Dronningens Livregiment

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Origin and History

To do: origin and history

By the time of the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment counted three battalions and 2 grenadier companies.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the Queen of Denmark was proprietor of the regiment.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the successive colonel-commanders were:

• since 1698: Johan Didrich Haxthausen
• from 1702: Erhard Wedell
• from 9 July 1708: Manderup Due died at Helsingborg in 1710
• from 13 March 1710 to 1716: Johan Did. Hedviger Sponeck

Service during the War

In 1700, one battalion (6 fusilier coys and 1 grenadier coy) of the regiment was sent to Saxony.

In 1701, this battalion was attached to the Danish Contingent taken in Austrian pay. In March, this contingent was in Saxony but had already been ordered to join the Imperial army assembling in Tyrol for the planned invasion of Northern Italy. By mid-November, the contingent had reached Bolzano. By 8 December, it was incorporated in Commercy's Corps who took position at Povegliano. The regiment took its winter-quarters along the left bank of the Mincio in front of Goito and Mantua.

In 1702, the battalion in Austrian pay took part in the Campaign in Northern Italy. On 15 August, it fought at the Battle of Luzzara.

On 1 March 1703, the remaining troops of the battalion were amalgamated with the rest of the battalion of the Prins Georg Infantry and a third of the battalion of the Marine Regiment to form the new 1st Danske Infanterieregiment under Gyldenlove.

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1701 - Copyright: Richard Couture

Uniform Details as per
Snorasson and Henriksen, and Martinsson

Headgear	Fusilier black felt flat topped hat with brims variously fastened up (one side, two sides or three sides or worn as a simple slouch hat). The brim was usually edged with a braid. A cord ran around the basis of the crown. A rosette in the distinctive colour of the regiment or later a black cockade was worn on the left side of the hat. The lace and the cord could have been of the distinctive colour of the regiment (particularly in the early years of the conflict) or in the metal colour of the regiment (yellow or white). Grenadier Grenadier caps came in several design from the popular cloth mitre cap to the bearskin with a hanging bag or the fur bonnet.
Neck stock	white
Coat	double-breasted red coat with 22 pewter buttons (11 on each side) and 1 pewter button on each side in the small of the back. In the first years of the war, all buttonholes were usually trimmed in the distinctive colour of the regiment. Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 pewter buttons and 3 yellow-gold trimmed buttonholes Cuffs yellow-gold, each with 3 pewter buttons Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	yellow-gold with pewter buttons
Breeches	yellow-gold during the early years of the war and gradually standardized to red
Stockings	yellow-gold fastened under the knee with a natural leather strap
Gaiters	the use of gaiters generalized much later but they were already used in 1700 where red gaiters are reported
Leather Equipment	Cross-belt yellowish natural leather worn across the left shoulder Waist-belt yellowish natural leather waist-belt worn above the coat Cartridge Box black for fusiliers grenadiers carried a large grenade pouch containing two grenades and cartridges. Bayonet Scabbard black leather Scabbard black Footwear black leather shoes with a brass buckle

Soldiers were armed with a flintlock musket, a small bayonet and a sword (fusiliers) or a sabre (grenadiers). Grenadiers were also armed with hand grenades and with a small axe.

NCOs

NCOs were probably distinguished from privates by a silver lace on the hat and by silver edging on the cuffs.

NCOs carried a cane whose characteristics indicated the precise rank of each NCO.

NCOs also carried a halberd and a sword. They had no musket, to the exception of grenadier NCOs who were armed as the privates.

Officers

Uniforms of officers differed from those of the privates and NCOs by the finer material used. They were not standardized across the entire army but seems to have been similar within a regiment. In this particular regiment, officers wore scarlet coat with white stockings. Buttons were silver-plated and silver embroideries decorated the coat, cuffs and pocket flaps. Their coat could be single or double-breasted.

The hats of officers were often edged with a red or white plumetis.

Officers usually wore a wig.

Officers wore a gorget and a white silken sash. Those serving in Dutch pay wore an orange sash across the shoulder.

Officers carried a cane whose characteristics indicated the precise rank of each officer; a pike and a sword. Officers of the grenadier companies carried a musket instead of a pike.

In the field, pistols of various forms were carried by officers who often carried two of them when dismounted.

Musicians

Drummers usually wore coats similar to those of privates but richly decorated with braids on the sleeves and body (without swallow nests). Braids were usually of the metal colour of the regiment. The shell of the drum was of painted woods and decorated with the regimental arms or the King's double monogram.

Colours

no information found yet

References

Höglund, Lars-Eric: Stora nordiska kriget 1700-1721 - del 2, 2003

Martinsson, Örjan: Danish Infantry Uniforms 1700-1730 in Tacitus.nu

Skjold Petersen, Karsten: Den Danishe hærs uniforms i 1700-tallet, 2005

Snorasson, Torstein and Søren Henriksen: Danish Uniforms 1699-1712, in Chakoten, translated and published by Dan Schorr in 2008

Vaupell, O. F.: Den Danske Haers Historie, Copenhagen 1876, p. 667, 670

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.

Acknowledgements

Jorg Meier for additional information on this regiment.