Regimental Colours of Swiss Regiment Reding 1742-c.1749 (Spain)

Flag Regulation of 1749

Last modified: 2015-07-29 by ivan sache
Keywords: reding | swiss regiment reding | cross: saltire (red) | saltire (red) | cross: burgundy | gironny (blue-white-red-white) | crowns: 4 (yellow) | flame |
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     1.95 × 1.95 m
both images by Sergio Camero, exported to GIF by Santiago Dotor

• Description

See also:

• Swiss Mercenary Flags
• Military Flags 1701-1843 (Spain)
• Historical Flags 1701-1785 (Spain)
• Spain

Other sites:

• Banderas Militares (Military Flags, Spanish text only) image by Sergio Camero:
  • Período Borbones hasta Guerra de la Independencia (The Bourbons until the War of Independence i.e. 1701-1812)

Two flags belonging to the Swiss Regiment commanded by Col. Joseph Reding (between 1742 and 1749?). These Swiss Regiments fought in the service of the Spanish King. Further information in my Banderas Militares website. Source: Manzano 1997 [mzn97].

Sergio Camero, 23-24 Aug 2001

The first Swiss mercenaries in the service of Spain were hired in 1483 by the Catholic Kings, according to Fernando del Pulgar to fight in the war against the Muslim Kingdom of Granada. These units were recruited by means of treaties called capitulations between the interested princes and the cantonal governments. Spain only hired troops from Catholic cantons. Source: Manzano 1997 [mzn97].

Sergio Camero, 07 Sep 2001

Until 1770, each Swiss Regiment had from 2,000 to 4,000 men. In Spain there was a total of approximately 100,000 Swiss soldiers. Almost the entirety of these regiments were used in foreign campaigns: Flanders, the Duchy of Milan (Milanesado), Naples, Sicily, Portugal and Algiers. Regarding the flames in the flags of the Swiss Regiments, there are three models. Their flags also had the Burgundy cross, as was common in the Spanish Army. Source: a collection of sheets on the army of Ferdinand VI, Brown Library, USA.

The flag measures 1.95 × 1.95 m and the design follows the 1749 regulation, which reduced the number of battalions from three to two to a regiment. Along the 16th century, Colours became larger and with more complicated designs, always with 'flames' in the case of Colours belonging to Swiss units. By the mid-18th century, the 'flames' did no longer start at the centre and cover the whole field, but occupied only the four cantons, similarly to what happened with coats-of-arms in the Colours of Spanish Regiments.

Sergio Camero, 27 October and 03 Nov 2001