Active 1628–1927
1994–1997 Branch Swedish Army Size Regiment | Country Sweden Type Infantry | |
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Colours Blue and red (uniform, to 1690) | ||
The Västmanland Regiment (Swedish: Västmanlands regemente), designations I 18 and Fo 48, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that traced its origins back to the 16th century. It was disbanded for the first time in 1927 but later reraised and disbanded again in 1997. The regiment's soldiers were originally recruited from the province of Västmanland, and it was later garrisoned there.
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History
The regiment has its origins in fänikor (companies) raised in Västmanland in the 1550s and 1560s. In 1617, these units—along with fänikor from the nearby provinces of Dalarna and Uppland—were organised by Gustav II Adolf into Upplands storregemente, of which six of the total 24 companies were recruited in Västmanland. Upplands storregemente consisted of three field regiments, of which Västmanlands regemente was one. Sometime around 1623, the grand regiment was permanently split into three smaller regiments, of which Västmanlands regemente was one.
The regiment was officially raised in 1628 although it had existed since 1623. Västmanlands regemente was one of the original 20 Swedish infantry regiments mentioned in the Swedish constitution of 1634. The regiment's first commander was Bengt Bagge. It was allotted in 1682 as one of the first regiments to be so.
The regiment was given the designation I 18 (18th Infantry Regiment) in a general order in 1816. Västmanlands regemente was garrisoned in Västerås from 1906. The regiment was disbanded in 1927, but was reorganised in 1994 as a local defence area with the designation Fo 48, although disbanded again just three years later in 1997.