It can be assumed that the British isles were a net exporter of soldiers prior to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Spain was amongst the many continental powers to hire regiments of English, Irish and Scottish. Some information be found on the (Spanish language) website LA ÉPOCA DE LOS TERCIOS, the age of the tercios. British tercios / regiments are found here. An impressive list!
A quick, and far from complete, survey of colonels mentioned makes me to believe that most obtained permission by the (Stuart) monarch to raise a regiment. It is perhaps not really surprising that many were Catholics.
Showing posts with label foreign service regiments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foreign service regiments. Show all posts
Friday, 29 October 2010
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Dutch regiments in English service after 1714
On 29 January 1713 as treaty was concluded between the queen of Great Britain and the States General of the United Netherlands to guarantee the protestant succession to the crown of Great Britain, and the barrier of the States General. The treaty was signed at Utrecht.
Article 14 is of particular interest as it details aspects of mutual defense. If the States General would require so, Great Britain would send 10,000 men to their assistance. Vice versa, the States General would furnish 6,000 men (well provided with arms) to assist the her royal majesty and successors. The treaty is, e.g., found in A Complete Collection of Treaties From 1688 to 1771, available from Google Books.
The treaty would soon become useful. During the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, Great Britain had virtually no (trained) army and 6,000 men (in probably 11 battalions) arrived from the Republic to assist. Mostly to relieve British troops in garrisons. The same would happen in 1719, when Dutch troops would even participate in the battle of Glen Shiel.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, and Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, Dutch troops would again be shipped to England. A first batch of 6,000 would arrive already somewhere during 1743 and 1744, in lieu of the danger of French attempts to invade England. This danger lapsed by 1744.
In 1745, following outbreak of the '45' rebellion, Dutch troops would again serve on British soil. This time part of the troops originated from the Dutch garrison of Tounai (Doornik). The city had capitulated to the French in May 1745, and the troops were paroled under the condition that they would not fight the French. However, their employment in Scotland was rendered incompatible with this parole, as French troops entered Scotland in December 1745. Hence the Dutch were withdrawn again.
Article 14 is of particular interest as it details aspects of mutual defense. If the States General would require so, Great Britain would send 10,000 men to their assistance. Vice versa, the States General would furnish 6,000 men (well provided with arms) to assist the her royal majesty and successors. The treaty is, e.g., found in A Complete Collection of Treaties From 1688 to 1771, available from Google Books.
The treaty would soon become useful. During the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, Great Britain had virtually no (trained) army and 6,000 men (in probably 11 battalions) arrived from the Republic to assist. Mostly to relieve British troops in garrisons. The same would happen in 1719, when Dutch troops would even participate in the battle of Glen Shiel.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, and Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, Dutch troops would again be shipped to England. A first batch of 6,000 would arrive already somewhere during 1743 and 1744, in lieu of the danger of French attempts to invade England. This danger lapsed by 1744.
In 1745, following outbreak of the '45' rebellion, Dutch troops would again serve on British soil. This time part of the troops originated from the Dutch garrison of Tounai (Doornik). The city had capitulated to the French in May 1745, and the troops were paroled under the condition that they would not fight the French. However, their employment in Scotland was rendered incompatible with this parole, as French troops entered Scotland in December 1745. Hence the Dutch were withdrawn again.
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Huguenot regiments in Savoyan service ...
but paid by the Maritime Powers ...
While reading through Die Regimenter der europäischen Staaten im Ancien R&égime des XVI. bis XVIII. Jahrhunderts by Georg Tessin, and of course being pedantic with respect to the chapter on English regiments, the author noted something new to him. These were a number of regiments raised in 1689 and 1690 in Switzerland, formed from French Huguenot refugees, that were in service of the Duke of Savoy but paid for by both the Dutch Republic and England. The regiment of dragoons under Miremont mentioned earlier was also part of this force. (As both powers financed a variety of princes together, they are simply referred to as the Maritime Powers.)
Information is not widely available unfortunately. Some bits can be found in the aforementioned book by Tessin. Also War, Religion and Service. Huguenot Soldiering, 1685 - 1713 by Glozier and Onnekink, and The Army of the Duke of Savoy 1688 - 1713 by Gian Carlo Boeri give some details on this subject. Furthermore, there is a website dedicated to the Army of the Duke of Savoy at the battle of Marsaglia in 1693 in which these regiments took part.
Some more digging in literature will probably result in a future article on this subject with names of colonels.
While reading through Die Regimenter der europäischen Staaten im Ancien R&égime des XVI. bis XVIII. Jahrhunderts by Georg Tessin, and of course being pedantic with respect to the chapter on English regiments, the author noted something new to him. These were a number of regiments raised in 1689 and 1690 in Switzerland, formed from French Huguenot refugees, that were in service of the Duke of Savoy but paid for by both the Dutch Republic and England. The regiment of dragoons under Miremont mentioned earlier was also part of this force. (As both powers financed a variety of princes together, they are simply referred to as the Maritime Powers.)
