The Army of the Kingdom of Naples was, by the time's standards, a relatively sizeable force. At its height in 1815, it numbered close to 95,000 men. This large formation was modelled heavily on the French Grande Armée, and although the success of its service in the Peninsular War is questionable, the Neapolitan Army is still remembered as one of the better-organised examples of armies from Napoleon's client states.
Below is a mostly complete (with a few obscure exceptions) list of various units serving in the Murattian Neapolitan Army in the Napoleonic Wars. The units are listed by their respective army branches, i.e. Guard infantry and engineers. All of the regiments and units pertaining to the Guard had the phrase "della Guardia Reale" (Italian: 'of the Royal Guard') after their official name, to indicate their status as part of the Royal Household Guard.
Royal Guard
Guard Infantry In 1815, the Guard Infantry Division totalled 57 companies organised into 4 regiments (9 battalions) and totalled 8,135 men. English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedMajor Nationalities (other than Neapolitan) — if applicableNotesRegiment of Foot GrenadiersReggimento di Granatieri a Piedi11 July 180620 May 1815French, German and "other foreigners"Personal Guard of the King of Naples. Modelled on the French Old Guard.1st Regiment of Vélités of Foot1° Reggimento di Veliti a Piedi15 July 1811May 1815Originally formed as the Vélité Hunters converted 15 July 1811 as Foot Velites, thereby becoming the 1st Velites.2nd Regiment of Vélités of Foot2° Reggimento di Veliti a Piedi15 July 1811May 1815Converted from the old Guard Voltigeurs in 1811.Regiment of Vélité-HuntersReggimento Veliti Cacciatori22 September 180815 July 1811Originally formed as the Company of Chosen Civic Hunters in 1806, and expanded to a regiment in 1808 after their conversion. Became the 1st Regiment of Velites of Foot on 15 July 1811.Voltigeur BattalionBattaglione Volteggiatori30 May 180615 July 1811FrenchDisbanded in 1811 following the reorganisation of the guard. Re-raised in 1814, but the lineage wasn't transferred (see 12th Line below under Infantry and Voltigeur Regiment)Regiment of VoltigeursReggimento di Volteggiatori29 September 1814May 1815Formed as the 12th Infantry Regiment, later converted to the Guard Voltigeurs. See 12th Infantry under "Line Infantry" for more information.Company of Chosen Civilian HuntersCompagnia Caccciatori Civici Scelti180622 September 1808Formed as a civilian unit, then transferred to the Guard, and finally expanded in 1808 into the Regiment of Velite Hunters.
Guard Cavalry English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedMajor Nationalities (other than Neapolitan) — if applicableNotesRegiment of Honour GuardsReggimento delle Guardie d'Onore5 August 180910 March 1813Redesignated as the Regiment of Life Guards in 1813.Regiment of Life GuardsReggimento Guardie del Corpo10 March 181328 July 1814Redesignated back as the Honour Guards, soon reduced to a company and the remainder of the companies sent to the Guard Lancers Regiment.Regiment of LancersReggimento dei Lancieri1 October 1814May 1815Formed from the three squadrons initially intended for the Honour Guards Regiment.Regiment of CuirassiersReggimento Corazzieri18 March 1813May 1815Regiment of ChevaulegersReggimento Cavalleggeri30 July 180610 July 1808FrenchRaised as an early, impromptu cavalry regiment in Joseph's army in 1806 from French cavalrymen. Eventually disbanded in 1808.Regiment of ChevaulegersReggimento Cavallegeri6 September 1808May 1815Berg (German)Raised as the Regiment of Berg Lancers, later transferred to the Neapolitan Guard. Not to be confused with the other Chevauleger regiment mentioned above; although these two bore the same name, they did not exist during the same time at once.Regiment of HussarsReggimento Ussari11 April 1813May 1815Raised from the Mounted Velites.Regiment of Mounted VelitesReggimento Veliti a Cavallo22 September 180811 April 1813Originally designated as a Corps rather than a regiment.Company of Mounted Velites of ClaryCompagnia Veliti a Cavallo Clary22 November 1806September 1808Raised as an independent bodyguard for Marie Julie Clary, King Joseph Bonaparte's wife. Later merged with the Tascher Cavalry to form the Corps of Mounted Velites.Selected Squadron of GendarmerieSquadrone Gendarmeria Scelta30 September 180618 March 1813Initially raised as a Corps of Elite Gendarmerie. Only used for military police duty.
