French Army
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Proper Names at the beginning of the XVIIIth Century |
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At the beginning of the XVIIIth century, the orthography of proper names still varied widely. Contemporaneous relations present several variations for the same proper name. In addition, homonyms made things even worse.
For example, the family du Gua originated from the region of Dauphiné, where the name was also written du Guà. During the same period another family used the proper name “du Guast.” When Louis XIV raised 50 regiments of infantry in November 1695, one regiment was known as “du Gua” and another as “du Guast”… Another factor complicating things was the use of numerous titles (chevalier, marquis, comte, duc, etc.) within the same family. In France, only the head of the family had an official title. His brothers, sons, nephews could use complimentary subtitles (sous-titres de courtoisie). There were no strict rules and one could use the name of the family or of a small seigniory belonging to the family. During the War of the Spanish Succession, the family of Froulay de Tessé offers a good example of this usage. Members of this family raised or bought regiments named Froulay or Tessé, which were commanded by comtes, marquis or chevaliers:
This is without counting the personal choices of one or another member of the nobility. For example, during the Seven Years’ War, the Comte de Clermont, who was a prince of the House of Bourbon and a duke, chose to be designated by the name of a small county, which he had received in appanage, the County of Clermont. Credit: Jean-Louis Vial |
Introduction
État-Major
Organisation
Generalities about the uniforms
Maison du Roi
Garde du dedans du Louvre
- Gardes du corps
- Cent-Suisses
- Gardes de la porte
- Gardes de la prévôté
Garde du dehors du Louvre
Gardes Françaises
Gardes Suisses
Line Infantry
Organisation
Generalities about the uniforms
Generalities about the colours
French Line Infantry Regiments
Existing before the beginning of the war
N.B.: the regiments are not listed strictly by seniority but rather chronologically according to their date of creation.
Raised during the war
Galiottes Sanguin |
Enonville, 1703 Livry, 1704 Belzunce, 1712 Desmortiers de la Planche Saint-Evremont |
German Line Infantry Regiments
Organisation
Alsace Greder Allemand La Marck |
Sparre, 1714 Lenck Reding raised in 1705 Royal Bavière raised in 1709 |
Irish Line Infantry Regiments
Organisation
Lee Clare, 1706 O'Brien Dillon Dorrington |
Bourke Albemarle, 1703 Fitz-Gerald, 1708 O'Donnel Berwick Galmoy |
Italian Line Infantry Regiments
Organisation
Royal-Italien
Montroux
Peri Corsican
Saint-Segond
Beltrambi raised in 1705
Rangoni raised in 1705
Piedmontese Line Infantry Regiments
Organisation
Perche
Nice
Royal-Montferrat, 1702 Gardes du Duc de Mantoue
Thouy
Tessé raised in 1704
Montanègre raised in 1704
Spanish Line Infantry Regiments
In 1707, several line infantry regiments formerly in the Spanish service were transferred to the French service.
