Brunswick

The Duchy of Brunswick was officially reconstituted in 1814 just a week before Waterloo from the recently disbanded Kingdom of Westphalia, a satellite state created by Napoleon as part of the Confederation of the Rhine. Frederick William the Duke of Brunswick was against the French domination of Germany and with Austria’s assistance raised the famous “Black Legion” to continue the resistance against their French opressors. Uniformed in black, many of these troops had fought with the British both in the Penninsula and during the 100 days campaign climaxing at Waterloo. Specially trained as light infantry, the Avant Garde Jaeger Battalion had two companies of light infantry and two companies of Jaegers and they wore some of the most unique uniforms of the period.