Livgarde (Life Guards) model drawings of the m/1765 uniform and m/1686 colour, and a preserved m/1686 colour (from 1710)

This section of Tacitus contains pictures of primary sources to the appearance of Swedish uniforms and Standards & Colours during the time period of 1654-1815.

A complete list of literature that I have used when writing the "Great Northern War" part of Tacitus is available on the Swedish version of the site. The Swedish version also contains some written primary sources, which are omitted here because I have not translated them to English.

Queen Ulrika Eleonora's Funeral 1693

The interior of Riddarholmen Church at Queen Ulrika Eleonora's funeral in 1693 / N. Lib. Baro de Tessin sup:us. aedificiorum S:ae. R:ae. M.tis. Sueciae praefectus invenit et delin. ; P. le Pautre sculpsit.

These copper engravings can be found in the Swedish National Library and they are the oldest depictions of the Carolean uniform (so far, no tricorne hats). The copper engravings were made by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and Pierre Le Pautre.

[Ulrika Eleonora's funeral 1693] / N. Tessin invenit et delineavit. P. le Pautre sculpsit.

Finnish Hand-drawn Maps 1696

These maps are kept in Krigsarkivet (Swedish War Archive) and show the allotment of three regiments in the county of Nyland and Tavastehus. But what makes them extra interesting is that each map has depicted the uniforms of a personnel category (cavalrymen, drummers, and officers, respectively).

"Geographical map that shows how Nyland and Tavastehus Cavalry Regiment is located in its districts and parishes...."	"Geographical map that shows how Tavastehus Infantry Regiment is located in its districts and parishes...."   The three maps have the following codes in the War Archive: SE/KrA/0410/A/062 SE/KrA/0410/A/063 SE/KrA/0410/C/001
"Geographical map that shows how Nyland Infantry Regiment is located in its districts and parishes..."

Charles XI's Funeral in
1697

This copper engraving is in the Royal Library and is the oldest depiction of Swedish soldiers with tricorne hats. The copper engraving was made by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and Sébastièn Leclerc.

[Charles XI's funeral 1697] Hac specie Templum Ridderholmianum Holmiense cum exequiarum justa Carolo XIo. Sueciae quondam Regi, Pio, Felici, Augusto die 24. Novemb. Anni 1697. solverentur. adversam ingredientibus aperuit frontem suam / N. Lib. Baro de Tessin sup:us aedific:um S:ae R:ae M:tis Sueciae Praefectus inv. ; S. le Clerc Sculp.

Arvid Horn's Trophy Painting

The noble Horn family long owned two miniature paintings by Johan Henrik Schildt (1678-1732) depicting the battles of Narva and Düna. According to family tradition, these were a gift to Arvid Horn from Charles XII. They were sold at auction in 1889 and met different fates. The painting of the battle of Narva was bought by the Swedish National Museum but was later stolen and only the frame remains. The painting of the Battle of Düna was purchased by an iron master and ended up in the same year in the Nordic Museum in Stockholm where it remains today.

The painting of the Battle of Düna is a very valuable source to the appearance of Carolean uniforms because it shows soldiers with karpuses. There is no other contemporary depiction of a karpus worn by private soldiers. The painting also gives a good picture of the splendid uniforms of the Drabant Corps with abundant gold lace. The drabants are also led on foot by a person who must be Charles XII. In the painting, he appears to have a yellow lining on his coat instead of the solid blue coat that we usually see in his portraits. Arvid Horn himself appears to be in the midst of the battle on the right side of the painting (marked with the number 2 above his head).

As mentioned, the painting is a miniature and is only 10.8 cm high and 17.5 cm wide. The frame that can be seen on the right is 45.5 cm high and 29 cm wide.

Christian Gyldenløve's Funeral in 1703

This copperplate engraving depicts the funeral procession of the king's son Christian Gyldenløve in Copenhagen on 6 September 1703. His coffin is escorted by soldiers from the Danish Grenadier Corps whose uniforms are very clearly visible in the high-resolution digitized version linked below.

The copperplate engraving was made by Andreas Reinhard around 1707 and published in 1709 in the book "Traur-Rede Welche bey des hochgebornen ... Herrn Christian Güldenleu ... Leichbegängnis ... Anno 1703 den 6. Sept. gehalten vorden"  (the engraving is on page 146).

Charles XII and Augustus the Strong at Altranstädt  in 1706

Above we have two copies of the same copperplate engraving. Both images come from Wikipedia Commons and the reason I have chosen to include the more worn copy is that it includes the heading which contains information about the context of the image. The copperplate engraving depicts the occasion when Charles XII and Augustus the Strong had dinner together on 7 December 1706. This copperplate engraving is often used to illustrate the Peace of Altranstädt on 14 September 1706, but the dinner was held three months later, as mentioned.

The soldiers seen in the image should reasonably be Charles XII's drabants, but the uniforms do not look particularly Swedish so I suspect that the person who made the copperplate engraving was not familiar with the appearance of Swedish uniforms. However, the copperplate engraving was commissioned by the Swedes because the date given follows the Swedish calendar while the Gregorian calendar used throughout Germany (including the Swedish possessions) is given in parentheses.

Battle of Gadebusch in 1712

This map is kept in the Swedish War Archive and was drawn by Quartermaster General Magnus Rommel who participated in Magnus Stenbock's campaign. The map clearly shows that the Swedish infantry now had turnbacks, which they did not have in battle paintings of the battles of Narva and Düna. Below is a translation of the War Archive's text description:

"Battle at Gadebusch in Mecklenburg, between the Royal Swedish Army, under His Excellence, Royal Councillor and Field Marshal...".

a) Terrain Gadebusch-Pokrent-Radegast. Danish army camp at Gadebusch, west of the town on the night of 9 Dec. General von. Scholten's first formation west of Wakenstädt on the 9th. Danish army's second formation at Wakenstädt. Field Marshal Flemming's advance behind the wings of the Danish army. Magnus Stenbock's approach,. march (in detail) 2.5 km south of Gadebusch, attack (troop units in detail) and pursuit in the direction of Radegast and camp there. after the battle. The flight of the Danish-Saxon army over Radegast. Legend.

b) Bottom: on the right Swedish cavalry during the advance and battle, on the left cavalry during firing, and infantry during the advance and battle. The figures carefully drawn and coloured. Bottom: Stenbock's. ordre de bataille on 9 Dec 1712. Rich ornamentation, partly in the text.

[SE/KrA/0425/13/014]

Continue reading with: "Model drawings of Uniforms before 1765".