Information is not widely available unfortunately. Some bits can be found in the aforementioned book by Tessin. Also War, Religion and Service. Huguenot Soldiering, 1685 - 1713 by Glozier and Onnekink, and The Army of the Duke of Savoy 1688 - 1713 by Gian Carlo Boeri give some details on this subject. Furthermore, there is a website dedicated to the Army of the Duke of Savoy at the battle of Marsaglia in 1693 in which these regiments took part.
Some more digging in literature will probably result in a future article on this subject with names of colonels.
Monday, 25 January 2010
British Brigade in Portuguese Service 1662 - 68
Following the Restoration of Charles II as monarch of England and his marriage with Catharina of Braganza, the alliance between England and Portugal was given stature by forming a brigade for
service in Portugal in 1662 to fight in the Portuguese War of Restoration.
The brigade consisted of two infantry regiments, each 1,000 men, and a cavalry regiment, also 1,000 men. The infantry was raised from three New Model regiments in Scotland that still were not disbanded, and the cavalry was raised from volunteers, the Dunkirk garrison and a Cromwellian troop in Scotland. Charles II was to raise and equip the brigade, and they would be paid by the Portuguese crown once in Portugal.
The brigade arrived in Portugal by August 1662. It was broken up by mid 1668, with 1,000 men remaining in total. About half of the men were incorporated in the Tangier garrison, and the remainder was shipped back to England and discarded.
The British regiments proved their worth in the various battles fought during the Portuguese War of Restoration, and made a more serious impression on the Spanish than the other troops in the Portuguese Army. However, the troops suffered terribly because of these battles, and also sickness accounted for a great deal of wastage. To add to this, the Portuguese treated the British with contempt, not the least because of their religion. Nevertheless, as said before, the British were the more reliable component in the army and they fought well.
The lineage of the three regiments is a little complicated to compile. The regiment of horse was usually just designated as the regiment of horse, and not by the name of the colonel. It's first colonel was Murrough O'Brien, 1st Ear of Inchiquin, who also commanded the British Brigade. Late 1662 he was succeeded, as colonel, by the Count of Schomberg, the future 1st Duke of Schomberg; in 1663 Schomberg would also command the brigade. In the field, however, the regiment was commanded by Michael Dongan, and later by Lawrence Dempsey and finally by Meinhardt von Schomberg, a son of the Count of Schomberg.
The first infantry regiment was commanded by Henry Pearson. He was, however, absent most of the time and the regiment was effectively led by the lieutenant-colonel or major.
The second infantry regiment gives rise to some trouble. Some sources indicate that James Apsley was the colonel, whereas other mention Francis Moore as colonel. According to sources claiming Apsley was colonel, he was succeeded in 1665 by the Count of Schomberg, but actual command of the regiment befell to William Sheldon.
Information on the internet is hardly available. One site dedicated to the Portuguese War of Restoration has a page devoted to the English regiments. Other sources consulted so far:
Hardacre (1960): The English Contingent in Portugal, 1662-1668, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, volume 38 pp.112-125
Childs (1976): The Army of Charles II
service in Portugal in 1662 to fight in the Portuguese War of Restoration.
The brigade consisted of two infantry regiments, each 1,000 men, and a cavalry regiment, also 1,000 men. The infantry was raised from three New Model regiments in Scotland that still were not disbanded, and the cavalry was raised from volunteers, the Dunkirk garrison and a Cromwellian troop in Scotland. Charles II was to raise and equip the brigade, and they would be paid by the Portuguese crown once in Portugal.
The brigade arrived in Portugal by August 1662. It was broken up by mid 1668, with 1,000 men remaining in total. About half of the men were incorporated in the Tangier garrison, and the remainder was shipped back to England and discarded.
The British regiments proved their worth in the various battles fought during the Portuguese War of Restoration, and made a more serious impression on the Spanish than the other troops in the Portuguese Army. However, the troops suffered terribly because of these battles, and also sickness accounted for a great deal of wastage. To add to this, the Portuguese treated the British with contempt, not the least because of their religion. Nevertheless, as said before, the British were the more reliable component in the army and they fought well.
The lineage of the three regiments is a little complicated to compile. The regiment of horse was usually just designated as the regiment of horse, and not by the name of the colonel. It's first colonel was Murrough O'Brien, 1st Ear of Inchiquin, who also commanded the British Brigade. Late 1662 he was succeeded, as colonel, by the Count of Schomberg, the future 1st Duke of Schomberg; in 1663 Schomberg would also command the brigade. In the field, however, the regiment was commanded by Michael Dongan, and later by Lawrence Dempsey and finally by Meinhardt von Schomberg, a son of the Count of Schomberg.
The first infantry regiment was commanded by Henry Pearson. He was, however, absent most of the time and the regiment was effectively led by the lieutenant-colonel or major.
The second infantry regiment gives rise to some trouble. Some sources indicate that James Apsley was the colonel, whereas other mention Francis Moore as colonel. According to sources claiming Apsley was colonel, he was succeeded in 1665 by the Count of Schomberg, but actual command of the regiment befell to William Sheldon.
Information on the internet is hardly available. One site dedicated to the Portuguese War of Restoration has a page devoted to the English regiments. Other sources consulted so far:
Hardacre (1960): The English Contingent in Portugal, 1662-1668, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, volume 38 pp.112-125
Childs (1976): The Army of Charles II
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