Text Mats Persson
It seems like some kind of artillery have been used in Sweden in the ending of the 14:th century. In 1395 "ene grote busse" 'a big gun' was used to protect Stockholm.
In his campaign of 1452 in Skåne, Karl Knutsson used 20 mobile guns against the Danes.
At the battle of Haraker in 1464 the Danish king Christian I - king of the Kalmar Union (the whole Scandinavia) - were trapped in an ambush were Swedish rebellions used some kind of guns hidden in the edge of the wood. The king then yelled:
"Guds död - de skjuta mig till döds"
'By the death of God - they are going to shoot me dead'
In 1537 king Gustav Vasa formed the Swedish artillery. All
artillerymen were enlisted - unlike infantrymen that were conscripted. In peace
time the Swedish artillery were posted in garrisons.
The first use of this 'field artillery' was in the Russian war of 1555.
Beginning in 1623 Gustav II Adolf created a light artillery which could accompany and support the infantry in the field. After the Thirty Year War (1618-48) the Swedish field artillery were organized in three "Fältstater", one in Stockholm, one in Jönköping and one in Swedish Pomerania (northern Germany).
In 1689 all artillery units in the whole kingdom were organized in one regiment "Kongl. Artilleriregementet". The whole regiment was lost at the battle of Poltava (1709), an had to be reorganized for the defence against the Danish attack of 1710, and for the 1718 (unsuccessful) campaign against Norway.
"Artilleriregementet" was a rather large regiment posted at 40 to 50 different places, so in 1794 it was split in four parts, named after the four major provinces; Svea, Göta, Wendes and Finska Artilleriregementet.
In the beginning of the 19:th century trials were made with Horse Artillery. These units were capable of keeping the same speed as the Cavalry on the battle field and proved to be quite successful during the Napoleon wars of 1806 and 1813, in Pomerania.
In the defeat against Russia in 1809, the Finnish Artillery Regiment was lost.
In 1902 some parts of the Artillery formed the Coastal Artillery "Kustartilleriet".
In 1942 some parts of the Artillery formed the Anti Aircraft Artillery "Luftvärnet".
A table over Swedish artillery units.
1689 | Kungliga Artilleriregementet | ||||||||||||||
1794 | Svea artilleri- regemente A1 | Göta artilleri- regemente A2 | Wendes artilleri- regemente A3 | Finlands artilleri- regemente | |||||||||||
1809 | Lost in 1809 | ||||||||||||||
1887/89 | Gotlands artillerikår A4 | Vaxholms artillerikår A5 | |||||||||||||
1893/95 | Gotlands artillerikår A7 | Vaxholms artillerikår A8 | Norrlands artilleri- regemente A4 | Andra Svea artilleri- regemente A5 | Andra Göta artilleri- regemente A6 | Karlsborgs artillerikår A9 | |||||||||
1901/05 | Disbanded in 1902, parts were used to form Boden- Karlsborgs artilleri- regemente A8 | Upplands artilleri- regemente A5 | Smålands artilleri- regemente A6 | Transferred to the Coastal Artillery 1901 as KA1 | Boden- Karlsborgs artilleri- regemente A8 | Positions- artilleri- regementet A9 | |||||||||
1919/20 | Bodens artilleri- regemente A8 | Karlsborgs artillerikår A10 | |||||||||||||
1927/28 | Norrlands artilleri- regemente A4 | Norrbottens artillerikår A5 | Disbanded in 1927 | Karlsborgs artilleri- regemente A9 | Disbanded in 1927 | ||||||||||
1943 | Transferred to the Anti-aircraft artillery in 1942 as Lv1 | Bergslagens artilleri- regemente A9 | |||||||||||||
1951 | Disbanded in 1951 | ||||||||||||||
1962 | Disbanded in 1962 | ||||||||||||||
1975 | Gotlands artilleri- regemente A7 | ||||||||||||||
1985 | Disbanded in 1985 | ||||||||||||||
1994 | Disbanded in 1994 | ||||||||||||||
1998 |
In medieval time Swedish kings used both temporary armys of free men, raised and assembled for a special campaign, as well as German mercenaries. Foreign mercenaries were good but expensive and unreliable. Domestic peasants were loyal and tough but badly trained and badly equipped, and they all wanted to get home in time for harvest. The later could actually be an advantige, since they were eager to get home they sometimes tended to be both aggressive and offensive to get the fighting over with. Hired soldiers on the other hand did not mind if the war lasted.
