Shako

Cylindrical military cap

A shako is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a peak and sometimes tapered at the top.

It is usually adorned with some kind of ornamental plate or badge on the front, metallic or otherwise, and often has a feather, plume or pompon attached at the top.

The word shako originated from the Hungarian name csákós süveg (‘peaked cap’), which was a part of the uniform of the Hungarian hussar of the 18th century.

Other spellings include chako, czako, schako and tschako.

Famous Shako wearers

• Napoleonic British Army
• Richard Sharpe