I have been looking into the history of the above Regiment and trying to understand how the same Regiment can appear in both French and Bavarian service throughout the C18th.
After reading through Susane and other sources, I think I have identified what happened but would be grateful for your thoughts.
It appears that the Regiment was first created on 14th March 1706 in Italy from Bavarian prisoners. At this time, it consisted of two battalions.
From 1st Feb 1707, it appears that Colonel Emanuel Franz Joseph Chevalier de Bavière was appointed as Regimental Chef and the Regiment was known as "Chevalier de Baviere".
It then appears that the Regiment came into French service on 1st Jan 1709. Susane confirms that Louis XIV had first considered raising a new german Regiment for French service in 1703 but that this was delayed due to the 'disasters' of Blenheim (if, like me, you are English, for 'disaster' read 'victory' !). Susane adds that the Regiment "Royal-Baviere" was formed on 1st Jan 1709 from two Companies of the Electors Guard together with six Companies taken from the Regiment d'Alsace.
I assume we are talking here about the same Regiment raised in 1706 ? Perhaps the French troops were added to bring it up to strength.
It appears that this Regiment stayed in French service until 10th June 1715 when it absorbed the Infantry Regiment "Reding" (another german Regiment in French service).
At this point, I think that the divergence occurred and the regiment was split :
a. Two Companies remaining in France (the foundation of the French Regiment "Royal-Baviere" with history taking it through to the French Revolution);
b. The remaining Companies transferring to Bavarian service and forming a second Regiment which became known in 1716 as "Regiment zu Fuss Lerchenfeld", becoming "Regiment zu Fuss Maffei" in 1718, "Minucci" in 1730, "La Rosee" in 1759, "Lerchenfeld" in 1764, "Wahl" in 1775 and so on into the Napoleonic era.
This is my interpretation of the sources I have found but I would be interested to hear if anyone has any information which supports the above or indeed offers a different view.
Many thanks,
Phil
receives a gift from his wife…