Help with Prussian "giants" regiments 1720
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billyturnip
A Fixture
What is it you are looking for Pedro, uniform details or general info?
Roger.
Roger.
billyturnip
A Fixture
billyturnip
A Fixture
And this book, German text but plenty of colour pictures.
http://www.zeughausverlag.de/buecher_02.html
Roger.
http://www.zeughausverlag.de/buecher_02.html
Roger.
billyturnip
A Fixture
Roger, many thanks!!!
Searching for battles.
Pedro.
Pedro, I think c1720 was a peaceful time for Prussia. Between the War of the Spanish Succession which ended in 1714 and the beginning of the First Silesian War, 1740, the "Giants" principal role would have been guard and ceremonial duties.
Happy to be corrected on this by anyone more knowledgeable though.
Roger.
billyturnip
A Fixture
You may well be right Pedro. Anything in English, which is very little, mainly concentrates on the Russians and Swedes. Hopefully someone else will contribute something, I hope so.
Roger.
Martin64
A Fixture
Hi Pedro,
I will try my best to provide some information about this unit:
Founded in 1675 they became the Guard in 1713 when their commander Frederik William the 1rst became King of Prussia. Even before that time he had started to select tall men for this unit. By then Grenadiers of the "King´s Regiment" should be no less than 1,88 m tall! Frederik William collected tall men throughout Europe and although he was quite close-fisted about expenses he spent a lot of money for his beloved giants.
Although he became known as the "Soldier-King" he never waged war and therefore his Guard did not see action. There are discussions if some of the giants would have been fit for action at war at all - one member was 2,17m tall - and their tall size could be seen as a disease with bad impact on the physical ability of the soldiers. Whatever - we never know.
His son Frederik the 2nd - the Great - disbanded this unit and reorganized them. Some soldiers were transferred into the new Prussian Guard Regiment No. 15 which saw action in the conflict between Prussia and Austria 1745 and later.
Cheers, Martin
I will try my best to provide some information about this unit:
Founded in 1675 they became the Guard in 1713 when their commander Frederik William the 1rst became King of Prussia. Even before that time he had started to select tall men for this unit. By then Grenadiers of the "King´s Regiment" should be no less than 1,88 m tall! Frederik William collected tall men throughout Europe and although he was quite close-fisted about expenses he spent a lot of money for his beloved giants.
Although he became known as the "Soldier-King" he never waged war and therefore his Guard did not see action. There are discussions if some of the giants would have been fit for action at war at all - one member was 2,17m tall - and their tall size could be seen as a disease with bad impact on the physical ability of the soldiers. Whatever - we never know.
His son Frederik the 2nd - the Great - disbanded this unit and reorganized them. Some soldiers were transferred into the new Prussian Guard Regiment No. 15 which saw action in the conflict between Prussia and Austria 1745 and later.
Cheers, Martin
theBaron
A Fixture
As an expansion on the fate of the regiment under Frederick: the regiment itself was reduced in numbers as the Garde-Grenadier Regiment (Nr. 6), retaining their uniforms and colors in memory of the late king. It was counted with Frederick's Garde (IR 15) as part of the Guard, if I remember correctly.
Prost!
Brad
billyturnip
A Fixture
Martin, Brad, thank you both for helping me out. 
Roger.
Roger.
Martin64
A Fixture
I have to correct my previous post: When Sweden occupied the island Usedom in 1715 Prussia declared war on Sweden. After the death of Charles XII Sweden and Prussia agreed on peace terms. In between Prussian soldiers took part in some sieges against Swedish troops. Roger`s link : http://www.lange-kerls.de/ indicates that the Giant Guard was involved in a combined action with Russian troops. Unfortunately there are no further details provided. Battle honors for Guard Regiment No. 6 start with Hohenfriedberg 1745 though...
All the best!
Martin
All the best!
Martin
billyturnip
A Fixture
Good one Martin, I missed that, I'll blame the translation.
Roger.
Roger.
theBaron
A Fixture
Oh, duh! I've completely forgotten about Dorn & Engelmann, and their "Die Infanterie-Regimenter Friedrichs des Grossen." They have complete histories, going back to the reign of Frederick I in most cases. I should have looked there.
Prost!
Brad
Prost!
Brad
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