Östgöta infantry regiment

 

Originating from fänikor (roughly company size units) set up in Östergötland 1551, it was made into an indelt infantry regiment in 1685. In Swedish Pommerania at the start of the great northern war, it was transferred to Poland in 1702, and served in the royal army, taking part in the field battles of Holowczyn 1708 and Poltava 1709 where it was lost. It was reraised in Sweden and took part in teh battles of Helsingborg 1710 and Gadebsuch 1712, and capitulated after the siege of Tönningen.

It was led by the interim regimental commander lieutenant colonel Magnus Gripensköld. Differing sources put him as either 47 or 45 at the time of the battle. His grandfather Magnus Jespersson began as a common cavalryman in the Östgöta cavalry regiment in 1626, rising in the ranks and ennobled in 1665. Magnus became a career soldier at around 13-15 years of age as a volontär, and served abroad as a cadet in the Prince of Orange's guard 1681-1684. Returned to serve in the Östgöta regiment for the rest of his life. He died childless in 1712 on the border between Sweden and Norway.

 


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