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Before
the Carolean uniform was introduced in the 1690s, the Swedish army
neckcloths were usually black. But Charles XI did not appreciate that colour so
several regiments would instead receive striped/motley neckcloths during
that decade, even though it is not always clear which regiments received
them and what colours these had. White neckcloths were also issued and the
infantry regulation written in 1697-98 stipulated that the neckcloth was to be
white. However, in a draft to a new uniform regulation (likely from 1700)
the neckcloth was instead supposed to be black and this would also be the
dominant colour during the Great Northern War. But it was common during the
Great Northern War to have several neckcloths of different colours and in
these cases the other colour was usually white.
Until 1697
the neckcloth was tied in the front with a ribbon so it formed a cravat (see
pictures of these further down on the page). But after that year the neckcloth
was tied in the back without a ribbon just like in the painting of Charles
XII above.
= Black
= White
= Blue
= Red
= Black or red neckcloth |
= Blue and black neckcloths
= Black and white neckcloths
= Two black and one white neckcloth
= Two white and one black neckcloth |
= Blue and white neckcloths
= Two white and one blue neckcloth
= Blue-white-striped
= Striped, motley (colours not specified) |
|
Infantry
 |
 |
 |
|
Illustration from 1696 depicting Nyland drummers with white neckcloths with red ribbons. It does not match the uniform issued
this year and ought to be the old uniform from 1688. |
Göte Göransson's interpretation of the Dal-regiment neckcloth according
to a decision in 1689, but the Estonian Cavalry Regiment also had neckcloths
like that in 1697. |
Västerbotten neckcloth from 1694 interpreted by Göte Göransson. |
|
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References
Asker, Björn. Om svenska fotfolkets nybeklädnad (article in MAM 40). Stockholm (1983).
Asker, Björn. Upplands regemente and Karl XI:s uniformsreformer (article in MAM 39). Stockholm (1981).
Bellander, Erik. Dräkt and uniform. Stockholm (1973).
Höglund, Lars-Eric – Sallnäs, Åke. Stora nordiska kriget 1700-1721 - Fanor and uniformer. Karlstad (2000).
Larsson, Anders. Karolinska uniformer och munderingar åren 1700-1721. Östersund (2022).
Wernstedt, Folke. Kungl. Svea livgardes historia, volume IV. Stockholm (1954).
Åberg, Alf – Göransson, Göte. Karoliner. Stockholm (1976). |
