Franz Adam Karrer (1666 – 1740) was a Swiss officer,
brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...
in French service, and founder and first colonel-proprietor of the
Swiss regiment de Karrer
The Régiment de Karrer ''(Karrer's Regiment/Karrer Regiment)'' was a Swiss foreign regiment in French colonial service 1719–1763.
Overview
The regiment ''de Karrer'' was raised in 1719 by Franz Adam Karrer, a Swiss officer in French service, ...
on 15 Dec 1719. He became a Knight of the
Order of Saint Louis in 1709.
Military career
Karrer became
officer cadet
Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Ai ...
in an independent
company in French service in 1686 and was commissioned as an ensign in the Swiss
regiment von Salis-Soglio in French service in 1691. From there he became a lieutenant in 1693, and captain-lieutenant in 1698. Also in 1698, he became commanding officer of a half-company, eventually becoming proprietor of a half-company 1709 and captain of
grenadiers 1710. Karrer entered a capitulation with the King of France on 15 Dec 1719, raising a regiment of
foot for French service, the ''Régiment de Karrer, '' becoming
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
in 1720, and
brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...
in 1734. In 1736 he transferred the proprietorship of the regiment to his son
Ludwig Ignaz Karrer.
Personal life
Karrer was born in
Landser, Haut-Rhin, Alsace on 22 Nov 1666. He was married to
Johanna Marguerite de Voile before 1703, the daughter of a
bailiff (chief court official) in
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
. He died 3 May 1740 in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France.
References
Further reading
* B.F. de Zurlauben (1751). ''Histoire militaire des Suisses au service de la France 3''. pp. 112-115, 502-505
* E. May (1788). ''Histoire militaire de la Suisse et celle des Suisses dans les différens services de l'Europe 6''. pp. 280 f.
* P. Wirz (1862). ''Bürgergeschlechter der Stadt Solothurn 11, Ms., 1862, 59'' (Kopie StASO)
* M. Rochat (1994). ''Geflammte Ordonnanzfahnen der ständigen Schweizer Linienregimenter in franz''. Diensten von 1672 bis 1792. pp. 182-186
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karrer, Franz Adam
1672 births
1741 deaths
People from Solothurn
French military personnel of the War of the Spanish Succession
French military personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession
Swiss mercenaries
Knights of the Order of Saint Louis