Saturday, 15 February 2025

1729 Thomas Osborne 3rd Viscount Dunblane

 


Another French army scene

 Thanks to Francois Weisskopf for this. Details etc. here


Description of Dragoons in the '15

 From the below book. 


Strelets WSS British Dragoons

 I will probably do the '15 in 1/72. These British Dragoon set look good. Plastic Soldier Review


Friday, 14 February 2025

Could You Survive as a British Soldier Fighting the Jacobites? Survive History

 Could you endure the hardships of life as a Redcoat soldier in King George's army during the Jacobite Rising of 1745? This full Survive History documentary takes you deep into the experience of British troops battling Charles Edward Stuart’s Jacobite forces.

Got this book on Sheriffmuir

 My brother who lives in Scotland found me a reasonably priced one. 


BAUDOUIN - " Exercice de l'Infanterie Françoise ordonné par le Roy le VI May M.D.CC IV 1757".


 

French camp scene Pierre Nicholas L'enfant

Thanks to Andrey Efremov for this. Wiki on the artist
 

Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Uniforms of the Seven Years War, 1756 - 63 (Blandford Colour Series)

 A book that came out in 1977. I associate it with Barry Lyndon as it was a great introduction to the period. Still worth a read if you are new to the period. See the plates here


Barry Lyndon

 50 years old this year. Wiki, I must admit I didn't notice it in 1975 I came to see it when it came out on video - I had a Betamax version that cost a fortune but I considered it worth it. 

Cahir Castle Tipperary Ireland.

Charles XII's Karoliners Volume 2

 The Swedish Cavalry of the Great Northern War 1700-1721

This series is yout best bet for finding out about Charles XII's army. Here for more. 



BattleCat Historical Miniatures

 We are proud to anounce our next Kickstarter project:

THE SWEDISH ARMY OF THE GREAT NORTHERN WAR!
The wait is over, gather your troops to defend the kingdom from the hated enemy.
The project will give you the following 28mm 3D printable figures:
Infantry. Depicting 2 different uniforms, early and late war as well as grenadiers. This set comes with 14 different poses and pairs of arms, 2 different sets of heads, and command group including drummers, ensigns, ncos and an officer. The figures come as unipart and multipart models.
Artillery. 17 different poses let you assemble the swedish artillery batteries. An nco and an officer are included. Figures are unipart and come with multiple different heads.
Dragoons. Armed with swords and muskets, they come with 6 different mounted poses, an officer, drummer, ensign and nco. They also come as dismounted tropos with 7 different poses. Mounted Troops are multipart, command group come as unipart figures. Dismounted tropos are multipart and unipart figures.
Horse Cavalry. Charging at the enemy with their swords, this multipart figures come in 6 different poses. Included are an officer, trumpet, ensign and nco which come as unipart models.
High Command. The Generals of your army are represented with this 5 mounted figures:
Adam Ludvig Lewenhaupt, Carl Gustaf Dücker, Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld, Magnus Stenbock and Charles XII.
May be an image of text that says "Che reat Northern War Swvedish Army 28mm 28 3d printable miniatures Launching MDarch 4th"
All reactions:
15

Il mestiere delle armi 2001 - Battle of Governolo

 Snowy battle scene. Film wiki

The Battle of Governolo (or Battle of Borgoforte) was a battle fought on 25 November 1526 during the war between the League of Cognac and the Emperor Charles V of Habsburg. It ended with a strategic success for the German militia of the Landsknechts sent to Italy by the emperor, who after being defeated on the field by the troops of Giovanni delle Bande Nere, managed to seriously wound the leader with a falconet shot, fired at the end of the battle; the shot, due to the resulting gangrene, proved fatal for the leader and the road to Rome was clear for the Landsknechts.

Monday, 10 February 2025

The Queen and the Cardinal - Full TV Movie - 2009 Historical - Alessandra MARTINES, Philippe TORRETON -GP

 English subtitles. 17th century France.  Wiki

La Reine et le Cardinal is a 2009 French television film directed by Marc Rivière and starring Alessandra Martines and Philippe Torreton in the title roles. It is based on events in the early years of the reign of Louis XIV of France. The drama of the rumored love affair between the child king's widowed mother, Anne of Austria, and her prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, unfolds as intrigue and political discord ignite the Fronde. The second part of the film covers the romance between Louis XIV and Mazarin's niece, Marie Mancini and ends with the death of Mazarin. It has been broadcast in two parts which lasted for over three hours. Marc Rivière won a best director award at the La Rochelle TV festival for this production.[1]

Town's 1646 witchcraft trial ordeal re-enacted

 Read here on the BBC. Good publicity for a good idea. 

