Cuirassiers of the Bavarian Army at the start of the War of Spanish Succession

At the outbreak of the War of Spanish Succession Bavaria had 3 cuirassier regiments: General de Cavalerie Johan Baptist Graf von Arco, GFML Graf von Thurn & Taxis (La Tour) & GWM Karl Johan Lothar von Wieckel von Wackerstein. Each regiment was of 12 companies in 6 squadrons. A company was of 75 men: 1 Rittmeister, 1 Oberleutnant, 1 Unterleutnant, 1 Kornett, 1 Wachtmeister, 1 Fourier, 3 Korporal, 1 Trompeter (Leibcompagnie +1), 1 Feldscherer, 1 Fahnensattler, 1 Fahnenschmied, 62 Gemeine. In April of 1701 cuirassier regiments were below authorized strength: Arco – 276, Wieckel – 275 & La Tour - 268. But by the opening of the hostilities in 1702 they reached the full staff. La Tour Cuirassier twice changed inhabers in 1702-03. First in 1702 it became obrist Gabriel Ferdinand Graf von Verita, then on 15 September 1703 – obrist Bartholomaus Graf von Costa.

The fourth cuirassier regiment was raised on 15 May 1702. Its inhaber became obrist Beit Heinrich Morits Graf von Wolframsdorff. Existing cuirassier & dragoon companies were reduced on 8 & 12 men respectively to create the new regiment, so now Bavarian cuirassier regiments became of 780 men.

Bavarian cuirassiers during the WSS were dressed in grey coats with cuffs & lining in regimental colours:

regiment	Regimental colour	Kamisol
Arco	blue	blue
Wieckel	red	red
La Tour(Costa)	red	grey
Wolframsdorff	green	green

Bavarian cuirassiers didn’t suffer a lot during the campaign of 1704. In October of 1704 Arco & Wolframsdorff Cuirassiers were of 12 coys, Costa – 10, Wieckel – 8. By the 1 November of 1704 Arco & Costa were reduced to 5 squadrons (10 coys), Wieckel & Wolframsdorff – 4 (8).

Cuirassier Regimental Standards

Though the originals standards were kept as trophies, no records exist of what they actually looked like.  The above standards are my interpretation based on the facing colours of the Regiment and the family crest being placed in the center of the standard.  They are no means historically accurate.

Source: Staudinger K. Geschichte des kurbayerischen Heeres unter Kurfürst Max II Emanuel. B. 2. S. 774, 783-784, 792, 797.