The Illyrien regiment

Here's another unit for my Pre-Bardin uniform project. In fact, this one was quite difficult to paint - not because the uniform is that much complicated (except from the stripes-and-blue-circles-pattern on the drummers' arms) but because it's one of these units whith a uniform design that seems to be heavily disputed among the various artists.


Boissellier, Marbot, Knoetel, Humbert - the well-known painters of Napoleonics units all seem to have gone wild about this subject. Some show white, some black gaiters or light infantry boot-style gaiters, with or without tassels, in red, white, whatsoever. There are pictures with red and pictures with blue epaulettes - same with cuffs. Total confusion.

What is sure is that the Illyrien regiment was founded in 1810 with general uniform style of French light infantry. The Illyrien provinces were the former Austrian occupations along the Adriatic sea - Istria, Croatia, Dalmatia, Carinthia - with Ljubljana as a capital. It existed until 1813.

Parts of the correspondence between Napoleon, his military attaches and the responsible governors and officers for this regiment still exist. It seems that its' worth in battle was rather poor. When on action away from its' country of origin, the regiment suffered badly from desertion.

Well - I had to make decisions. So I went with Humbert and Knoetel. Others may tell me that this might be 'historically incorrect' - but then they must proof me that their sources are more accurate. ;-P