Swedish Cavalry Standards
1757-1762

Part I

by Dan Schorr

Swedish cavalry standards, as in the case of infantry flags, were similar in design to the 1686 model. In the Swedish Army a cavalry company and squadron were synonymous, and each company/squadron carried a standard. One of the standards carried was the Lifstandar, figure 2. The Kompanistandar are illustrated by figures 1 and 3 through 7. All cavalry standards, except for the Lif Regiment's Kompanistandar, were similar in design. On one side was the provincial coat of arms or badge, and on the other was the King's monogram with crown and palm branches. The Lif Regiment's Kompanistandar is illustrated in figure 1.

Figure 1 -- Lif Regiment: At right (top) Both sides of the standard are the same. The field is white. The King's monogram, crown, palm branches ribbon, and border are gold. The fringe, tassels, and ribbons are also gold. In the upper inner corner of the standard is the provincial coat of arms or badge of the company. Each company of the regiment represented a different province.

Figure 2 -- Ufstander: One was carried by every regiment. The field is white. In the upper inner corner is the provincial coat of arms. In the center is the Swedish coat of arms which is flanked bY two large crowned, standing lions in gold. Above the coat of arms is a large golden crown. The upper left and lower right fields of the coat of arms are blue with three yellow Swedish crowns. The upper right and lower left fields are blue and white striped, each with a yellow crowned standing lion. The four fields are formed on the coat of arms by a yellow cross. In the middle of the large coat of arms and superimposed on it is a smaller coat of arms with three red and a yellow field. The yellow field is in the upper right. The border, fringe, ribbons and tassels are gold and silver intertwined.

Figure 3 -- Westgota Regiment: Above at right (bottom) Side A -- The field is black and yellow, black in the upper left and yellow in the lower right. The lion is also colored black and yellow in the reverse colors of the field. The two six-pointed stars are white. Side B -- The field is black and yellow, black in the upper right and yellow in the lower left. The King's monogram, crown, palm branches, and ribbon are gold or yellow. The fringe and tassels are gold; the ribbons are black, and yellow.

At right, figure 4 (top),5, and 6.

Figure 4 -- Smalands Regiment: Side A -- The field is yellow. The lion with crossbow is red. Side B -- The field is yellow. Everything else is the same as the Westgota Regiment. The fringe, ribbons and tassels are silver and gold intertwined.

Figure 5 -- Ostgota Regiment: Side A -- The field is red with a yellow or gold griffin. The four roses are blue. Side B -- The field is red, and all else is the same as the Westgota Regiment. The fringe and tassels are gold and silver, and the ribbons are red.

Figure 6 -- Norra Skanska Regiment: Side A -- The field is yellow. The eagle's head is red with a gold crown. Side B -- The field is red and all else is gold. The fringe, the ribbons and tassels are gold and silver intertwined.

Figure 7 -- Sodra Skanska: At left, Side A -- The field is yellow and blue blue is the bottom half. The eagle's head is red with a gold crown. Side B -- The field is yellow and blue: blue is the bottom half. All else is gold. The fringe and tassels are gold and silver; the ribbons are red and blue.

Bohuslans Dragoon Regiment: I do not have an illustration of the standard of this regiment, however, a description is as follows: The same design was on both sides. The field was white. In the center was a castle, color unknown, with two open gates and loopholes for firing. On the right side of the castle was a standing yellow lion pushing against the castle. On the left was a drawn sword which was leaning against the castle with its point upward. The fringe, ribbons, and tassels were white and gold.

I am not sure of the color of the staff. One source describes the staff of the Westgota Regiment as blue and yellow striped. Whether this was the same for all regiments, I am not sure. I have described and illustrated the standards only for those regiments which saw action during the Seven Years War.

Sources:

1. Royal Swedish Army Museum, Stockholm.
2. Finnish Army Museum, Helsinki.
3. Regimental Histories of the Uplands, Skaraborgs, and Bjornbergs Regiments.
4. Petrelli, T. J. Anteckningar om svenska och finska fanor och standar...intil 1686, Stockholm 1892.
5. Herman, Ernst. Vom pommerschen Kriegschauplatz 1757- 1762; Zinnfiguren, Vol. 10 (October), 1935.

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