Erbprinz Friedrich Infantry
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Origin and History
The unit was raised in 1688 as the “Prinz Friedrich” regiment of foot. It comprised 12 companies, for a total of 2,000 men. It took part in the campaign against the Turks in Greece. In 1698, the unit was reduced to 5 companies and became known as the “Prinz Friedrich Bataillon”.
In 1702, the unit was renamed “Prinz Friedrichs Regiment zu Fuß“ (aka Erbprinz) and increased to 10 companies in 2 battalions..
The regiment was part of the Imperial District contingent during the Wars of the Spanish and Austrian Successions.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, the Chef of the regiment was:
- from 1688 to 1751: Erbprinz Friedrich
During the War of the Spanish Succession, the successive effective commanders of the regiment were:
- from 1698: Colonel Fr. Stückrath
- from 1703: Lieutenant-Colonel Hans Hermann von Wartensleben (killed in action at the Combat of Speyerbach on 15 November 1703)
- from 1704: Lieutenant-Colonel Melchior von der Tann (died from his wounds after the Battle of Blenheim)
- from August 1704 to 1714: Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Christoph Count von Seyboldsdorf
In 1714, the regiment was reduced to a single battalion of 400 men.
When Erbprinz (Hereditary Prince) Friedrich became King of Sweden in 1721, the regiment assumed the name König (King’s) regiment.
In 1789, the regiment was amalgamated with Infanterie Regiment Nr. 7.
Service during the War
In the spring of 1702, one battalion of the regiment was at the Siege of Kaiserswerth.
On 2 July 1704, the two battalions of the regiment took part in the Battle of Schellenberg. On 13 August, one of these battalions took part in the Battle of Blenheim, where it was deployed in the second line of the extreme left wing..
In 1706, one battalion of the regiment was at the Siege of Menin.
To do: add details for the campaigns from 1705 to 1713
Uniform
To do
Colours
To do
References
Böhm, Uwe Peter: Hessisches Militär: Die Truppen der Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel 1672-1806, Herausgegeben im Auftrag der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Heereskunde e.V., Beckum 1986
Witzel, Rudolf: Hessen Kassels Regimenter in der Allierten Armee 1762, bearb. u. hrsg. von Ingo Kroll, Norderstedt 2007, pp. 94-96
Zeitschrift des Vereins für hessische Geschichte und Landeskunde, Volume 8, Kassel 1860, p.215
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
Acknowledgements
Jörg Meier for additional info on the commanders of the regiment
