Spanish cuirassiers in Flandres, 1641

Nice painting by Jacob Martsen de Jonge presents the Spanish garrison of Venlo leaving the town. It includes 2 troops of the Spanish horses. Both are cuirassiers in 3/4 armour & closed helmets. It seems to me that they didn't have lances or carbines/harquebuses, only pistols

Abbildung der spanischen Garnison, wie sie von Gennep nach Venlo zieht, 1641
by Jacob Martsen de Jonge (a part of the painting)
CLICK TO ENLARGE

P.S. Doggy is very realistic -)

Russian Reitar regiments raised in 1654.

Russian reitar 1650-70ss in doloman
Reconstruction by D. Antonov
(click to enlarge)

First Russian reitar regiment under Hubert’s command was raised in 1632 & disbanded in 1634 (see details here). Second attempt was made in 1649. New regiment was under Isaak von Bukhowen command. It numbered of 2,000 & was divided into two parts under Issak von Bukhowen & his son Philip Albert command. In fact the regiment was a training school to create cadres for “new model” army. After inspection on 28 July 1653 the regiment was disbanded & most of its personnel were promoted to officer’s & NCO’s ranks in new-raised Reitar & Foot regiments. In winter & spring of 1654 six new Reitar regiments were created (they are given in order of seniority):

1. John von Drotcki

2. Isaak von Bukhowen

3. Philip Albert von Bukhowen

4. Vasiliy Krechetnikov

5. Lorenc Martot

6. Fedor Wormser

Reitar regiments in 1654 numbered 1,034 men in 10 coys: Polkovnik (colonel), Podpolkovnik (lieutenant-colonel), Major, 7 Rotmistr (Rittmeister), Kapitan-poruchik (second Rittmeister; in colonel’s coy), 10 Poruchik (lieutenant), 10 Praporshik (ensign), Kvartirmeister (quartermaster), Obozniy (Train muster), Adjutant, 10 trumpeters, 990 Reitars. Regiment # 1-3 additionally had 2 dragoon coys since 1654, # 4 - only 1. Regiments # 5-6 evidently didn't have dragoons in 1654-58.

Russian reitars in 1656 had one standard per company. The first, regimental, standard was white with double-headed eagle under 3 crowns. Other standards were colored & surely had Orthodox Cross as a state symbol. Other decorations were not regulated. At the beginning of the war standards were decorated by various symbols & mottos. Standards usually had a fringe & tassels. The only survived standards of 1654 were lost in 1656 at Wolmar (see details here). Their size is 49x53 cm

Reitars were armed with a carbine, a pair of pistols & broadsword. They had double-plated cuirass & a helmet. Probably they had regimental uniform – so-called dolomans.

Рейтарские полки, сформированные в 1654

Russian reitar 1650-70ss in doloman
Reconstruction by D. Antonov
(click to enlarge)

Первый русский рейтарский полк д’Эберта был создан в 1632 и распущен в 1634 (см детали). Новый рейтарский полк под командой Исаака Фанбуковена был сформирован в 1649. Он насчитывал 2,000 чел, и состоял из двух «тысяч» под командой Исаака Фанбуковена и его сына Филиппа-Альберта. Фактически, это была учебная школа для подготовки кадров для будущих полков «нового строя». В преддверии войны с Польшей 28 июля 1653 был проведен смотр рейтар полка Фанбуковена, после чего многие из них были произведены в офицеры и унтер-офицеры рейтарского и солдатского строя, а сам полк был распущен. Остатки его личного состава составили основу для 6 новых рейтарских полков (или «тысяч»), сформированных зимой-весной 1654 (полки указаны в порядке старшинства):

               1. Василия Фандроцкого

               2. Исаака Фанбуковена

               3. Филипиус-Альбертус (Филипп-Альберт) Фанбуковена

               4. Василий Кречетников

               5. Лоренц Мартот

               6. Федор Вормзер

Russian standards of v. Visin reitar regiment, lost on 17 August 1656 at Wolmar.

Below is updated part of the material about Russian colours lost in Riga campaign 1656 from closed Dan Schorr’s northernwars.com. In 2007 D. Schorr made reconstruction of the standards basing on the description made in 1911 by Belavenetc, now photos of the survived standards are available.

D. v. Vizin Reitars company color

lost on Aug 17, 1656 at Wolmar

(State Trophy Collection, Armee Museum, Stockholm)

Dennis von Visin (junior) was a son of Dennis v. Vizin, a rotmistr (rittmeister) of a reitar company on Russian service since 1620s. In 1633 he was an ensign in D’Ebert Reitars (see my blog). By 1651 D. v. Vizin (junior) was a rotmistr in a reitar company. In 1655 he became a colonel. One of his brothers, Vladimir, since 1655 also was a reitar colonel on Russian service. The other, Afonasiy, was a head of Tula Manufactory.  

D. v. Vizin Reitars company color
lost on Aug 17, 1656 at Wolmar
(reconstruction by D. Schorr, 2007) 

The reitar regiment was raised in spring 1654 as F. Wormser Reitars. In 1654 it was in A. Trubetskoy army. In 1655 the regiment was given to D. v. Vizin & took part in the campaign on Ukraine. It participated in the taking of Lublin on Oct. 30, 1656. In 1656 it’s paper strength was 119 officers & NCO’s & 779 reitars in 10 coys. In fact in July 1656 it numbered 832 men. The regiment was a part of A. Trubetskoy army & participated in Dorpat campaign. In August 1656 it was sent to Wolmar as a part of Izmailov’s Corps against GM H.E. Streiff Corps. According to Russian sources Streiff had 14 coys of reitars & dragoons (no details about his BO). The composition & strength of Izmailov’s Corps & details of the battle on 17 August 1656 are unknown. Russian pushed Swedes & took Wolmar, but evidently after a hard battle. Izmailov & Vizin were wounded, his reitars lost 2 standards.   

