husar executing his order. The Lithuanian name was rotmistras. In earlier times the rotmistrz served as the commander of an infantry or cavalry company, though sometimes he would temporarily be assigned field-grade tasks commanding an entire regiment or even a larger formation. In the cavalry the rank continued until 1945 as a company-grade title. Applied to the commander of a troop, it was equivalent to a modern-day Captain.

The rank was also adopted into Russian New Regiments as rotmistr (ротмистр) and later legalized in Table of Ranks as the cavalry position; until 1798, a lower-ranking Shtavs-Rotmistr (штабс-ротмистр) also existed.