Infantry

Description
Initially, the military prospects of France were not good when she entered the Thirty Years War. Her troops were undisciplined and lacked experience so she needed alliances. She was threatened primarily by Spain who tried to maintain the Spanish Road from Italy to the Netherlands. To minimize the threat, in July 1635, France signed a treaty with Savoy, Parma and Mantua for a joint campaign in north Italy. The French Huguenot general, Rohan, was sent to help the Swiss Protestants in a campaign to overthrow the Valtelline. In October 1635, the German, Bernard of Saxe-Weimar, and his army were taken into French service.
While Rohan and his army had success in north Italy, Bernard of Saxe-Weimar successfully besieged Breisach after defeating the Holy Roman Empire’s army at Rheinfelden. The siege of Breisach was a success and allowed the French to cut the Spanish Road. Alsace also fell to Bernard. After his death in July 1639, his army came under the direct control of the French and the following year saw the emergence of two very capable French military commanders: Turenne and Louis II, Prince of Conde.
These commanders engaged the Imperialists and despite defeating the Spanish at the Battle of Rocroi in May 1643, were unable to mount a serious campaign in Europe as military exhaustion broke out throughout Europe.
Common to the period, there was no set French uniform. Most of the troops tended to wear un-dyed wool or coats dyed red or blue. Pants were ribboned at the knee and could reach mid calf with buttons running down the outside seams. By the 1640's the pants tended to end at the knee. French headgear was generally a grey or black brimmed felt hat. The boukinkan, (a hat similar to the montero) was also used. Officers wore capes or tabards (cassocks), as did the musketeers. It was common for French officers to wear white sashes. The baldric was worn on the right shoulder and the bandoleer, if any, on the left. Unusually, the French drummer wore their drum on the right side with the head almost vertical. Most drummers of the period wore the drum on the left, but the head of the drum was vertical.
Under Henry IV the French abandoned the deep, block-like infantry formations of the Civil Wars and adopted the ten-deep formation of the Dutch. The principal cause of the change was the reports of French Protestant noblemen who had served in the Dutch War under Maurice of Nassau. During the reign of Louis XIII the depth of infantry formations was reduced yet further, and eight ranks seem to have been the norm.
The French, like their Spanish, Imperial, and Catholic League counterparts, did not train their troops in the linear sense with regular drills, formations and regulations. Instead they relied on the individual veteran to impact the necessary skills to recruits on an individual basis. While this worked well for the deep tercio formations, the shift to new linear formations saw much better performance by the veteran units versus the newly formed regiments which had few or no “old soldiers”

Unit History – Garde Francaises (1563-17)



Commanders of the French Guards during the Thirty Years' War were:

• Jean, Marquis de Rambures (1633-1639; killed at the Siege of Landrecies;
• Antoine, Maréchal-duc de Gramont (1639-1671)

The regiment was created by Charles IX on August 1 1563. The Gardes Françaises had precedence over the Gardes Suisses and over all line infantry regiments. The guards brigade had many privileges. Often, the Gardes Françaises occupied the centre of the first line and the Gardes Suisses the centre of the second line. During sieges, it opened the trenches, was at the head of all assaults and was the first brigade to enter into a conquered city.

The command of this regiment has often been assumed by a Maréchal de France. Its Lieutenant-Colonel had the rank of a Lieutenant-General and its Major was also Major-General of the French infantry. By a regulation of March 27 1691, the captains of the regiment had the rank of Colonel, its Lieutenant the one of Lieutenant-Colonel, its Sous-lieutenants and Ensigns the rank of Captain.

During the Thirty Years War, the unit joined the army of La Sarre under Maréchal de La Valette in 1635. These troops joined the Swedes of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar in Mentz of that year. The unit reinforced the army of Champagne under Louis de Bourbon, Comte de Soissons in 1636 taking part in the storming of of Hedsin. Later in 1643, the unit was at the siege of Thionville.

At Lens, 1648, the unit crushed three enemy battalions, one Spanish and two German. Drunk with their success, they were surrounded by Spanish tercios. Rushing to their defence, the remaining French troops broke the tercios.

In general the unit strength was two-thirds musketeers and one-third pike. By 1635, the assigned enlisted strength of the regiment was increased to 9,000 men.

Unit History – Picardie IR (1558-1780)

The regiment is the first of the infantry regiment after the French Guards and the Swiss Guards. It was created in 1558 by Henry II. It is the first of the "Old Bands " within the French army.
The unit joined the army of La Sarre under Maréchal de La Valette in 1635. These troops joined the Swedes of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar in Mentz of that year. The regiment was nearly exterminated, along with the Navarre IR, at the battle of Thionville.