German Regiments
Rheingraff, 1708 Houdenhoe
Nassau, 1709 Trefferd, 1711 Uhland
Italian Regiments
Albergotti, 1711 Letterio
Grimaldi, 1711 Caetano
Machieno, 1711 Villesca
Pratamano, 1711 Caraffa
Spanish Regiments
D'Assigny, 1708 Scépeaux
Los Rios. 1710 Las Sierras, 1711 Leon
Canillac, 1708 Belle-Suvée, 1710 Feuquières
Walloon Regiments
Peyrela, 1710 Storff
Pantoka, 1709 Billand
Weinley, 1709 Hamat
Sohé, 1709 Mignons, 1711 Kerkem
D'Evoly, 1709 Bacher, 1710 Coupigny
Marimont, 1710 Bouré
Ruppelmonde, 1711 Bournonville
Swiss Line Infantry Regiments
Organisation
Manuel, 1701 Villars-Chandieu Stuppa, 1701 Brendlé Reynold, 1702 Castellas |
Hessy Greder Suisse Surbeck |
Salis Jeune, 1702 May Courten Pfiffer raised in 1702 Vigier raised in 1702 |
Walloon Line Infantry Regiments
Existing before the beginning of the war
Organisation
Isenghien
Sillery, 1707 Mouchan
Zurlauben
Miromesnil
Solre, 1709 Beaufort
Robecque, 1704 Saint-Vallier
Croi-Solre, 1709 Aunay
Raised during the war
La Faille
Bryas, 1703 Croi, 1703 Bournonville
Compagnies Franches
De La Croix
Melard (100 men)
Pasteur aka Jaco
Militias
Milices bourgeoises
Milices garde-côtes
Milices provinciales
Milices coloniales
Gendarmerie de France
Gendarmes Écossais
Gendarmes Anglais
Gendarmes Bourguignons
Gendarmes de Flandres
Gendarmes de la Reine
Chevau-légers de la Reine
Gendarmes du Dauphin
Chevau-légers du Dauphin
Gendarmes de Bourgogne, 1704 Gendarmes de Bretagne
Chevau-légers de Bourgogne, Chevau-légers de Bretagne
Gendarmes d'Anjou
Chevau-légers d'Anjou
Gendarmes de Berry
Chevau-légers de Berry
Gendarmes d'Orléans
Chevau-légers d'Orléans
Heavy Cavalry
N.B.: Curiously heavy cavalry was called "Light Cavalry" to distinguish it from the King Household Cavalry and from the Gendarmerie de France
Organisation
Generalities about the uniforms and weapons
Generalities about the standards
Generalities about horses and their equipment
Royal Regiments
Colonel Général |
Prince de sang Regiments
Orléans |
Anjou, Bourgogne Artois, Bretagne, Aquitaine or Provence were titles belonging to members of the Royal family: brothers, sons or grandsons of the king. To these titles were attached a House, a coat of arms, a livery, lands, revenues and regiments. These constituted the apanage (privileges) associated with the title. The ownership of these titles changed regularly, these frequent modifications were largely caused by the important infantile death rate of these days, a reality from which even the Royal family was not spared. This in turn led to the complete re-arrangement of the complex pyramidal hierarchy of titles. Also, regiment were raised under the name of the Princes de Sang (princes of the blood) and often changed chef. In some circumstances, such a regiment could be without owner for a certain period. In such a case, the regiment along with all the other privileges attached to the title returned to the crown, a clause in force since the testament of Louis VIII. However, even when temporarily attached to the crown with the king as mestre de camp, these regiments were still considered as Prince de sang regiments. |
Gentlemen Regiments
Rennepont Saint-Pouanges |
Bissy, 1703 Estaniol de Montagnac Savines, 1702 La Baume, 1704 La Boulaye, 1707 Alzeau |
German Regiments
Rosen, 1709 Rottembourg
Royal-Allemand
Irish Regiment
Sheldon-Irlandais, 1706 Nugent
Hussars
Organisation
Generalities about the Uniforms
Verseilles
Saint-Geniès, 1707 Rattsky
Poldéak, 1706 Filtz, 1707 Montils
Dragoons
Organisation
Generalities about the uniforms
Colonel Général Mestre de Camp Général |
Poitiers, 1704 Despeaux, 1708 Conflans, 1711 Coëtman Fontbeausard, 1704 Saint-Chamond |
Artillery
Equipment
Royal-Artillerie
Royal-Bombardiers
Canonniers des Côtes de l'Océan
Sappers & Miners
Engineers
Corps du Génie
Light Troops
Organisation
Castries Cavalerie
References
Susane, Louis: Histoire de l'ancienne infanterie française, Vol. 8; J. Corréard, Paris, 1849-1856
Susane, Louis: Histoire de la cavalerie française, Vol. 2; J. Hetzel et Cie, Paris, 1874