Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV, Volume 10

During the reign of Louis XIV, the French army was one of the largest and most effective military forces in Europe. Its infantry and dragoons underwent constant development and experimentation in organisation, tactics and equipment. The infantry in particular formed the backbone of the ‘Giant of the Grand Siècle’ and was the largest component of the French army, expanding considerably during the reign of the Sun King.

As France alone could not provide the number of recruits required to sustain this expansion, the infantry came to include soldiers of many different nationalities, creating one of the most significant multi-ethnic military forces of its age. The considerable demands imposed by France’s extensive military commitments also led to the creation of a large militia. In the King’s vision, this was intended to serve as a reserve for the regular army and incorporated features that anticipated modern compulsory military service.