Later in 1643, the unit was at the siege of Thionville. Transferring to the army of Duc d’Enghien later that year, the regiment was at Rocroi. There the unit massacred a 1,000 Spanish musketeers in a dawn ambush but was rallied with difficulty at the engagement.

In Lens, 1648, the unit rushed to aid the Garde Francaises who has crushed three enemy battalions, one Spanish and two German. Drunk with their success, the Garde was surrounded by Spanish tercios. Rushing to their defence, the remaining French, including the Picardie IR, broke the tercios.

The unit fought in the battle of the Dunes (1658) against the Spanish alongside the Cromwellian forces.

Unit History - Piédmont IR (1558-1780)
Since 1494, there were units designated as bandes d'au delà des monts (bands from beyond the mountains) at the service of the King of France. They were charged with the conquest and permanent occupation of Piémont and other countries beyond the Alps.

In 1552, when Henri intervened against the Emperor, 20 black ensigns of the Bandes de Piémont were with his army.
In 1558, these Bandes noires de Piédmont were organized into a regular regiment by King Henri II. It’s ranking in the rolls with Navarre and Champagne remained confused until Louis XIV issued an ordinance in 1666 to rule on the order of precedence. The regiment was among the six French regiments known as Vieux Corps.
In the Thirty Years War, the unit was assigned to the Italian campaign in July 1640.
The unit, along with the Orleans Gendarmes, fought at La Marfee (1641) against a Spanish force sent to support the uprising of the Comte de Soissons. The French, under Chatillon, launched a head-on attack against higher ground but were beaten off and driven from the field. However, the revolt collapsed as the Comte de Soissons was killed in the fighting.
In 1643, the regiment was at Rocroi. The unit was in the center under the command of D’Espenan along with the Picardie IR.
The unit fought in the battle of the Dunes (1658) against the Spanish alongside the Cromwellian forces.

Unit History – Champagne IR (1558 – 1791)
Created in 1558, it’s ranking in the rolls with Navarre and Piedmont remained confused until Louis XIV issued an ordinance in 1666 to rule on the order of precedence. In the Thirty Years War joining the army of Champagne in 1635, it took part in the storming of of Hedsin in 1639. In April 1646, the unit was decimated at the siege of Llerida.

 
Unit History – Navarre IR (1558-1791)

Created in 1558 from old formations from Guyenne, the regiment then bore the name of its colonel M. de Tilladet. With the death of Antoine de Bourbon, King of Navarre in November 1562, the regiment was assigned to guard of his son Henri of Navarre who became Henri IV, King of France in 1589. At this point, the regiment entered the service of France. The regiment was among the six French regiments known as Vieux Corps.
In 1635, the unit joined the army of La Sarre under Maréchal de La Valette. The French troops joined the Swedes of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar in Mentz later that year.
The regiment was nearly exterminated, along with the Picardie IR, at the battle of Thionville (1639). The French commander, the Marquis de Feuquieres, was killed in the engagement which lifted the French siege of Thionville.  

Later in 1643, the unit was at the battle of Tüttlingen as part of Gassion corps.
From 1652 to 1658, the regiment was stationed in Italy as a garrison force located in Pavia, Valenza and Alessandria.

Unit History – Normandie IR (1615-1791)

The regiment was raised in Normandy under Louis XIII in 1615 by Concini, Marshal d' Anchors and tasked to protect Marie de Médicis. With the regiments creation it retained its seniority from the old bands of Normandy which constituted its core. After the death of Concini and the disgrace of his son, then colonel of the regiment; command was given to the brother of the Constable de Luynes taking the name of the province of Normandy.

The unit joined the army of La Sarre under Maréchal de La Valette in 1635. These troops joined the Swedes of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar in Mentz of that year.

In 1649 the regiment was sent to Italy for a year. From 1656 to 1658, the regiment was stationed in Italy as a garrison force located in Valenza, Alessandria and Mortara.

Unit History – Cardinal Richelieu IR (1635-1652)

The original sixth unit of the Vieux Corps was called the Rambures regiment. Originally raised in 1621 during the blockade of La Rochelle, it became a regular French regiment in September 1635 when Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu persuaded the King to integrate it into his regular units. Originally Companies regular de la Mer and initially known as "Cardinal Richelieu", it took the 16th rank. Renamed in 1652 to La Marine, and under the influence of Cardinal Mazarin, who was meste-de-camp of the regiment (1648 to 1652), the regiment changed its rank from 16th to 6th.   



