Friday 13 September 2024

Standard and uniform of Spanish Caballeria Reina in the Seven Years War

Here is the first high resolution Spanish cavalry standard, as mentioned in my previous post, from this summer's Spanish cavalry standard commission. Lewis Simpson-Jones commissioned some Spanish infantry flags and four cavalry standards and guidons. We agreed that I'd charge less and he'd be happy for me to post the flag sheets on my blog sooner rather than later! As I explained, I recreated the cavalry standards from verbal descriptions in a Spanish source, along with some rather poor 18th century images. The results at least look pretty good, I think!

The cavalry regiment Caballeria Reina was raised 1703 from a former Guardia Real de Caballeria but then split into two regiments, Reina and Real Asturias, in April that year.

Consisted of 12 companies in 3 squadrons.

The standards are unusual in looking more like dragoon guidons than the usual square  cavalry standard.

Service:

1704: Campaign in Portugal; taking of Salvatierra; combat of Monsanto
1705: Relief of Monsanto and of Badajoz
1706: Combat of Brozas; campaign of Atienza
1707: Battle of Almansa; capture of Valencia; combat of San Mateo; capture of Ulldecona; conquest of Lérida
1708: Siege of Tortosa
1710: Battles of Almenar, Saragossa and Villaviciosa
1711: Into Catalonia and became part of the garrison of Lerida; capture of enemy convoy
1712; In Catalonia and Lérida
1713: Fought the Catalan insurgents (or patriots, depending on your point of view); blockade of Barcelona
1714: Blockade, siege and capture of Barcelona
1715: After the end of the war remained in Catalonia

1719: To Navarra; campaign against France

1732: Reconquest of Oran

1742: To Italy; combats of Bocheta and Ottagio
1743: Battle of Campo Santo
1745: Siege of Tortona; battle of Bassignano; blockade and siege of Alessandria; occupation of Milan
1746: Battle of Piacenza; battle of Rottofreddo
1747: Returned to Spain; stationed in Catalonia again

In the Seven Years War:

1758: To Burgos
1762: To the Gibraltar front
1763: The same

And this was probably the uniform in the SYW:


12 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Jon. :-) Look forward to seeing it in use!

      All the best,

      David.

      Delete
  2. Hi! For spanish historical uniforms i strongly recommend the monographics serie Guerreros y Batallas from Almena Editorial. Are Osprey style books focused on spanish battles and campaigns with lot of info.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I'll chase those up online...

      All the best,

      David.

      Delete
  3. Beautiful work as always, David!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely standards David, they look great plus the red/blue combination always makes a lovely uniform.

    ReplyDelete

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