Slitherine

Spanish Army of Lombardy War Grand Alliance
by Leganes » 28 Jun 2013 09:43

Having just read Dr Chris Storr's works on Savoy and The Spanish Army of Lombardy, I am finding difficulty reconciling the army lists to the history. The Savoy list allows 20 bases of cavalry. The spanish in Italy allows only 8. Storr's work suggest that the cavalry number available to the Spanish was usually more numerous as that available to the Savoyards.

Worthwhile References on army size.
Diplomatic Relations between William III and Victor Amadeus II 1690–96 (thesis)
The Army of Lombardy and the Resilience of Spanish Power in Italy in the Reign of Carlos II (1665–1700)
War, Diplomacy, and the Rise of Savoy, 1690–1720

Any comments

Could this be a function of the scale of the lists?

I thought so but read in Storr's work that Leganes regulalry maintained 3-4000 horse and 6-8000 foot during the Grand alliance wars in Italy.

Could easily be that Leganes has access to much better information that the list writer

Feel free to post up a list that conforms to your ideas here - people may be interested.

Hi Nik,
From The Army of Lombardy and the Resilience of Spanish Power in Italy in the Reign of Carlos II (1665–1700) by Dr Christopher Storrs.
"Governor, the Marquis of Leganes. This allowed for a more realistic total of between 21 000 (16 860 infantry and 4284 cavalry) and over 22 500 men (18 000 infantry and 4500 cavalry). However, this took some time to achieve. At the end of the 1691 campaign, the army of Lombardy totalled just over 17 000 men (13 315 infantry and 3950 cavalry), and remained virtually unchanged. Only one unit of dragoons. Later on ...By the end of the 1694 campaign it totalled 20 000 (13 971 infantry, 4900 cavalry, 379 dismounted, and
1209 in garrison).

From THE SPANISH ARMIES IN THE WAR OF THE LEAGUE OF AUGSBURG (NINE YEARS WAR 1688-1697) by GIANCARLO BOERI, JOSÈ LUIS MIRECKI, JOSÈ PALAU
The Milanese cavalry was composed of about 30 companies of Horse During the campaign they were grouped into operational squadrons. Furthermore there were two units of Foreign (=German; 8-9 companies) and Neapolitan (6-8 companies) horse. There was also a Regiment of Dragoons of the State [called also “yellow” Dragoons] of 8-12 companies. In 1690 to meet the obligations with the duke of Savoy and to field and army of sufficient strength to oppose the French, in addition to with the infantry regiment from the duke of Württemberg , was capitulated the service of a cuirassiers and one dragoon regiment (that in 1692 were merged into just one regiment of horse) and one regiment of Bavarian cuirassiers (Arco), and one more of Imperial cuirassiers. Bavarian Cuirassiers Regiment of (1690-1693) Arco, Imperial Cuirassiers Regiment of (1693-1696) Carafa, Württemberg Cuirassiers Regiment (1690-1696) and the Württemberg Dragoons Regiment137 (1690-1694).

Suggest that max number be increased to 20 horse (to include 8 Germans) Perhaps 8 Superior (Milanese/Spanish cavalry; 4 average unarmoured (Neopolitans) and 8 German Cuirassiers.
Best regards.

Leganes (no relation)