In 1688 everyone was expecting a new war between France and the allied powers of England, the United Provinces (Holland) and Austria. The leaders of the United Provinces wanted to augment their army and were looking for troops to hire.

At right, Swedish Artilleryman from Great Northern War.

Several German princes had, as usual, troops for hire, and most people will know about the Danish Corps, but there was also a Corps from Sweden. This isn't well known, and rather unique in Swedish history. To my knowledge it is the only time Sweden hired out troops. In all other wars where Swedish troops were involved Sweden was a participant.

A contract was signed between the governments of Sweden and the United Provinces in 1689. According to this contract the corps should amount to 6,000 men, all infantry. After an additional contract was signed in 1693 the number was expanded to close to 8,000 men, including one regiment of cavalry. The initial corps included six regiments of foot. Of these, five were raised in Sweden's German provinces and one in Sweden proper. These regiments were:

von Erskin's Regiment (1690 - von Knorring, 1695 - von Crassow)
von Tiescanhansen's Regiment (1694 - von Buddenbrock)
von Nicroth's Regiment (1691 - Oxenstierna)
Bielkes Regiment
Putbas Regiment (1694 - Brahe, 1697 - Leijonhfvud)
Leijonhfvud's (1691 Sparre)

Due to the additional contract of 1693 a further two regiments were raised. One of the foot regiments was raised in the Baltic provinces while the other two regiments were from the German provinces. They were:

Sparfelt's Regiment (1697 - Gyllenstierna)
Hastfebr's Regiment (1695 - Wangersheim)
von Barackjow's Regiment of Horse

All regiments were new units raised for the occasion, but since the Dutch wanted veterans most officers and about half of the men were trained soldiers transferred from garrison regiments in the German provinces or on the Swedish west coast. The Baltic regiment of 1693 probably received soldiers from regiments in those provinces while the German foot regiment got two companies from each of the regiments already in Dutch service. The regiment of horse was formed from men taken over from two cavalry regiments standing in the German provinces.

The sources available to me don't mention what campaigns and sieges the Swedish troops participated in. It seems they did garrison duty in different towns in Zeeland and in the Estates General (Dutch Brabant). At least one regiment, the regiment of von Tiesenhausen, participated in the battle of Steenkerke in 1692. I find it probable that the regiment was part of a brigade of Swedish troops of two or three regiments, but I can't prove it. There were three regiments in the allied army in the battle of Fleurus in 1690.

These were von Erskin, Bielke and Leijonhufvud. They were posted in the front line and when the allied army withdrew some 500 men were captured by the French. Later on the prisoners took service in the French army. They formed the nucleus of the regiment de Leisler, later renamed Sparre. In the War of the Austrian Succession it participated as the regiment Apelgrehn. Due to its performance in the siege of Prague in 1742 it was elevated to a royal regiment as Royal-Suedois. In 1792 it was amalgamated and I haven't been able to follow it after that, but I have been told that a company of the 4th Infantry of the French army carries the traditions of the Royal-Suedois.

The regiments in Dutch service didn't survive as long as the French regiment. As far as I have been able to establish all excpt one were transfered to Dahlberg's regiment in Riga. This regiment was renamed in 1702 to Clodt (or Clod von Jurgensburg) and was disbanded in 1710 after the fall of Riga. The exception from the above was the regiment of Oxenstierna which was taken over by the United Provinces.

The first six regiments were divided in 12 companies. Each company had 72 men and a prima- plana or company staff (officers, NCO's and musicians) of 12 men. The total strength of a regiment was 1,008 rank and file. They were reorganised in 1693. Each regiment gave two companies to the new Sparfelt regiment while the ten others were raised to 92 men (probably including prima-plana). Sparfelt's regiment had 12 companies of 71 men and a grenadier company of 73 men, all together 925 men probably including officers etc. Later in 1693 the grenadier company was transferred from Sparfelt to Bielke. Hastfehes regiment bad 12 companies each of 79 men again probably including prima-plana which gives a total of 948 men. The cavalry regiment of von Barnekow had six troops (or companies to use Swedish parlance) each of 76 men of which 66-67 seem to have been ordinary troopers. Three troops (or companies) formed a squadron so the regiment had two squadrons.

The uniforms seem to have been blue in all regiments with different colours to cuffs etc. If the uniforms were as during the Great Northern War the trousers were buff and the socks white or in the same colour as the cuffs. The cuffs were red in von Erskin, carmosine in von Tiesenhausen and Bielke, orange in Putbus, white in von Nicroth and possibly yellow in Leijonhufvud. This last one is a guess, but an educated guess. Von Barnekow, the cavalry, could have had buff "kyller" leather coats instead of blue coats of cloth but I believe blue coats are the correct alternative as Swedish cavalry in the Great Northern War had blue coats.

Each company carried a colour. The first company in each regiment, the Livkompaniet, had a King's colour, a Livana. It was white with the Swedish coat-of-arms. The other company colours had other motifs but I don't know what these regiments had. A rather common motif in Swedish non-provincial regiments in the late 17th and 18th centuries was the king's monogram. Charles XI reigned during this period and his monogram was a double C and the Latin number XI. The background of the ordinary colours were: von Erskin and von Tiesenhausen - red; Bielke carmosine; von Nicroth - blue with silver, Putbus had different colours in a chequered pattern.

The Swedish infantry used pikes into the 1720's. About one third were so armed. The rest had muskets, probably with flintlock but without bayonets (at least socket bayonets). The first Swedish musket with bayonet was delivered in the 1690's. The cavalry had sword and two pistols but were trained to charge with the sword only.

If anyone has more information about this Swedish corps, especially campaigns, sieges and such, I would be most grateful to hear about it.

I would like to thank all those who supplied information on the career of the Royal-Suedois regiment in response to my query in issue #1.

P.S. Sweden had more troops participating in the War of the League of Augsburg: as a member of the German Empire through the German provinces of Pommerania and Bremen, Sweden had to send a contingent to the Reich-army. In 1690 about 4,500 men were sent although very late in the season, and in 1691 and 1962 about 2,300 men fought at the Rhine front. The troops were contingents from the ordinary regiments in the German provinces.