Osnabrück

Pułkownik Ludwik and the Coronet Korps, were on detached duty at the Peace Conferences in Osnabrück. It took the few szlachta weeks to locate Ludwik and present their letter of introduction from Count Gerkik.

It was discovered during this time in Osnabrück, that many of the other szlachta were either in the region or very nearby, stemming from their connection to the 30 years war conclusions. While in no way could a formal Diet be called in the foreign lands of Bavaria, Elector Maxmilian I was willing to oversee an informal discussion relating to the selection of a future Duke and to confirm the expulsion of Cardinal Dobry, forbidding his return under pain of punishment to be meted out by the Bavarian ruler.

Upon the conclusion of the peace, in 1648 the Coronet Korps was released from all dutied and fetted as many were in Bavaria.

Pułkownik Ludwik had accepted his szlachta appointment and agreed to lead the Coronet Korps back to Mieczyslaw.

Ahead of the Coronet Korps columns the szlachta, less Ludwik had pressed on into the Duchy of Mieczyslaw. Their aim was both to form a Diet and to announce the pending arrival of the Coronet Korps.

The Peace of Westphalia

Cardinal Dobry was forced to leave the Duchy in 1645 as the 30 Years War came to an end and many of the szlachta returned from foreign service.

The pressure to form a Diet became heightened as the final terms of the end of the Habsburg Family Conflict became more widely known.

Ducal forces in Hither Pomerania deserted en-masse from the Brandenburg electors whom has impressed them into service as continued garrison forces.

It was with a sense of general confusion and disorder that many of the szlachta called for an immdediate Diet, even though not all szlachta had returned to the Duchy.

Secretly a few szlachta had traveled to meet with Count Gerkik, with the intent of imploring him to return to Mieczyslaw in order to lend his name and prestige to the Diet and possibly be nominated as Duke.

Count Gerkik, refused the invitation, sending on the few szlachta into Bavaria, to meet with Pułkownik Ludwik and the Coronet Korps.

Kardynalny

Cardinal Dobry of Coronet did not remain inactive, as part of the Catholic counter-reformation Cardinal Dobry mustered the Duchy arms in support of futher military actions first in Courland, in 1633.

Later, in 1641, these forces were marched across former lands of the Teutonic Order, with many Bishoprics laying claim to the treasures and obtaining oaths from the local nobility.

The destination of the Ducal army was garrisons in Pomerania, in support of the Imperial Circle of Lower Saxony in keeping out the influences of the Reformation and Christian of Denmark.

Though the Ducal officers did execute their required duties there was much to question of the Cardinal and the lack of a call for a szlachta Diet ...

Mieczyslaw arms on parade

Given that the time for mustering the troops had finally come this spring, the Ducal artisans were encouraged to interpret the formations.

Here are the results:

Cavalry Forces of Mieczyslaw; 14 Squadrons: 3 Trotters, 4 Dragoons, 3 Hussards and 4 Irregular militia.



Infantry Forces of Mieczyslaw; 32 Infantry Companies: Organized into 6 Battalions in 2 Brigades.

The Grand Review.

For those interested I have assembled a power-point presentation of these troops in a marchpast, but as the file is rather large you should post to me your return email address and I will forward it.

More Flags

Here are seen some more flags of the Duchy of Mieczyslaw.


This flag pattern is the closest to a 'national' flag to be seen so far. All commanders with fealty to the Duke fly some version of this flag.




These are all infantry formation flags, as there are no flags for the cavalry.




This is a pattern of flag for a particular member of the szlachta Diet(knights council).