Between 1682 - 1901 there were two types of regiments in the Swedish armed forces depending on how the soldiers were recruited and maintained:•"Indelta" regiments (Allotted regiments, part of the Allotment System)•"Värvade" regiments (Enlisted regiments) Both types of regiments were part of the regular standing army in Sweden (and Finland until 1809). Both the soldiers of the allotted regiments as well as the enlisted regiments were professional career soldiers with a contract with the Army. It is a misunderstanding that the majority of the regiments in Sweden were enlisted regiments and that they were the backbone of the army supported by a few provincial militia regiments consisting of peasant soldiers.However, nothing could be more wrong. The backbones of the armed forces were the allotted regiments and they were no militia units.Now, not everyone knows that there were two types of regiments in Sweden. The majority of the regiments were the allotted regiments. The enlisted regiments were a handful, consisting of the Guards regiments plus the garrison regiments. The artillery regiments were also enlisted regiments. The major difference between the allotted regiments and the enlisted was the way the soldiers were recruited and provided for.
Alloted vs. Enlisted Regiments
Cash salaries paid the soldiers in the enlisted regiments, like in most regiments in Europe at this time. The soldiers were recruited in a traditional way. The enlisted regiments were based in the major cities and therefore the soldiers lived in the cities. Special army barracks weren't used until the beginning of the 19th century. The soldiers in the allotted regiments didn't receive cash salaries. Instead they received a soldiers croft (cottage), with a piece of land. The idea was that this croft and piece of land would give enough yield to feed the soldier and his family. He also received an annual allowance and some payments in kind. The allotted regiments were established in the provinces of Sweden.This was the foundation of the "rotering" in the Allotment System. In order to keep the costs low of a standing Army, the farmers in each province had the responsibility to recruit and provide the soldiers to the regiment of the province. However it was up to the regiment to accept or not accept a new recruit. Once accepted, the recruit was employed as a professional soldier. When he was doing service the wife of the soldier had to take care of the small farm, the croft. When the soldier was at home he could attend to the croft. The croft didn't belong to the soldier, so when he left the army he and his family had to move to another accommodation.The soldiers of the allotted regiments lived in crofts, located in every parish of the province. The soldiers in a company lived in the same area.This way of recruiting and maintaining through a system like the Allotment System didn't exist in any other European country. Therefore this system is very little known outside Sweden.For more information on the Allotment System, see A summary of the Allotment System. The soldiers of the allotted regiments had long-term contracts and served for long periods (up to 30 years). Therefore they also had a high experience.The allotted soldiers also had a higher social status in the society than the enlisted soldiers. It was fairly easy to recruit an allotted soldier. The enlisted soldiers were recruited for 3 - 12 years. It was not always easy to recruit soldiers for the enlisted regiments and service in the enlisted regiments weren't very popular. The rules for the enlisted regiments therefore allowed prisoners-of-war, unemployed, vagrants and minor criminals to enroll.Except for the Life Guard's regiments, the enlisted regiments were used as garrison troops in piece time. In time of war they were used in the field and the garrison duties were first of all handed over to reserve troops. Since the enlisted units were troops assembled most of the time around the year they generally had better training than the allotted soldiers. The Life Guard's regiments were elite units. The allotted regiments basically trained during the summer.However the allotted soldiers had more experience and longer service. They also had a much higher morale and discipline. The allotted soldiers were peacetime neighbors, persons they had known for many years and this were men who would not fail in combat. The allotted soldiers had an excellent combat spirit and morale, rarely surrendered and hardly ever deserted. They were soldiers that could be trusted.The allotted soldiers quickly caught up with the training/skills of the enlisted soldiers once mobilized. War back then lasted for years and once in the field there was no difference between the two types of regiments.The majority of the regiments were allotted regiments and the fighting power of the troops relied on them. The allotted regiments (indelta) has lasted until modern times while the enlisted (värvade) regiments, except for the different Guard regiments, has varied over the years. A problem with the Allotment System, at times of war, was the insufficiency to provide enough replacement soldiers. The first test of the Allotment System was the Great Nordic War, which broke out in 1700. This was 18 years after the system was established.When King Karl XII mobilized the Army in 1700, the Swedish Army with the allotted regiments was the best-trained and best-equipped army at the time. And they surely proved to be very victorious. The Carolean soldiers of Karl XII was feared and respected. There have been long periods of piece when the armed forces didn't have the highest priority in Sweden and therefore the strength of the forces declined. This situation was true for most of the countries.This happened during periods of the 18th century and in the beginning of the 19th century. However, at the beginning of the 19th century Sweden had, on and off, been involved in periods of war from 1788 until the outbreak of the Napoleon Wars 1813. So the longtime serving allotted soldiers had quite an experience of war at the time and the forces had been mobilized quite a few times. A real low mark was in the middle of the 19th century (1850 - 1870) before the army was rearmed again. However at this time it was clear that the Allotment System was inadequate and finally abolished in 1901.Top of page
Between 1682 - 1901 there were two types of regiments in the Swedish armed forces depending on how the soldiers were recruited and maintained:•"Indelta" regiments (Allotted regiments, part of the Allotment System)•"Värvade" regiments (Enlisted regiments) Both types of regiments were part of the regular standing army in Sweden (and Finland until 1809). Both the soldiers of the allotted regiments as well as the enlisted regiments were professional career soldiers with a contract with the Army. It is a misunderstanding that the majority of the regiments in Sweden were enlisted regiments and that they were the backbone of the army supported by a few provincial militia regiments consisting of peasant soldiers.However, nothing could be more wrong. The backbones of the armed forces were the allotted regiments and they were no militia units.Now, not everyone knows that there were two types of regiments in Sweden. The majority of the regiments were the allotted regiments. The enlisted regiments were a handful, consisting of the Guards regiments plus the garrison regiments. The artillery regiments were also enlisted regiments. The major difference between the allotted regiments and the enlisted was the way the soldiers were recruited and provided for.