The first Swedish infantry units were called "Fänikor". In the beginning of the 17:th century they were put together in larger units, "Storregementen" or "Landsregementen". Each province or duchy was obligated to raise one Landsregemente in the event of war. In the 1620's king Gustav II Adolf organized the army in smaler "Landskapsregementen".
Grenadjärer (grenadiers) were foot soldiers specialized in using grenades they should be at least 6 foot tall, later it became a honorary title.
Fältjägare or Jägare were formerly lightly armed sharpshooters. They were the first units to get uniforms in neutral colours.
A table over Swedish Infantry units.
- 1600 | Hovregementet (Gula regementet) Brahe |
Upplands storregemente | Södermanlands, Närkes och Värmlands storregemente | Created by the splitt of Livregementet till häst [Cavalry] | Västergötlands storregemente | Smålands storregemente | Östergötlands storregemente | Östgöta kavalleri- regemente [Cavalry] | Norrlands storregemente | ||||||||||||||
1620 | Dalregementet
I13 |
Västmanlands regemente
I18 |
Upplands regemente | Södermanlands regemente
I10 |
Närke-Värmlands regemente | Skaraborgs regemente
I9 |
Elfsborgs regemente
I15 |
Västgöta- Dals regemente Hård I16 |
Kronobergs regemente Drake G. Stenbock Muschamp Lilliehöök Cronman Hästesko Hederstierna I11 |
Kalmar regemente
I20 |
Jönköpings regemente (Kaggs regemente) Kagg Hård Skytte von Buchwald Bergenstråhle I12 |
Erik Hands regemente | |||||||||||
1630 | Östgöta regemente (Östgöta fotfolk) Hessenstein |
Hälsinge regemente (Joakim Brahes regemente) von Knorring von Bruchner I14 |
Västerbottens regemente (Gustaf Horns regemente) (Skottes regemente) |
||||||||||||||||||||
1640 | Ångermanlands- Medelpads-
Jämtlands regemente (Tomas Gerfelts regemente) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
1650 | Kunglig Maj:ts livgarde till fot | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1660 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1670 | Jämtlands regemente | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1680 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1690 | Jämtlands dragon- regemente
[Infantry] (Jämtlands lätta infanteri- regemente) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
1700 | Livgardet till fot | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1710 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1720 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1730 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1740 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1750 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1760 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1770 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1780 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1790 | Svea livgarde (Första livgardet) (Fleetwoodska regementet) (Gula gardet) I1 |
Livregements- brigadens lätta infanterikår | Livgrenadjär regementet | ||||||||||||||||||||
1800 | Livregements- brigadens grenadjärkår | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1810 | Värmlands regemente
I22 |
Närkes regemente
I21 |
Livregementets grenadjärkår
I3 |
Första livgrenadjär regementet
I4 |
Andra livgrenadjär regementet
I5 |
Norra Skånska infanteri- regementet von Döbeln I33 |
Södra Skånska infanteri- regementet Reutercrona I34 |
||||||||||||||||
1820 | Jämtlands fältjägar-
regemente
I23 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
1830 | Västerbottens fältjägar- regemente I19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1840 | Västerbottens fältjägarkår
I XIX |
||||||||||||||||||||||
1850 | Jämtlands fältjägarkår
I23 |
Jämtlands hästjägarkår
K8 [Cavalry] |
|||||||||||||||||||||
1860 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1870 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1880 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1890 | Livregementet till fot I3 | Kalmar regemente
I21 |
Västerbottens regemente
I20 |
Jämtlands fältjägar- regemente
I23 |
Norrlands dragon- regemente
K8 [Cavalry] |
Västernorrlands regemente I29 | |||||||||||||||||
1900 | Upplands infanteri- regemente
I8 |
Livregementets grenadjärer
I3 |
Hallands regemente [*]
I16 |
Västernorrlands regemente
I28 |
