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Royal Saxon Army
The Royal Saxon Army (German: Königlich Sächsische Armee) was the military force of the Electorate (1682–1807) and later the Kingdom of Saxony (1807–1918). A regular Saxon army was first established in 1682 and it continued to exist until the abolition of the German monarchies in 1918. With the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon the Royal Saxon Army joined the French "Grande Armée" along with 37 other German states.
The founder of the standing army in Saxony was Elector Johann Georg III. He convinced the Saxon Estates in 1681 that the established practice of in case of war hiring mercenaries and dismissing them in peace, was as costly as the formation of a standing army. In 1682 the hitherto existing home troops and Guard and other small units were consolidated in line regiments. The army consisted of six infantry regiments of eight companies and five cavalry regiments. The field artillery consisted out of 24 guns.
The Northern War proved the combat power of the Saxon army to be very low, so that after the war a military reform was enacted which aimed to increase their military efficiency. As part of this reform, the Saxon army was brought to a strength of 30,000, which consisted almost exclusively of Saxons. Thus it differed from the armies of other European states, which supplemented their staff frequently with foreigners.
Following the reform, the army consisted of Guard Infantry, line infantry, and cavalry regiments (Chevau-légers, Dragoons and cuirassiers) together. The artillery as a third independent branch of service and was made up of field artillery and in-house. Also belonging to the artillery, were Mineurs and pontoniers established companies. The army was divided into four General Houses and classified according to the state of Saxony into four military divisions. For the first time for the accommodation of the troops barracks were built.
During the Second Silesian War, Saxony allied with Austria. The Saxon army suffered heavily under Friedrich August Graf Rutowski in the battle of Kesselsdorf against Prussia. The growing crisis bankrupted the state and forced the Saxon Prime Minister Graf Brühl in 1749 to reduce the army to 17,000 men.
During the Seven Years' War Saxony was again invaded by Prussia and the Saxon army was invested by the Prussian army in the Siege of Pirna where they had to capitulate on 16 October 1756. Only four cavalry regiments and two Lancers formations, which were located in Poland, escaped the surrender. Frederick II of Prussia forced the Saxon regiments to swear an oath of allegiance to Prussia, which at least most of the officers refused. Ten infantry regiments and one battalion of Chevau-légers were provided with Prussian uniforms and placed in the hostile army. However, this was not successful because the majority of the troops deserted. From 1757, most of the "booty-regiments" dissolved, only three of which remained at war's end. The same year a Saxon corps under Prince Prince Francis Xavier of Saxony was raised in Hungary. After the war, Prince Francis Xavier as regent for the underage Elector Friedrich August III sought to reform the army to Prussian model, but failed because of the resistance of the estates because of high costs.
Saxony fought in the War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806 initially on the side of Prussia. In the battles of Saalfeld and Jena–Auerstedt, the Saxon and Prussian armies were heavily defeated. After these defeats the French occupied Saxony.
Saxony became a member state of the Confederation of the Rhine and on 20 December 1806, the Electorate was created a kingdom by the graces of Napoleon.
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Royal Saxon Army
The Royal Saxon Army (German: Königlich Sächsische Armee) was the military force of the Electorate (1682–1807) and later the Kingdom of Saxony (1807–1918). A regular Saxon army was first established in 1682 and it continued to exist until the abolition of the German monarchies in 1918. With the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon the Royal Saxon Army joined the French "Grande Armée" along with 37 other German states.
The founder of the standing army in Saxony was Elector Johann Georg III. He convinced the Saxon Estates in 1681 that the established practice of in case of war hiring mercenaries and dismissing them in peace, was as costly as the formation of a standing army. In 1682 the hitherto existing home troops and Guard and other small units were consolidated in line regiments. The army consisted of six infantry regiments of eight companies and five cavalry regiments. The field artillery consisted out of 24 guns.
The Northern War proved the combat power of the Saxon army to be very low, so that after the war a military reform was enacted which aimed to increase their military efficiency. As part of this reform, the Saxon army was brought to a strength of 30,000, which consisted almost exclusively of Saxons. Thus it differed from the armies of other European states, which supplemented their staff frequently with foreigners.
Following the reform, the army consisted of Guard Infantry, line infantry, and cavalry regiments (Chevau-légers, Dragoons and cuirassiers) together. The artillery as a third independent branch of service and was made up of field artillery and in-house. Also belonging to the artillery, were Mineurs and pontoniers established companies. The army was divided into four General Houses and classified according to the state of Saxony into four military divisions. For the first time for the accommodation of the troops barracks were built.
During the Second Silesian War, Saxony allied with Austria. The Saxon army suffered heavily under Friedrich August Graf Rutowski in the battle of Kesselsdorf against Prussia. The growing crisis bankrupted the state and forced the Saxon Prime Minister Graf Brühl in 1749 to reduce the army to 17,000 men.
During the Seven Years' War Saxony was again invaded by Prussia and the Saxon army was invested by the Prussian army in the Siege of Pirna where they had to capitulate on 16 October 1756. Only four cavalry regiments and two Lancers formations, which were located in Poland, escaped the surrender. Frederick II of Prussia forced the Saxon regiments to swear an oath of allegiance to Prussia, which at least most of the officers refused. Ten infantry regiments and one battalion of Chevau-légers were provided with Prussian uniforms and placed in the hostile army. However, this was not successful because the majority of the troops deserted. From 1757, most of the "booty-regiments" dissolved, only three of which remained at war's end. The same year a Saxon corps under Prince Prince Francis Xavier of Saxony was raised in Hungary. After the war, Prince Francis Xavier as regent for the underage Elector Friedrich August III sought to reform the army to Prussian model, but failed because of the resistance of the estates because of high costs.
Saxony fought in the War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806 initially on the side of Prussia. In the battles of Saalfeld and Jena–Auerstedt, the Saxon and Prussian armies were heavily defeated. After these defeats the French occupied Saxony.
Saxony became a member state of the Confederation of the Rhine and on 20 December 1806, the Electorate was created a kingdom by the graces of Napoleon.