Saturday, 8 February 2025

Micah Clarke (1985) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, starring Patrick Troughton

 


This year why not commemorate the Rebellion by listening to this, 

Imperial Austria: Grenadier Officers of the Regiment von Sprecher at Genoa 1746.


 

Coat colours with Monmouth

Extract From the Taylor narrative
 
On the Eleventh of June being Thursday, James late Duke of Monmouth came with three small ships to Anchor, whence he landed at Lime,' when he landed he had but Sixty men, All arayed in Scarlet, except three, which were in Purple, All arayed like the Duke of Monmouth, soe that none knew which of them was really the Dukes person.'There was with them the Lord Gray.'

Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV Volume 7 Part 3: Armies of the German States 1655-1690


Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV Volume 7 Part 3: Armies of the German States 1655-1690 from our Century of the Soldier 1618-1721 series is now available!
After the Peace of Westphalia, German states built disciplined armies, supplying mercenaries across Europe. Prussia became the leading military state, yet Germany remained divided and vulnerable. Its armies developed within a system balancing security, internal conflict, and political stability, prioritising defence over aggression.
This study, based on extensive archival research, is the first to examine the Holy Roman Empire’s armies in a single volume. Bruno Mugnai’s final work on seventeenth-century German forces explores recruitment, conflicts, and the diverse military structures. Detailed appendices cover orders of battle, regiments, and the hiring of troops to foreign powers.
✨ Save £5 off RRP until Wednesday 12th February - no code needed! ✨

Close up of Steel Fist 15mm

 Impressive detail. Facebook




Interesting painting

 From Dutch Golden Century Painters

Joost Cornelisz. Droochsloot (1586–1666)

The disbanding of the 'waardgelders' (mercenaries in the pay of the town government) by Prince Maurits in Utrecht, 31 July 1618.


Femme des troupes 1746


 Thanks Thomas Fressin for this. It is a detail from this painting Les collections – Château de Versailles - Louis XV au siège de Mons, juillet 1746


Monday, 3 February 2025

The Battle of Sheriffmuir: based on Eye Witness Accounts - Bill Inglis 2005

Ron sent me info on this. Bit expensive for me. 

Bill Inglis's account of the battle draws on twelve eye witness accounts. Two were written on the evening of the battle: in the case of the Earl of Haddington before he had taken his boots off. The despatches of the two commanders, the Earl of Mar and the Duke of Argyle, were written within 48 hours of the last shot being fired.
 

Austrian Dragoon Regiment Althaus, Grenadier 1750

By David Morier
 

Saturday, 1 February 2025

Dutch drill figures from 1713


There are some doubts about the date

See more here


 

Foreign troops in the '15 and '19

 Some useful insight here

Minifigs painted as Swiss Dutch regiment Sturler by Steve the Wargamer - see here

More Steel Fist cavalry (15mm)

 This range has really caught my imagination. Hopton V Waller I think.




Friday, 31 January 2025

George Wade

 Just ordered a biography of this man from the Library. Lived an interesting life, Wiki

There is a local connection for me as there is a house in Bath that was his home as he was MP for Bath, Marshal Wade's House. 

By Brian Robert Marshall

Jacobite Rising of 1719

 


I lump this in with the '15.  The plan would have been interesting if they had carried it out. Wiki

From a wargames point of view it would have been great to have Charles XII land in Scotland. 

From the wiki

Ormonde added another element, based on his involvement in peace talks between Sweden and Russia.[5] Charles XII of Sweden was then in dispute with Hanover over territories in Germany, an example of the problems caused by George I's being ruler of both Hanover and Britain.[6] A small Scottish force would secure Inverness, allowing a Swedish expeditionary force to disembark; Charles' death in November 1718 ended Swedish participation, and the entire purpose of the Scottish rising.[7]