|||||||||||||||||||
1910 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1920 | Disbanded in 1927 | Upplands regemente
I8 |
Jönköpings- Kalmar regemente
I12 |
Livgrenadjär regementet
I4 |
Jämtlands fältjägar- regemente
I5 |
Norrlands dragon- regemente
K4 [Cavalry] |
Norra Skånska infanteri- regementet
I6 |
Södra Skånska infanteri- regementet
I7 |
Västernorrlands regemente
I21 |
||||||||||||||
1930 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1940 | Södermanlands regemente P3 [Armoured] |
Värmlands regemente
I2 |
Disbanded in 1942
P4 [Armoured] |
Norra Smålands regemente
I12 |
|||||||||||||||||||
1950 | Södermanlands regemente I10 [Mechanized Infantry] |
||||||||||||||||||||||
1960 | Södermanlands regemente P10 [Armoured] |
Norra Skånska regementet
P6 [Armoured] |
Södra Skånska regementet
P7 [Armoured] |
||||||||||||||||||||
1970 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1990 | Disbanded in 1992 | Disbanded in 1998 | Disbanded in 1992 | Disbanded in ? 1992 ? | |||||||||||||||||||
1620 | |||||||||||
1630 | Åbo läns regemente (Finska regementet) ??? |
Björneborgs regemente (Andra Finska regementet) ??? |
Västra Nylands regemente
??? |
Östra Nylands regemente
??? |
Tavastehus regemente
??? |
Viborgs västra regemente
??? |
Viborgs östra regemente
??? |
Savolax regemente
??? |
Österbottens regemente
??? |
||
1640 | |||||||||||
1650 | Berendes lätta kavalleri (Budbergs karelska dragoner Gotthard von Budberg) |
Schwengelms dragoner | |||||||||
1660 | Disbanded in 1661 | ||||||||||
1670 | |||||||||||
1680 | Disbanded in 1679 | ||||||||||
1690 | |||||||||||
1700 | |||||||||||
1710 | |||||||||||
1720 | |||||||||||
1730 | |||||||||||
1740 | |||||||||||
1750 | |||||||||||
1760 | |||||||||||
1770 | |||||||||||
1780 | |||||||||||
1790 | |||||||||||
1800 | |||||||||||
1810 | |||||||||||
1820 | |||||||||||
The first cavalry units in Sweden were called "Fanor" (banner),
one "Fana" was 300 - 500 cavalrymen.
There were Cavalry of Common "Landsfanor" and Cavalry of Lords "Adelsfanor".
The Swedish Cavalry of Lords was instituted by king Magnus Ladulås in
1280, he stated that the aristocracy should provide the Crown with horses and
horsemen in the event of war. Actually this was the only way to become a Peer,
titles were not hereditary at that time.
A Lord or a Knight did not have to
pay the basic taxes.
Cavalry of Common was put up by each province, according to an agreement with
the King.
As new land were incorporated with Sweden and Finland there were new units put
up, and there became Adelsfanor in Estonia, Latvia and Pomerania
too.
In time of war the King would often rise temporary cavalry units too. In the
early days on his own expense - that was the price you had to pay to be a king.
In the Swedish constitution of 1634 it is said that there should be 4 cavalry regiments in Sweden and 3 in Finland. Each regiment should consist of 8 companys of 125 horsemen.
Cavalry was used to protect the flanks of the center, and to attack the flanks and the rear of the enemys center. The cavalry was also able to pursue a fleeing enemy.
Dragoner (Dragoons) were initially mounted infantry - they used horses for transportation but fought by foot.
Husarer (Hussars) were a Hungarian style light cavalry - their main assets were speed and mobility, and their fancy uniforms.
Kyrassiärer (Cuirassiers) are armoured cavalry. In Sweden all cavalry except hussars and light dragoons were armoured, and the only unit ever named cuirassiers was "Livregementsbrigadens kyrassiärkår" (between 1791 and 1815), the strange thing is that by that time they did not wear cuirasses any longer.
In Sweden, unlike most other countrys, the Cavalry never became armoured.
According to some sources the officers of the Swedish Cavalry were to pompous to
dismount. Instead they kept their horses for as long as they could and became
rangers and reconnaissance troops.
Well - except for Skånska Kavalleriregementet K2 that became
Skånska Dragonregementet P2 and joined the Armoured Corps.
The last cavalry regiment to dismount was Norrlands Dragonregemente K4, as late as in 1970.
Nowdays the Cavalry trains MPs and "Jägare" a kind of light infantry that operates behinde the enemy line.
A table over Swedish Cavalry units.
