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| Plan de la bataille de Spire Gagnée par l'armée du Roy comandée par M. le Marechal de Tallard. by Nicolas de Fer (see the image in higher resolution at Gallica: link) |
The publication dated 1648 contains a list of Swedish, French & Hessian troops presented in Germany in 1648. Plus lists of generals & garrisons. According to it the troops were the following (see details below):
- Swedish: 55 regiments of cavalry (438 coys) & 60 foot regiments (477 coys)
- French: 14 mounted (126 coys) & 11 foot (306 coys) regiments
- Hessians: 5 mounted (58 coys) & 13 foot (166 coys) regiments
Subsidy treaties were a defining feature of early modern European diplomacy, allowing smaller states to exchange military manpower for financial support from larger powers. The German principality of Waldeck provides a particularly clear example of how this system functioned in practice. Lacking the economic base of larger states, Waldeck relied on leasing troops abroad—most often to powers such as the Dutch Republic, Britain, or other members of anti-French coalitions—as a way to sustain its finances and maintain a standing military establishment.
These agreements, often called Subsidienverträge, typically specified the number of troops to be provided, their organization, pay rates, and conditions of service. In return, the contracting power paid subsidies directly to the ruling prince. For Waldeck, this meant maintaining a small but professional force that could be mobilized for foreign service while also reinforcing the principality’s political relevance within the Holy Roman Empire. Unlike purely mercenary arrangements, these troops remained under their own officers and often preserved their national identity, even when integrated into foreign armies.
Waldeck’s participation in subsidy systems was especially visible during major conflicts such as the War of the Spanish Succession and later the American Revolutionary War. Like the more famous Hessian contingents, Waldeck troops served abroad under treaty obligations, demonstrating how even very small German states could project influence far beyond their borders. These arrangements also provided rulers with steady income streams, which could be used to fund administration, court life, and military reforms at home.
However, subsidy treaties were not without controversy. Critics—both contemporary and modern—have pointed out the human cost of these arrangements, as soldiers were effectively deployed in conflicts that often had little direct connection to their homeland. In some cases, heavy reliance on subsidy income could distort a state’s priorities, encouraging rulers to maintain larger forces than necessary for local defense. Nonetheless, for minor principalities like Waldeck, such treaties were often one of the few viable strategies for survival in a competitive and fragmented political landscape.
Within its pages, readers will find vivid descriptions of the regiment's exploits on the battlefield, as they charge into the chaos of war on horseback. Colonel Schreiber's keen observations and strategic insights provide invaluable insights into the challenges and strategies employed during this turbulent period of European history.
Schreiber's diary also sheds light on the personal experiences and emotions of the soldiers under his command, making this book not only a historical document but also a deeply human narrative. Readers will witness the camaraderie, hardships, and sacrifices endured by the Hussar Regiment as they navigate the ever-shifting sands of war.
With meticulous attention to detail and a clear narrative voice, "Tagebuch des Husarenregiments. 13. August 1792 - 1. März 1794" is a must-read for history enthusiasts, military historians, and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the events and individuals that shaped this tumultuous period in European history. Colonel Schreiber's diary offers a compelling window into the world of elite cavalry units and the dramatic moments of the late 18th century.
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This translated and edited work of Carl Renourd’s “Geschichte des französischen Revolutionskrieges im Jahre 1792” encompasses a Germanic (Kurhessen) perspective of the actions and events of the French Revolution in 1792. The French Revolutionary War in 1792 occupies a prominent position in history, not because there are grand operations and unusually ingenious operations, far-reaching battles and skirmishes to be reported, taken in a military sense, but because the whole structure and progress the nature of this war in general, brought about conditions from which the French Revolution in its world-shattering manner largely developed. In another respect, a more than twenty-year war period emerged. 654 pages.
PURCHASE
