Saturday 18 May 2013

Regiment Schomberg

The Regiment Schomberg were a mercenary unit in service to the Duchy of Savoy. Unlike the line regiments, mercenary regiments (often formed around a core of Protestants, many exiled French Huguenots) were named for their Colonel,  in this case Duke Charles Schomberg. Interestingly, Charles was the son of another famous Schomberg, Duke Frederick, who died in service to Stadtholder/King William at the battle of the Boyne just a few years before.

[The information on Charles on wikipedia was very sparse, just two paragraphs. I expanded the article by adding the information I learned from the excellent "Army of the Duke of Savoy 1688-1713 by Gian Carlo Boeri]

Schomberg, had been serving in with the army of Savoy since 1691 as a General officer commanding three regiments (Montbrun, Miremont and Montauban) all of which, like himself, were in English pay.

 
Regiment Schomberg NYW Savoy
Prior to 1692, this Schomberg  regiment was in fact the Regiment de Saint-Julian. However in that year the Sieour de Saint-Julian converted to Catholicism and returned to French service. Schomberg himself was then appointed Colonel of the Regiment.

Schomberg died of wounds following the Battle of Marsaglia in October 1963, at which point the regiment was named for his successor, another French Huguenot in English pay, Henri de Massue, 1st Vsicount -later Earl- of Galway  The regiment being thereafter known as Regiment Galway.

Note: I've chosen to dress the regiment in the grey coats with grey facings used by the militia and in general use by the protestant regiments. August Kuln (now deceased) suggests that Regiment Schomberg actually wore blue coats with red facings, vests, breeches and stockings and a yellow lining of the hat. However, August Kuln did not list any references, so I have gone with the safer, grey option. Mostly because retaining the Grey jackets which were used by all the Savoy line and militia regiments will provide the army with a more coherent appearance on the tabletop.

2 comments:

  1. They look good mate. I should post my first (trial) unit by the end of the week. I will be very pleased if they come out as good as yours!

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