Bergenhus Regiment

"Bergenhus Regiment" was a Norwegian Army infantry regiment located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. It was first formed in 1628 and finally disbanded in 2002. In 2006 it was decided that as the Norwegian Home Guard has taken over both the territorial responsibility and recruitment area of the old regiments they are recognised as their successors. Thus battle honours and history has been transferred to them and new banners based on the old regimental colours were created to reflect that. The history of Bergenhus Regiment is carried on by Bergenhus Heimevernsdistrikt 09 and Møre og Fjordane Heimevernsdistrikt 11.

Introduction

Bergenhus Regiment was first raised in 1628 as part of the Danish King Christian IV's plan to create a Norwegian army. Most armies of that time had in their ranks large proportions of mercenaries, expensive troops to maintain and sometimes of questionable loyalty.Thus by raising an army that was to manned by his own rural subjects he wished to create an organization that would be loyal, could quickly be put on a war-footing and that could serve his interest, both in war and peace.

To recruit men for this army all farms in the realm from Båhus in the south to Trøndelag in the central north was organized into the "legd"-system. A "legd" consisted of four full farms, which together would provide and equip a single soldier.

The initial army consisted of five regiments:

-"Trondhjemske Regiment"

-"Bergenhusiske Regiment"

-"Tunsberghusiske Regiment"

-"Akershusiske Regiment"

-"Bohus Regiment"

There were also three independent companies:

-"Jämtlands Kompani"

-"Stavanger lens Fahnlein"

-"Agdesidens Fahnlein"

Baptism of fire and the growth of an institution (1628-1700)

The Great Nordic war (1700-1721)

The Oldenburg monarchy at peace (1721-1789)

The Napoleonic wars (1789-1814)

Union with Sweden (1814-1905)

Independence and World War 1 (1905-1918)

The interwar years (1918-1940)

World War 2 (1940-1945)

Postwar and Nato (1946-2002)

The end of an era (2002)

Various

(Periods when the original regiment was divided into several separate units as a result of army re-organizations are shown with the designations of all these units listed.)

See also

* Norwegian Army
* List of Danish wars
* List of Swedish wars
* Great Northern War
* Great Northern War and Norway
* Norway in 1814
* Gunboat War
* Swedish campaign against Norway (1814)
* Operation Weserübung
* Allied campaign in Norway