Cavalry of the Bavarian War of the Spanish Succession

The Bavarian cavalry at the start of the war had three Regiments of Dragoons, three of Cuirassiers and a number of Guard Regiments which only consisted of a few squadrons.  The Elector was told to raise his army to some 25,000 men and so all infantry regiments were brought up to 3 battalions and an extra cuirassier regiment was created(Wolframsdorff) which brought the army, along with militia battalions, up to around some 19,000 men.

After the battles of Schellensberg and Blenheim, only the the heavy and guard cavalry arm remained as a force of Bavarians along with the LeibGarde, Kurfurst and the Boismorel Grenadiers.  The replacements for losses was the disbanding of the Dragoons, which fed in replacements to the Cuirassiers and the Prinz Phillip Karbineers.

Major Battles of the Bavarian Cavalry

At Schellenburg, Monasterol's Dragoons 2 sqns & Santini's dragoons 1 sqn in Monasreol's Dragoon Bde ( along with 6 French Dragoon Sqn's deployed in support of the foot). Lt Gen Torring-Seefeld commanded 26 sqn's of Bavarian cavalry in support behind the Schellenburg - 6 sqn each of the 4 cuirassier regiments - Arco & Weickel in Weickel's Bde and Costa & Wolframsdorff along with 2 sqn of Locatelli Hussars in De Costa's Bde.

At Blenheim, Von Wolframsdorff commanded 23 sqn's of Bavarian Horse deployed between Oberglauheim & Lutzingen as part of the Cavalry under Compte d'Arco. In the 1st line Weickel's Bde consisted of 4 sqn each of Arco & Weickel Cuirassiers, and 3 sqn of Household Guard Horse - certainly the Garde Carabiniers (? 1 or 2 sqn) and Garde Grenadiers & probably also the Hartschiere Garde though Grant says these were palace ceremonial troops. In the 2nd line was de Costa's Bde with 5sqn Wolframsdorff Cuir., 4 sqn Costa Cuir. & 2 sqn Locatelli Hussars. The 3 Dragoon regiments appear to have been in Munich & Augsberg at the time.

At Ramilles, The Bavarians had Cavalry as part of 2 Bde's - 1st Line Santini's Bde 3 sqn each of Arco, Weickel & Garde brigaded with cavalry from Cologne & in 2nd line in Costa's Bde 3 sqn each of Wolframsdorff, Costa & Pr. Philip Carabiniers also with a unit from Cologne. reference = "Ramilles - Marlborough's Masterpiece" by Neil Litten by Partizan Press.

At Malplaquet there are 12 squadrons of unnamed Bavarian Horse present in the cavalry of the Left - 7 sqn in the 1st line & 5 in the 2nd. Reference = "Malplaquet 1709" by Christopher Scott also by Partizan Press.

The Dragoons

Guard Cavalry

The above Regiments are my interpretation based on the information found on the Internet.  Most are based on Anton Hoffmans excellent drawings and the colours are subject to various artist's interpretations of historical records.  So far as I am aware, there are no museum articles of clothing to verify the exact colours. My artwork is no means historically accurate.

Bavarian uniform facings(WSS) Quick reference sheet