Swedish Army Regiments

Written by Mats Persson

Artillery

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.

 

Svea Artilleriregemente

A1

1794 - 1994

Linköping

descendant of: (Artilleriregementet (founded in 1689))

 

Göta Artilleriregemente

A2

1794 - 1962

Göteborg

descendant of: (Artilleriregementet (founded in 1689))

 

Wendes Artilleriregemente

A3

1794 -

Kristianstad - 1993, Hässleholm 1994 -

descendant of: (Artilleriregementet (founded in 1689))

 

Finska Artilleriregementet

 

1794 - 1809

? (Finland)

descendant of: (Artilleriregementet (founded in 1689))

lost in 1809

 

Norrlands Artilleriregemente

A4

1893 -

Östersund

 

Upplands Artilleriregemente

A5

1894 - 1927

Uppsala

 

Norrbottens Artillerikår

A5

1928 - 1951

Boden

 

Smålands Artilleriregemente

A6

1895 - 1985

Jönköping

 

Gotlands Artilleriregemente

A4 (1887 - 1892), A7 (1893 - )

1887 -

Visby

 

Vaxholms Artillerikår

A8

1892 - 1901

Vaxholm

descendant of: (Svea Artilleriregemente & Göta Artilleriregemente)

became: Vaxholms kustartilleriregemente KA1 (Coastal Artillery)

 

Bodens Artilleriregemente

A8

1919 -

Boden

 

Bergslagens Artilleriregemente

A9

1943 -

Kristinehamn

Artilleriet i Sverige, karolinertiden.

Artillery

Swedish Army Regiments

Infantry

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.

 

Svea Livgarde

I1

1523 -

Stockholm

 

Göta Livgarde

I2 ( - 1939)

1741 - 1939

Stockholm

 

Första Livgrenadjärregementet

I4 ( - 1927)

1791 - 1927

Linköping

descendant of: (Östgöta Infanteriregemente (raised in 1636))

subsequently: (Livgrenadjärregementet)

 

Andra Livgrenadjärregementet

I5 ( - 1927)

1791 - 1927

Linköping

descendant of: (Östgöta Kavalleriregemente (raised in 1636))

subsequently: (Livgrenadjärregementet)

 

Livgrenadjärregementet

I4 (1928 - )

1928 -

Linköping - 1993, Kvarn 1994 -

created by the merger between: (Första Livgrenadjärregementet & Andra Livgrenadjärregementet)

 

Livregementets Grenadjärer

I3 (1893 - 1992)

1893 - 1992

Örebro

created by the merger between: (Livregementets Grenadjärkår (founded in 1791) & Närkes regemente (founded in 1812))

 

Bohusläns regemente

I17

1720 - 1992

Uddevalla

created by the merger between: (Riksänkedrottningens livregemente till häst (founded in 1670) & Bohusläns Dragonbataljon (founded in 1679))

 

Dalregementet

I13

1625 -

Falun

 

Gotlands regemente

I27 ( - 1927), I18 (1928 - 1963), P18 (1963 - )

1887 -

Visby

Armored in 1963

descendant of: (Gotlands nationalbeväring (raised in 1811))

 

Hallands regemente

I16

1902 -

Halmstad ( 1901 - )

descendant of: (Västgötadals regemente (raised in 1624))

 

Hälsinge regemente

I14

1630 - 1994

Gävle

 

Jämtlands Fältjägarregemente

I23 ( - 1927), I5 (1928 - )

1660 -

Östersund

descendant of: (Ångermanlands, Medelpads och Jämtlands regemente (raised in 1646))

 

Jönköpings regemente

I12 ( - 1927)

1623 - 1927

Jönköping

subsequently: (Norra Smålands regemente)

 

Kalmar regemente

I20 ( - 1892), I21 (1893 - 1927)

1623 - 1927

Eksjö

subsequently: (Norra Smålands regemente)

 

Karlskrona Grenadjärregemente

I7 ( - 1927)

1902 - 1927

Karlskrona

created by the merger between: (Smålands Genadjärkår (founded in 1812) & Blekinge bataljon (raised in 1887))

 

Kronobergs regemente

I11

1623 - 1992

Växjö

 

Lapplands Jägarregemente

I22 ( 1975 - )

1975 -

Kiruna

descendant of: (Arméns jägarskola JS (founded in 1945))

 

Norra Skånska regementet

I24 ( - 1928), I6 (1929 - 1963), P6 (1963 - 1994)