1630 | Ridderskapets rusttjänst (Adelsfanan) |
Uplands,
Wästmanlands, Näriches och Wärmlands ryttare (Upplands ryttare) |
Wästgöthe och Daals ryttare | Smålands och Ölands ryttare | Östergötlands och Sudermanlands ryttare | ||||||||||
1640 | Östgöta kavalleri- regemente | ||||||||||||||
1650 | Västgöta kavalleri- regemente | ||||||||||||||
1660 | Skånska kavalleri- regementet (Skånska regementet till häst) |
||||||||||||||
1670 | Livregementet till häst | Norra Skånska kavalleri- regementet (Ramsvärds regemente till häst) Ridderhjelm Horn Düring Cederström |
Blekinge regemente till häst | ||||||||||||
1680 | Smålands kavalleriregemente | Södra Skånska kavalleri- regementet (Gyllenpistols Skånska kavalleri) (Södra Skånska regementet till häst) (Prins Carls södra Skånska regemente) (Skånska karbinjär- regementet) Gyllenpistol Strömberg Örnestedt Lewenhaupt |
|||||||||||||
1690 | |||||||||||||||
1700 | |||||||||||||||
1710 | |||||||||||||||
1720 | |||||||||||||||
1730 | |||||||||||||||
1740 | |||||||||||||||
1750 | Svenska husar- regementet Wrangel |
||||||||||||||
1760 | Blå husar- regementet Putbus |
Gula husar- regementet Wrangel |
|||||||||||||
1770 | Finska lätta dragonkåren (Lätta dragonerna av livgardet) |
Husar- regementet (Hornska husar- regementet) (Mörnerska husar- regementet) (Cederströmska husar- regementet) |
|||||||||||||
1780 | |||||||||||||||
1790 | Livregements- brigadens lätta infanterikår [Infantry] | Livregements- brigadens lätta dragonkår | Livregements- brigadens kyrassiärkår | Livhusar- regementet (Lätta livdragon- regementet) |
Smålands lätta kavalleri- regemente | Livgrenadjär- regementets rusthållsdivision [Infantry] | |||||||||
1800 | Livregements- brigadens grenadjärkår [Infantry] |
Livregements- brigadens husarkår | Västgöta dragon- regemente | Smålands lätta dragon- regemente | Skånska linje- dragonregementet (Lätta dragonregementet) |
||||||||||
1810 | Disbanded in 1809 | Livregementets grenadjärkår
I3 [Infantry] |
Livregementets husarkår
K3 |
Livregementets dragonkår
K2 |
Livgardet till häst K1 | Västgöta regemente I6 [Infantry] | Smålands dragon- regemente | Smålands dragon- regementes infanteribataljon I7 [Infantry] | Skånska husar- regementet Thott K5 |
||||||
1820 | Smålands husar- regemente K4 | Smålands grenadjär- bataljon I7 [Infantry] | Andra livgrenadjär- regementet I5 [Infantry] | Skånska dragon- regementet K6 | Kronprinsens husar- regemente K7 | ||||||||||
1890 | [Merged with Livregementet till fot I21] | Livregementets husarer K3 | Livregementets dragoner K2 | Smålands grenadjärkår I7 [Infantry] | Norrlands dragon- regemente K8 | ||||||||||
1900 | Disbanded in 1901 | ||||||||||||||
1920 | Livregementet till häst K1 | Disbanded in 1927 | Disbanded in 1927 | Disbanded in 1927 | Skånska kavalleriregementet K2 | Norrlands dragon- regemente K4 | |||||||||
1930 | |||||||||||||||
1940 | Skånska dragonregementet
P2 [Armoured] |
Skånska kavalleri- regementet K2 | |||||||||||||
1950 | Disbanded in 1952 | ||||||||||||||
1960 | |||||||||||||||
1970 | Livgardets dragoner K1 | ||||||||||||||
1980 | Disbanded in 1984 | ||||||||||||||
1998 |
1620 | ||||||
1630 | Finlands ryttare (Åbo och Björneborgs läns regemente Ture Bielke) ??? |
Tawastelands och Nylands ryttare (Nylands och Tavastehus läns regemente Torsten Stålhandske) ??? |
Carelske ryttare (Viborgs och Nyslotts läns regemente Otto Yxkyll) ??? |
|||
1640 | ||||||
1650 | Berendes lätta kavalleri (Budbergs Karelska dragoner von Budberg) |
Schwengelms dragoner | ||||
1660 | Disbanded in 1661 | |||||
1670 | ||||||
1680 | Disbanded in 1679 | |||||
1690 | ||||||
1700 | ||||||
1710 | ||||||
1720 | ||||||
1730 | ||||||
1740 | ||||||
1750 | ||||||
1760 | ||||||
1770 | ||||||
1780 | ||||||
1790 | ||||||
1800 | Savolaks ryttare [Värvade] ??? |
Karelens ryttare [Värvade] ??? |
||||
1810 | ||||||
1820 | ||||||