Sources

Text: French Armies of the Thirty Years War, Stephane Thion, LRT Editions, 2008
Flags: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm

Scottish & Irish in French Service

Description
During the Thirty Years War, many Scottish migrated to Europe seeking fame and fortune. With the entrance of Sweden into the direct fray, the Scottish were actively recruited. By the mid 1630's, with the fortunes of the Swedes waning, the French began to subsidize the Scottish troops directly rather than using Sweden as the paymaster.
Towards the end of the 1630’s changes in the political equilibrium in England made it apparent that civil war was unavoidable. This naturally aroused the interest of the many Scottish officers in Swedish and French service, who, unlike their colleagues in Scotland and England, had a good training and experience of practical military operations. In 1639-40 large bands of them returned: it is recorded. for instance, that when Alexander Leslie landed in Leith in 1641 he met no less than 36 felIow officers from Germany. The returning soldiers were of all ranks, from Field Marshal (like Leslie and Patrick Ruthven) on down. As not only officers but also other ranks were needed, General James King was sent to the Continent and Denmark to enlist men.

Irish recruitment
Organised recruitment of Irish regiments to the French army dates from 1635 and seven regiments were recruited to fight in France. While numbers declined in the 1640's, eight regiments fought in French service after the Catholic defeat in Ireland. For example, the exiled James Stuart, Duke of York, had a regiment which was disbanded in 1664 (then called the Royal Irlandais).

Unit History – Hebron or Hepburn IR (1633-1636)
The regiment, Hepburn, is based on one of the many Scottish regiments serving the French. It was raised in 1633 from remnants of Scottish units that had fought for the Swedes and had been under the command of the Scot, John Hepburn. In Swedish service four chosen Scottish regiments, Hepburn's regiment, Lord Reay's regiment, Sir James Lumsden's musketeers, and Stargate's corps, were formed into one brigade under the command of Hepburn. It was called the Green Brigade, and the doublets, scarfs, feathers, and standards were of that colour.

The 1633 unit saw the junction between Swedish and French Scots being incorporated into one corps, and styled Le Regiment d’Hebron, as Hepburn was spelled and pronounced in France.
In January 1635 the regiment was assigned to the army corps of Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, supporting the duke's actions in defence of Heilbronn and the capture of Speyer. Subsequently the regiment was transferred to the army commanded by Cardinal Richelieu's fidèle Louis de Nogaret, cardinal de La Valette, third son of the duc d'Épernon, and suffered badly, like all the other units in the army, in the disastrous campaign to relieve Mainz during the summer of 1635.
The regiment remained in the army of La Valette during the 1636 campaign, and officers and men distinguished themselves campaigning against imperial forces in May and June 1636. In the spring of 1636, John Hepburn served in Lorraine, with the army under the Bernhard Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and so eminent were his services that King Louis ordered the diploma of a marshal of France to be granted. Before receiving his marshal’s baton, he was killed at the siege of Saverne (1636) by a ball shot from the ramparts. He was not older than his 36th or 38th year but had a successful military career. He was buried, with great splendour, in the southern transept of the cathedral of Toul in French Lorraine.
In 1643 there were four Scottish regiments serving in the French army in addition to the Gardes Ecossaises: Douglas, Grey, Lundy and Fullerton.

Sources
Text: French Armies of the Thirty Years War, Stephane Thion, LRT Editions, 2008
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/hepburn.htm
http://www.tcd.ie/CISS/mmfrance.php

Cavalry

Description
The average strength of a Thirty Years' War army was roughly 19,000 men, of which 30-40% was cavalry, that is, 5,700-7,600 and French armies did not differ remarkably from this norm. General Camon, describing the French forces in 1643 on the eve of Rocroi, remarked on the small size of the field armies, typically 16,000-20,000 men, of which about one-third were cavalry, and noted in particular the mercenary character of the French armies. This meant that the French cavalry included large numbers of Weimarians, Hessians, Swedes, and other foreigners. The presence of mercenaries in significant numbers was not unusual by the standards of the time nor was it, in the case of the French armies, a disability. The foreign cavalry, with its experience, discipline, and regimental organization was considered by Richelieu as a model for what the French cavalry might become.
The base French cavalry force was 4,000 regular Gendarmes, who were half-armoured pistoliers, supported by sections of "Carabins", and a 1,000 strong "Cornette Blanche" of noble volunteers, a company of 200 Guard Chevaulegers, and a unit of gentlemen, the "Carabiniers du Roy" who in 1622 became the famous company of Gray Musketeers (a company of Black Musketeers was added in 1661—despite their name both were heavy cavalry, the colors being those of their horses).

