Spanish uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars was a series of wars lasting from 1803 to 1815. Spain was just one of the many countries which resisted the expansion of the French Empire under Napoleon I. The general population fought as guerrillas, preventing the occupying French forces from obtaining supplies or safe passage.

Royal Guard

Infantry

Uniforms c.1808
RegimentCollarCuffsLapelButtonsPipingNotes
Royal Spanish Guards
Royal Walloon Guards
Royal Guard of Halberdiers


Gallery

Cavalry

Royal Gardes du Corps

Since 1706, the Royal Gardes du Corps consisted of four cavalry companies of around 200 men each; two Spanish companies, an Italian company and a Flemish company. On April 7th, 1793, the second Spanish company was renamed the American company.[1]

Their uniforms consisted of blue jackets and trousers; crimson collars, cuffs, waistcoats, turnbacks all laced with silver, and a black felt bicorne. To distinguish each company, they carried a silver laced bandolier whose quadrant colours varied by regiment; the Spanish Company red, the American Company purple, the Italian Company green, and the Flemish Company yellow. [2]

Bandolier Colour c.1806
RegimentColour
Spanish Company
American Company[3]
Italian Company
Flemish Company


Gallery



In 1808, the Royal Gardes du Corps was reorganised into three companies named as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Company respectively. The uniforms remain the same as the ones in 1805, but the bandolier colours had changed; the 1st Company had red, the 2nd Company had purple, and the 3rd Company had sky-blue.[4][5]

Bandolier Colour c.1808
RegimentColour
1st Company
2nd Company
3rd Company

Royal Carabiniers Brigade

The Royal Carabiniers Brigade was raised in 1730 and consists of six companies; four of which were line cavalry and two light cavalry. The two light cavalry companies were eventually detached from the brigade to form Manuel Godoy's personal guard under the name of the Admiral's Honor Guard up until his overthrow in 1807, following which they rejoined the Royal Carabiniers Brigade.[5]

The line cavalry companies wore the same uniform as the Royal Gardes du Corps, but with red turnbacks instead. The light cavalry companies in 1806 wore turquoise blue jackets, trousers, and dolmans; crimson waistcoats, collars, cuffs, and turnbacks all laced with silver; a mirliton with white braids and a blue plume.[2]

Gallery

Infantry

Line infantry

The Spanish line infantry uniform changed several times during the Napoleonic wars. Initially beginning with state supplied clothing, locally produced, or war spoils. After 1811, the British began supplying supplies of their own.

The M1797 uniform was officially listed as being white with collars, cuffs and facings according in the regimental facing colours and distinguished by their pattern combination. 3 regiments were recorded as still wearing this uniform as late as May 1808.

The M1802 uniform consisted of a dark blue coat, black facings with red piping, and white trousers. The bicorne remained the same as the previous M1797 uniform, having a red plume and cockade. Additionally, the collar featured 2 Fleur-de-lys on each side. 12 Regiments were recorded to have been using this uniform as late as May 1808.

The unpopular M1802 uniform was replaced by the M1805, which restored the white coats and distinctive regimental colours of the M1797 uniform. These were used to distinguish between regiments, by a combination of cuffs, collars and facings in either facing colour piped white or white piped with the facing colour. Buttons were also used, either pewter or brass. Turnbacks on the jackets were always white, piped with facing colours.[5][6]

The grenadier uniforms were nearly identical to that of the fusiliers', but with a few distinctive features; the cuffs featured bars known as "Sardines", and featured flaming grenades in facing colours on the turnbacks. The Bearskin was either brown or black, and featured a long cloth device (sleeve) in facing colour with the regimental or provincial emblem and embroidery in button colour.

Uniforms c.1808[4]
RegimentCollarCuffsLapelButtonsPipingNotes
Rey/Immemorial[7]
Reyna[7]
Príncipe
Saboya
Corona[7]
África
Zamora
Soria
Córdova
Guadalajara
Sevilla
Granada[7]
Valencia
Zaragoza[7]
España[7]
Toledo
Mallorca
Burgos
Murcia
León
Cantabria
Asturias
Fixo de Zeuta/Ceuta[8]
Navarra
Aragón[7]
América
Princesa
Extremadura[7]
Málaga[8]
Jaén[9]
Las Órdenes Militares
Voluntarios de Castilla[7]
Voluntarios del Estado[7]
Voluntarios de la Corona[7]
Borbón[10]


Gallery

Foreign regiments in Spanish service

Uniforms c. 1808 [2][4]
RegimentCollarCuffs/turnbacksLapelsButtonsPipingNotes
Irlanda[11]
Hibernia
Ultonia
Nápoles
1º Suizo de Wimpffen[12]
2º Suizo de Ruttiman/Reding Snr[13]
3º Suizo de Reding Jnr
4º Suizo de Betschartd
5º Suizo de Traxler[14]
6º Suizo de Courten/Preux


Gallery

Light infantry

The original Cazadores uniform of a black bicorn, green jacket with red lapels and cuffs was replaced with the M1800 issue of a dark blue jacket with red facings and maintaining the other equipment.