These 2 standards were the only reitar’s standards lost by Russians in 1656. They were sent to Stockholm to the State Trophy Collection. In 1911 they were described by Belavenetc. Basing on them Dan Schorr made in 2007 a reconstruction of the v. Vizin’s standards. They were a part of illustrations to my material about Russian colours lost in Riga campaign 1656. Now the photos from Digital Museum site are available (I highly appreciate D. Schorr for his drawings & for providing me the photos from Swedish Trophy collection site).  

Russian reitars in 1656-67 had one standard per company. The first, regimental, standard was white with double-headed eagle under 3 crowns. Other standards were colored & surely had Orthodox Cross as a state symbol. Other decorations were not regulated. At the beginning of the war standards were decorated by various symbols & mottos. Later they had only stars, which meant the number of a coy (the war lasted 13 years, economy reasons…). Standards usually had a fringe & tassels. 

Штандарты рейтарского полка Дениса Фанвизина, потерянные при Гафе (Вольмаре) 7/17 августа 1656.

D. v. Vizin Reitars company color

lost on Aug 17, 1656 at Wolmar

(State Trophy Collection, Armee Museum, Stockholm)

Денис Денисович Фанвизин (Фонвизин) был сыном ротмистра одной из рот иноземцев, служившего на русской службе с 1620х годов. О его службе до 1655 мне известно немного, в 1633 он был прапорщиком рейтарского полка Д’Эберта, а в 1651 уже командовал одной из рот иноземцев. Среди офицеров рейтарских полков в 1654 Денис Фанвизин вроде не упомянут, но уже в 1654-55 получил в чине полковника один из рейтарских полков. Его братья Юрий (в крещении Афонасий) и Владимир также достигли неплохих высот. Владимир с 1655 был командиром одного из рейтарских полков (видимо 5-го, Лоренца Мартота), а Афонасий в чине стольника ведал Тульско-Каширские железные заводы, и был предком известного писателя.

Hubert Reitar regiment, 1632-34 (first Russian Reitar regiment raised during Smolensk was 1632-34)

Michal "Kadrinazi" Paradowski made a nice article about Polish Reitars in Smolensk war:

http://www.wargaming.pl/index.php?mode=view_article&article=289

I decided to write about the only Russian Reitar troop in that war - Hubert Reitars

Hubert's Reitars encampement at Smolensk
Part of Hondius engraving
(click to enlarge)

First Russian Reitar regiment was created on 10 June 1632. It was formed from existed mounted companies of “foreigners” (in fact = reitars) & enlisted volunteers from Russian gentry. Regiment was commanded by a colonel Charles Samuel Hubert de Ettele (I am not sure in the last name). Hubert was a Frenchman, before Russian service he was lieutenant-colonel of reitars in Imperial army. At the creation the regiment consisted of 12 coys, 177 men each: Rotmistr (colonel, lieutenant-colonel & major in 3 senior coys), Poruchik (lieutenant), Praporshik (ensign), Kvartirmeister (quartermaster), 3 Brigadir (brigadier), 2 Podpraporshik (junior ensign), 167 Reitars, Trubach (trumpeter). In September-1632 a dragoon coy was added, & by summer-1633 the number of coys increased to 14 & totaled about 2,400 men.

Hubert Reitars were equipped & armed in western-style: helmet, double-plated cuirass, carbine, a pair of pistols, sabre or sword. All was manufactured & purchased in Europe. Dress & horses were reitar’s own. In Dec 1632 regiment got one white standard with gold fringe & tassels, 30 azure standards with azure silk fringe & a green standard with green fringe for the dragoon coy. In March 1633 regiment received one more white standard.

The regiment was completed by mid of July 1633 & left Moscow in the end of the month. It joined the siege army at Smolensk on 17 August 1633. Regiment was disbanded soon after the capitulation in June 1634.

Hondius in his “Explicatio…” (explanation) to the engraving wrote about Hubert’s regiment the following: “53. Encampment of Charles Hubert, a Frenchman from d’Ettele family. He had under his command Germans, French & about 600 [sic! By June 1633 it includes at least (!) 1,400 Russians] trained in German style Moskovites, totaled more than 2,000. Also he had a company of German harquebusiers. His encampment was pretty good”.

Рейтарский полк Эберта, 1632-34

 

 Первый русский рейтарский полк появился в 1632 г. Его основу составили имевшиеся роты «немцев», вооруженные и несшие службу по рейтарскому образцу. Указом от 10 июня 1632 Царь повелел «старого и новаго выезду немец строить в конную службу по-рейтарски, как в немецких государствах ведетца, а к немцам в прибавку писати руских охочих всяких служилых людей». Командиром нового полка 13 июня 1632 был назначен Шарль Самуэль Эберт (произведенный в полковники из подполковников тем же указом). Родом француз, до приезда в Москву – подполковник на австрийской службе. К 5 декабря 1632 в полку насчитывалось «дворян и детей боярских разных городов и новокрещен и татар и немец» 1 721 чел. Первоначально полк был разделен на 12 рот по 177 чел: ротмистр (в 3 старших ротах полковник, подполковник и майор), поручик, прапорщик, квартирмейстер, 3 бригадира, 2