Osprey Men-at-Arms 296 : Louis XV's Army (1) : Cavalry and Dragoons

In 1715 the elderly 'Sun King' Louis XIV passed away and the throne of France devolved to his five-year-old great grandson, crowned in 1723 as Louis XV. The first 20 years of his reign were generally peaceful, a marked contrast to the war-like disposition of the previous king, and this was greatly appreciated by the people of France, who nicknamed their young king Le bien aime - the beloved. After the rigid style of pomp and circumstance dear to Louis XIV, the new reign heralded a more relaxed and debonair atmosphere in society. France had a population of between 22 and 25 million at that time, and maintained the largest standing army in Europe. In peacetime it might have amounted to about 200,000 men; in times of war, it could be anything up to half a million. A substantial part of Louis XV's army consisted of numerous regiments of guard cavalry, heavy cavalry and dragoon regiments, which were considered the best and noblest part. These many units form the subject matter in this first of five books [Men-at-Arms 296, 302, 304, 308 & 313] by Rene Chartrand covering the army of Louis XV's. Here Rene Chartrand examines the organisation and uniforms of the cavalry and dragoons, accompanied by a wealth of illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Eugène Lelièpvre.

Contents

• Introduction
• The Royal Guard Cavalry
• Heavy Cavalry
• Dragoons
• Standards and Guidons
• The Plates