The army at the end of the 17th century
By 1700 in most of the countries (except Sweden) infantry was no longer divided into pikemen and musketeers. The equipment of the musketeer now included a gun with a bayonet and flintlock, the special branch of infantry – the grenadiers forming habitually one tenth of the army – additionally carried also hand grenades. In about 1680 the European armies had developed specific uniforms giving the units a common image, however, at the outset the regiments still came to be distinguished by different ...
Read moreThe Swedish army uniform
In 1683 King Louis XIV of France had given King Charles XI of Sweden two uniforms and the Swedish army uniform was largely based on these two – a cuffed coat and breeches with a hat, stockings and shoes. The coat was either blue or grey with copper buttons, the blue coat had turn-up sleeves, and the breeches were traditionally yellow. The uniform of each regiment differed slightly either in details or colours. The uniform of cavalrymen – Trabants – was embellished with golden embroidery.
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Local peculiarities
On the order of the Swedish government several military units were also formed of local men, including in Tallinn. In all the units there could be about 10 000 Estonians. The unfinished fortifications in Tallinn were equipped only with few cannons during the Great Northern War, thus for instance in 1710 there were only 54 cannons in Tallinn.
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Handling matchlock musket in early 17th century.
Pike
The pike was a typical infantry weapon in the 17th century used to defend the musketeers against the cavalry. The spearhead was steel and the pike could be up to 5 metres long.
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Cavalry sword
Flintlock
In the 16th-century invention the gunpowder was ignited by striking flint against the frizzen. By the year 1700 it had replaced the matchlock and wheel lock mechanisms.
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Petard
A metal capsule resembling a church bell that was filled with gunpowder, attached to the walls of the enemy fortification and exploded.
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Cuirassier
By the mid-17th century, the armour of the heavy cavalry had shrunk to an iron helmet and a breastplate – cuirass – after which the cavalrymen came to be referred to as cuirassiers. They usually wore a long leather coat under the breastplate and long gloves. The pikes disappeared from weaponry in about 1620 and thereafter only two swords and pistols came to be carried.
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17th century artillery
According to the reforms of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden, the Swedish army was to include light cannons, which however took long to implement. Cannons came to be distinguished by the weight of the fired cannonball, gradually the system became less complex. The 32-pound cannon was called a cartow (Kartaune), 24-pound a semi-cartow (Demi-Kartaune), 18-pound a Schlange and a 9-pound cannon a Demi-Schlange.
Light artillery cannon
Lighter field cannons easily transported by two horses were developed under the leadership of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden in about 1630. The calibre of such a field cannon was approximately 75 mm.
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Fort cannon in the 17th century
Leather cannon
The experimental attempt to create a lighter cannon clad in leather enabling the use of lighter barrels. However, the leather cannon tested by King Gustav II Adolf and occasionally used in the Thirty Years’ War is generally considered a failed model.
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Bayonet
The early version of the bayonet was most likely first used in France in the second half of the 17th century – a dagger with a wooden handle that was slid in the muzzle. It turned the gun into a short spear, but prevented it from being fired. At the end of the 17th century the plug type was replaced by proper bayonets with the handle replaced by an iron socket that was attached outside the barrel. It was now possible to stab and fire at the same time. In order to secure the attachment of the bayonet ...
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