1812 - 1994

Kristianstad

Armored in 1963

 

Norra Smålands regemente

I12

1928 -

Eksjö

created by the merger between: (Jönköpings regemente (raised in 1623) & Kalmar regemente (raised in 1623))

 

Norrbottens regemente

I19

1841 -

Boden

descendant of: (Västerbottens regemente (raised in 1624))

 

Närkes regemente

I21 ( - 1892)

(1624) 1812 - 1892

Örebro

 

Skaraborgs regemente

I9 ( - 1942), P4 (1942 - )

1626 -

Skövde

 

Smålands Genadjärkår

I7 ( - 1901)

1812 - 1901

Eksjö

created from the split of: (Smålands Husarregementet K4 (raised in 1543)) in 1812

subsequently: (Karlskrona Grenadjärregemente)

 

Södermanlands regemente

I10 ( - 1942), P3 (1942 - 1957), I10 (1957 - 1963), P10 (1963 - )

1627 -

Strängnäs

Armored in 1963

 

Södra Skånska regementet

I25 ( - 1927), I7 (1928 - 1963), P7 (1963 - )

1812 -

Revingehed/Ystad

Armored in 1963

 

Upplands regemente

I8 ( - 1957)

1626 - 1957

Uppsala

 

Vaxholms Genadjärregemente

I26 ( - 1928)

1902 - 1928

Vaxholm

created by the merger between: (Värmlands fältjägarkår (raised in 1790) & Hallands bataljon (raised in 1813))

 

Värmlands regemente

I22 ( - 1939), I2 (1939 - )

1812 -

Karlstad - 1993, Kristinehamn 1994 -

created from the split of: (Närke- Värmlands regemente (raised in 1624)) in 1812

 

Västerbottens regemente

I20

1624 -

Umeå

split in; Västerbottens regemente & (Norrbottens regemente) in 1841

 

Västernorrlands regemente

I29 ( - 1902), I28 (1902 - 1928), I21 (1928 - )

1854 -

Sollefteå

 

Västgöta regemente

I6 ( - 1927)

1628 - 1927

Vänersborg

 

Västgötadals regemente

I16 ( - 1902)

1624 - 1902

Vänersborg

 

Västmanlands regemente

I18 ( - 1927)

1628 - 1927

Västerås

 

Älvsborgs regemente

I15

1624 - 1998

Borås

Swedish Infantry Regiments

Sweden

Finland

Swedish Army Regiments

Cavalry

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.

 

 

Livgardet till häst

K1 ( - 1927)

1806 - 1927

Stockholm

descendant of: (Finska lätta Dragonkåren (raised in 1770))

subsequently: (Livgardets Dragoner)

 

Livregementets Dragoner

K2 ( - 1927)

1791 - 1927

Stockholm

descendant of: (Livregementet till häst)

subsequently: (Livgardets Dragoner)

 

Livgardets Dragoner

K1 (1928 - )

1928 - 1984

Stockholm

created by the merger between: (Livgardet till häst & Livregementets Dragoner)

 

Livregementets Husarer

K3

1791 -

Örebro, Skövde, Karlsborg

descendant of: (Livregementet till häst)

 

Kronprinsens Husarregemente

K7

1758 - 1927

Ystad, Ängelholm, Helsingborg, Malmö

subsequently: (Skånska Kavalleriregementet)

 

Norrbottens Kavallerikår

K9

1919 - 1919

(Formally founded in 1919 but never raised)

 

Norrlands Dragonregemente

K8 ( - 1927), K4 ( 1928 - )

1853 -

Umeå, Arvidsjaur

descendant of: (Jämtlands Fältjägarregemente I23 (raised in 1670))

 

Skånska Dragonregementet

K6

1676 - 1927

Ystad

subsequently: (Skånska Kavalleriregementet)

 

Skånska Husarregementet

K5 ( - 1927)

1658 - 1927

Helsingborg

subsequently: (Skånska Kavalleriregementet)

 

Skånska Kavalleriregementet

K2 (1928 - 1942) (1945 - 1952)

(1658) 1928 - 1942, 1945 - 1952

Helsingborg

created by the merger between: (Skånska Husarregementet & Skånska Dragonregementet & Kronprinsens Husarregemente)

subsequently: (Skånska Dragonregementet (P2)(Armored))

 

Smålands Husarregemente

K4 ( - 1927)

1543 - 1927

Eksjö

Swedish Cavalry Regiments

Sweden

Finland

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