Enghien Horse
Formed in 1635 as a Chevau-Legers regiment with a unit strength of 2 squadrons of 2 companies. A cavalry company would have contained between 35 - 100 troopers during the period from 1635 to 1659. During campaign these companies would have averaged 50 men. In battle, the cavalry was organized in squadrons of 120 - 150 men deployed in 3 rows.

The banner of the unit is speculative and based on the coat of arms of Enghien.

Cardinal-Duc Horse

The unit was initially formed as Chevau-legers in 1635 by Louis XIII. By 1700 the cavalry regiments were divided in two groups: The 'Regiments Royaux' (owned by the state) and the 'Regiments Gentilhommes' (privately owned). This regiment would have been privately owned by the Cardinal of France.
The unit was part of the army of La Sarre in October 1635 under Marshal de La Valette which joined the Swedes of Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar in Mentz in 1635.
Later in 1643, the unit was part of the French forces at Rocroi and was situated on the flank along with the rest of the cavalry.

De Leschelle Horse

The unit was initially formed as Gendarmerie in 1635 by Louis XIII and was from Liege.
In 1644, this ‘Regiment Royaux’ was part of the French forces at Fribourg and was situated in the reserve under the command of Marshal Gramont along with the rest of the French cavalry.
The ensign used the cost of arms of Liege.

De Sully Dragoons

Formed in 1635as a Carbine regiment with a unit strength of 2 squadrons of 2 companies. A cavalry company would have contained between 35 - 100 troopers during the period from 1635 to 1659. During campaign these companies would have averaged 50 men. In battle, the cavalry was organized in squadrons of 120 - 150 men deployed in 3 rows. 
The Carbine troops were effectively Dragoons used for reconnaissance and aid.

Alt-Rosen Horse
The unit was initially formed from Germans troops in 1634 and served under Bernhard de Saxe Weimar. The unit was transferred on his death in 1635 into French service under Reinhold von Rosen von Grossropp (1605 -1677) who gave the unit its name of Alt-Rosen in contrast to Jung-Rosen which was commanded by his brother, Johan von Rosen von Grossropp. The unit saw distinguished service in 1640 at Friedberg and Ziegenhain and, in 1642, at Cologne. Engaged heavily on the second day at Freiburg (1644), the unit helped overrun the Imperial baggage but was driven off in the ensuing struggle for the center. At 2nd Nordlingen (1645) the regiment was part of the cavalry under Turenne on the left flank and also fought at Rastadt, Etlingen and Philippsburg that year. In 1647 the unit was engaged along the Moselle and at Mergentheim.
The flag is based on a later design without the later royal cyphers.

Dauphin Gendarmes
Formed in 1638 on the birth of Louis XIV so that both the young dauphin and the king’s brother had a royal guard, the unit joined the remaining six units that formed part of the royal guard. While the Gendarme companies were a hobby of their aristocratic owner-captains, with the larger units belonging to members of the royal family, they formed the base of the French Cavalry forces.
In 1642 under the Comte de Harcourt, the Dauphin Gendarmes, along with the Piedmont IR, tried to relieve the town La Bassee from the Spanish siege but the French were defeated and routed at Honnecourt.
The unit, along with the rest of the royal gendarmes, was held in reserve under Sirot at the battle of Rocroi (1643) until the fourth and final assault on the Spanish tercios.

Orleans Gendarmes
Originally raised in 1643 it joined the eight units at the time that formed part of the royal guard. While the Gendarme companies were a hobby of their aristocratic owner-captains, with the larger units belonging to members of the royal family, they formed the base of the French Cavalry forces.
The unit, along with the Piedmont IR, fought at La Marfee (1641) against a Spanish force sent to support the uprising of the Comte de Soissons. The French, under Chatillon, launched a head-on attack against higher ground but were beaten off and driven from the field. However, the revolt collapsed as the Comte de Soissons was killed in the fighting.
The unit, along with the rest of the royal gendarmes, was held in reserve under Sirot at the battle of Rocroi (1643) until the fourth and final assault on the Spanish tercios.
At Lens (1648), the unit was on the right wing under the direct command of the Grand Condé. The cavalry helped halt the Spanish advance after which, the turning of the left Spanish flank by the French under Gramont, secured the French victory.

Sources
Flags and Text: French Armies of the Thirty Years War, Stephane Thion, LRT Editions, 2008
Actions of the Thirty Years War, William P. Gutherie, Partizan Press, 2013

Artillery

Description
The French used less artillery on the battlefield than the Swedes and the Imperialists. In addition, French cannoneers were less skilled than their Spanish, imperial or Swedish counterparts. For these reasons, the French used foreign cannoneers wherever possible.

Sources
Flag and Text: French Armies of the Thirty Years War, Stephane Thion, LRT Editions, 2008