The M1802 uniform was styled after the hussar uniform of the time. A green jacket with yellow lace, red collars and cuffs with the Tarleton replacing the bicorn for ordinary ranks.

The M1805 uniform returned to a dark blue uniform modelled after the infantry with facing colours, combinations and button colour depending on regiment. Instead of a bicorn or a helmet, the new headgear issued was a Shako. Despite this, many of the light infantry of La Romana's Division retained their M1802 uniform and only few received the new uniform, such as 1st Barcelona.

Uniforms c.1808
Regiment[15][6]CollarCuffsLapelTurnbackPocketsButtonsRef
1º de AragónRed piped whiteRed piped whiteRed piped whiteRedRed pipingWhite metal
1º de CataluñaYellow piped whiteYellow piped whiteYellow piped white
2º de CataluñaDark blue piped whiteYellow piped white with yellow cuff flapsYellowYellowYellow pipingBrass
TarrogonaYellowYellowDark blue piped yellow
GeronaYellow piped whiteWhite metal
2º de AragónDark blue piped whiteRed piped whiteRed piped whiteRed piped whiteRed piping
1º de BarcelonaYellowYellowDark blue piped whiteYellowYellow piping
2º de Barcelona
Barbastro
Voluntarios de Valencia
Campo Mayor
Voluntarios de Navarra


Gallery

Provincial Militia

The Provincial Militia were formed in the 18th century from each Spanish province; 28 in 1734 and 14 in 1766.

Their uniforms consisted of nothing more than a white jacket and trousers, red facings, gold buttons inscribed with the province or capital's name, and a felt bicorne. [5][4]

Gallery

Cavalry

Line cavalry


Uniforms c.1808
RegimentCollarCuffsLapelButtonsNotes
King's Cavalry Regiment
Queen's Cavalry Regiment
Prince's Cavalry Regiment
Infante's Cavalry Regiment
Bourbon Cavalry Regiment
Farnesio Cavalry Regiment
Alcántara Cavalry Regiment
Spanish Cavalry Regiment
Algarve Cavalry Regiment
Calatrava Cavalry Regiment
Santiago Cavalry Regiment
Montesa Cavalry Regiment


Gallery

Dragoons

Uniforms c.1808
RegimentCollarCuffsLapelButtonsNotes
King's Dragoon Regiment
Queen's Dragoon Regiment
Almansa Dragoon Regiment
Pavia Dragoon Regiment
Villaviciosa Dragoon Regiment
Sagunto Dragoon Regiment
Numantia Dragoon Regiment
Lusitania Dragoon Regiment


Gallery

Mounted hunters

Uniforms c.1808
RegimentCollarCuffsLapelNotes
Olivenza Mounted Hunter Regiment
Spanish Volunteer Hunters Regiment


Gallery

Hussar regiments

Uniforms c.1808
RegimentPelisseDolmanBreechesFacingsNotes
Maria Luisa Hussar Regiment
Spanish Hussar Regiment


Gallery

Artillery

Engineers

References

  1. ↑ Clonard, Conde de (1824). Memorias para la Historia de las Tropas de la Casa Real. Imprenta Real.
  2. 1 2 3 Estado Militar de España, Año de 1805. Biblioteca Nacional de España.
  3. ↑ Also referred to as the Compañía Española-Americana
  4. 1 2 3 4 Estado Militar de España, Año de 1808. Biblioteca Nacional de España.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Bueno, José María (1982). Uniformes Militares Españoles: El Ejército y la Armada en 1808. Spain: J.M. Bueno. ISBN 84-300-6421-4.
  6. 1 2 Summerfield, Stephen (2014). Spanish Infantry of the Early Peninsular War. Huntingdon, England: Ken Trotman Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-907417-42-9.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Uniforms issued in 1802 were still in use by 1808
  8. 1 2 Uniform issued in 1797 were still in use by 1808; as depicted by the top row
  9. ↑ Not issued with the 1802 Uniform
  10. ↑ Formed of Royalist French Émigrés
  11. ↑ These regiments had sky-blue coats
  12. ↑ A blue buttonhole could be found on each end of the collar
  13. ↑ The turnbacks were in the French style, the cuff flaps were blue, and blue buttonholes could be found on each end of the collar
  14. ↑ The turnbacks were white
  15. ↑ Bueno, José María (1982). El Ejercito y La Armada en 1808. Spain: J.M. Bueno. pp. 72–73. ISBN 84-300-6421-4.
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