Alloted vs. Enlisted Regiments
Cash salaries paid the soldiers in the enlisted regiments, like in most regiments in Europe at this time. The soldiers were recruited in a traditional way. The enlisted regiments were based in the major cities and therefore the soldiers lived in the cities. Special army barracks weren't used until the beginning of the 19th century. The soldiers in the allotted regiments didn't receive cash salaries. Instead they received a soldiers croft (cottage), with a piece of land. The idea was that this croft and piece of land would give enough yield to feed the soldier and his family. He also received an annual allowance and some payments in kind. The allotted regiments were established in the provinces of Sweden.This was the foundation of the "rotering" in the Allotment System. In order to keep the costs low of a standing Army, the farmers in each province had the responsibility to recruit and provide the soldiers to the regiment of the province. However it was up to the regiment to accept or not accept a new recruit. Once accepted, the recruit was employed as a professional soldier. When he was doing service the wife of the soldier had to take care of the small farm, the croft. When the soldier was at home he could attend to the croft. The croft didn't belong to the soldier, so when he left the army he and his family had to move to another accommodation.The soldiers of the allotted regiments lived in crofts, located in every parish of the province. The soldiers in a company lived in the same area.This way of recruiting and maintaining through a system like the Allotment System didn't exist in any other European country. Therefore this system is very little known outside Sweden.For more information on the Allotment System, see A summary of the Allotment System. The soldiers of the allotted regiments had long-term contracts and served for long periods (up to 30 years). Therefore they also had a high experience.The allotted soldiers also had a higher social status in the society than the enlisted soldiers. It was fairly easy to recruit an allotted soldier. The enlisted soldiers were recruited for 3 - 12 years. It was not always easy to recruit soldiers for the enlisted regiments and service in the enlisted regiments weren't very popular. The rules for the enlisted regiments therefore allowed prisoners-of-war, unemployed, vagrants and minor criminals to enroll.Except for the Life Guard's regiments, the enlisted regiments were used as garrison troops in piece time. In time of war they were used in the field and the garrison duties were first of all handed over to reserve troops. Since the enlisted units were troops assembled most of the time around the year they generally had better training than the allotted soldiers. The Life Guard's regiments were elite units. The allotted regiments basically trained during the summer.However the allotted soldiers had more experience and longer service. They also had a much higher morale and discipline. The allotted soldiers were peacetime neighbors, persons they had known for many years and this were men who would not fail in combat. The allotted soldiers had an excellent combat spirit and morale, rarely surrendered and hardly ever deserted. They were soldiers that could be trusted.The allotted soldiers quickly caught up with the training/skills of the enlisted soldiers once mobilized. War back then lasted for years and once in the field there was no difference between the two types of regiments.The majority of the regiments were allotted regiments and the fighting power of the troops relied on them. The allotted regiments (indelta) has lasted until modern times while the enlisted (värvade) regiments, except for the different Guard regiments, has varied over the years. A problem with the Allotment System, at times of war, was the insufficiency to provide enough replacement soldiers. The first test of the Allotment System was the Great Nordic War, which broke out in 1700. This was 18 years after the system was established.When King Karl XII mobilized the Army in 1700, the Swedish Army with the allotted regiments was the best-trained and best-equipped army at the time. And they surely proved to be very victorious. The Carolean soldiers of Karl XII was feared and respected. There have been long periods of piece when the armed forces didn't have the highest priority in Sweden and therefore the strength of the forces declined. This situation was true for most of the countries.This happened during periods of the 18th century and in the beginning of the 19th century. However, at the beginning of the 19th century Sweden had, on and off, been involved in periods of war from 1788 until the outbreak of the Napoleon Wars 1813. So the longtime serving allotted soldiers had quite an experience of war at the time and the forces had been mobilized quite a few times. A real low mark was in the middle of the 19th century (1850 - 1870) before the army was rearmed again. However at this time it was clear that the Allotment System was inadequate and finally abolished in 1901.Top of page
