Reichsarmee
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Introduction
Theoretically, each of the ten administrative Reichskreise (Imperial Circles or more precisely Imperial Districts) of the Holy Roman Empire had to supply a pre-determined number of troops during war. In this article, we present the contributions of the various districts to the Imperial Army during the War of the Spanish Succession.
Austrian District
no unit identified yet
Bavarian District
At the beginning of the war, the Electorate of Bavaria, the most important member of the Bavarian District, aligned with France. Therefore, it did not supply any troops for the Imperial Army and asked to the other members of the district to remain neutral. However, in 1705 after the resounding victory of the Allies at Blenheim the previous year, the Archbishopric of Salzburg, which belonged to the Bavarian District, contributed an infantry regiment to the Reichsarmee.
Salzburg, raised in 1703
Burgundian District
What remained of the district at the outbreak of the war, roughly corresponding to the Spanish Netherlands, fell into the hands of France. Therefore, the district did not supply any troops for the Imperial Army.
Franconian District
Line Infantry
Franconian units:
- Schnebelin, 1705 Helmstätt
- Erffa
- Brandenburg-Ansbach, 1703 Mohr von Waldt, 1704 Boyneburg
- Hohenzollern-Hechingen, raised in 1703, disbanded in 1714
- Tucher, raised in 1703, 1710 Jaxtheim, disbanded in 1714
- Jahnus von Eberstädt, raised in 1703, disbanded in 1708
- Fechenbach, raised in 1703, 1704 Dalberg
Schwarzburg-Reuß unit in Franconian service (1703-1714):
- Thost, 1708 Ilten
Brandenburg-Ansbach unit in Franconian service (1708):
- Grenadier Bataillon, raised in 1702 or 1703,
Würzburg units (not forming part of the Franconian Circle’s army):
- Leib-Grenadiergarde, incorporated into Fuchs in 1702
- Bibra, 1705 Horst, 1706 Fechenbach
- Fuchs von Bimbach, 1704 Bettendorf, 1705 Stein, 1708 Tastungen
- Grenadier Bataillon, created in 1707, disbanded in 1715 (aka Würsching)
- Eyb, raised in 1711
Cavalry
Franconian units:
- Brandenburg-Bayreuth Cavalry aka Brandenburg-Culmbach
- Aufseß Dragoons, 1704 Bibra
Brandenburg-Ansbach unit in Franconian service (1708):
- Horse Guard
Würzburg unit (not forming part of the Franconian Circle’s army):
- Pfürdt Dragoons, 1701 Schade, 1703 Fechenbach, 1706 Wolfskeel
Electoral Rhenish District
Line Infantry
Churmainz Infantry
Schrattenbach Infantry
Cavalry
no unit identified yet
Dragoons
Bibra Dragoons
Lower-Rhenisch Westphalian District
Hachenberg Cuirassiers
Lower-Saxon District
Line Infantry
Hildesheim Infantry
Cavalry
no unit identified yet
Swabian District
Line Infantry
Baden Durlach Infantry
Baden Baden Infantry
Fürstenberg-Mößkirch Infantry
Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Infantry
Reischach Infantry
Cavalry
Stauffenberg Cavalry
Württemberg Cavalry
Friedenberg Cavalry (belonging to the Duke of Württemberg)
Dragoons
Hohenzollern Dragoons
Fugger Dragoons (belonging to the Duke of Württemberg)
Upper-Rhenish District
Line Infantry
Nassau-Weilburg Infantry
Buttlar Infantry
Cavalry
none identified yet
Dragoons
Darmstadt Dragoons
Upper-Saxon District
Saxe Weimar
- Bibra Infantry, 1702 Sachsen-Weimar disbanded the same year
- Rumohr Infantry, raised in 1703 in Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach, 1706 Friesen, 1706 Usslar, disbanded in 1713
Saxe-Meiningen
- Sachsen-Meiningen Cuirassiers, raised in 1711, disbanded in 1717
- Sachsen-Meiningen Infantry, raised in 1711 for the Danish service, due to desertion only one bataillon reached the Danish army, disbanded in 1713
Saxe-Gotha
- Sachsen-Gotha Leibregiment (horse) in the Dutch service 1689-1697, 1701 Prinz Wilhelm, 1702 Hardenberg Dragoons, 1703 in the Dutch service, 1705 Prinz Wilhelm, 1711 Prinz August, 1714 Nagel
- Prinz Johann Wilhelm Infantry, 1708 Bartels, 1711 Prinz Wilhelm
- Wangenheim Dragoons, 1702 in Electoral Saxon service
- Leiningen Dragoons, 1703 Stubenvoll, 1704 Gräffendorf, disbanded in 1713
- Prinz Heinrich, 1701 Ziemer, disbanded in 1702
- Leibregiment zu Pferd, 1704 Leutsch, disbanded in 1713
- Polenz Infantry, disbanded in 1702
References
Pelet and Vault: Mémoires militaires relatifs à la Succession d'Espagne sous Louis XIV, Vol. 1 pp. 632, 642
Acknowledgements
Klaus Roider for the list of units of the Franconian District
Jörg Meier for info on the Bavarian District