Supporting Arms English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedNotesRoyal Halderbiers of NaplesAlabardieri Reali di NapoliFormed as palace guards for King Joseph Bonaparte.Battalion of VeteransBattaglione dei Veterani21 April 1809May 1815Originally a company; created for invalids and old soldiers unfit for active service.Royal Guard Sailors BattalionBattaglione Marinai30 September 180610 July 1808Horse Artillery of the Royal GuardArtiglieria a Cavallo della Guardia22 September 1809May 1815Regiment sizedFoot Artillery of the Royal GuardArtiglieria a piedi della Guardia Reale30 September 180610 July 1809Later expanded into two separate artillery regiments.Artillery Train of the Royal GuardTreno di Artiglieria (della Guardia Reale)30 September 1806May 1815
Cavalry of the Line During the 1813 reorganisation of the Neapolitan Army, the light cavalry were converted to line cavalry.
Light Cavalry English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedNotes1st Regiment of Horse Hunters1° Cacciatori a Cavallo18 February 180610 March 1813Reorganised into the 1st Regiment of Chevaulegers2nd Regiment of Horse Hunters2° Cacciatori a Cavallo4 June 180610 March 1813Reorganised into the 2nd Regiment of Chevaulegers English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedNotes1st Regiment of Chevaulegers1° Reggimento di Cavallegeri25 December 181010 March 1813Transferred to become the 3rd, and remade from the men of the old 1st Horse Hunters2nd Regiment of Chevaulegers2° Reggimento di Cavallegeri10 March 1813May 1815Formed from the old 2nd Horse Hunters3rd Regiment of Chevaulegers3° Reggimento di Cavallegeri10 March 1813May 1815Formed from the old 1st Cavalry Regiment4th Regiment of Chevaulegers4° Reggimento di Cavallegeri7 July 181410 March 1813Municipal Guard Squadron of NaplesSquadrone Guardia Municipale di Napoli26 September 180925 December 1810
Infantry of the Line
Line Infantry English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedTitle (if any)Notes1st Regiment of the Line1° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea13 June 18061811"del Re"Formed during Joseph's reign.2nd Regiment of the Line2° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea13 June 18061811"della Regina"Formed during Joseph's reign.3rd Regiment of the Line3° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea10 March 1809May 1815"del Principe Real"Raised by decree of Murat in 1809.4th Regiment of the Line4° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea27 August 1809May 1815"Real Sannita"Raised by decree of Murat in 1809.5th Regiment of the Line5° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea12 September 1809May 1815"Real Calabria"First regiment to receive a title.6th Regiment of the Line6° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea10 December 1810May 1815"di Napoli"7th Regiment of the Line7° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea17 December 18101812"Real Africano"Formed from the "Corpo Reale Africano", a Negro unit from Saint-Domingue in French service8th Regiment of the Line 8° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea14 October 18111814"Principe Luciano"Made up from the two Neapolitan battalions serving in Spain and the remnants of the 2nd Light Regiment at Saragossa9th Regiment of the Line9° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea28 June 1813May 1815Raised from the "Reggimento Provvisorio".10th Regiment of the Line10° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea8 March 1814May 181511th Regiment of the Line11° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea3 May 1814May 181512th Regiment of the Line12° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea29 June 181429 September 1814"della Marca"Brought into the Royal Guard in September 1814 as the Regiment of Voltiegeurs, later reformed out of Italian veterans.Neuchatel BattalionBattaglione Neuchatel4 October 180819 May 1815Formed in 4 October of Swiss Mercenaries who enlisted in Neapolitan Service.MacDonald's Elite RegimentReggimento scelto MacDonald12 January 181310 June 1813Formed through the remnants of the Neapolitan troops in the Grande Armée for service in Germany under command of General Macdonald. It was formed from all of the elite companies of the Neapolitan regiments (5th, 6th and 7th line) serving in Germany and the Marines of the Guard.
Light Infantry English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedMajor Nationality (other than Neapolitan) — if applicableNotesRoyal Corsican RegimentReggimento Real Corso30 June 1806 (transferred from French service)16 February 1813CorsicanFormed from the French "Legion Corse".1st Light Infantry Regiment1° Reggimento di Fanteria Leggera16 February 1813May 1815CorsicanFormed from the old Corsican regiment, designated as a formal light infantry regiment.2nd Light Infantry Regiment2° Reggimento di Fanteria Leggera16 February 1806May 1815Originally the 1st Light Regiment - during the reorganisation of 1813, it was redesignated as the 2nd.3rd Light Infantry Regiment3° Reggimento di Fanteria Leggera16 February 1806May 1815Originally the 2nd Light Regiment - during the reorganisation of 1813, it was redesignated as the 3rd.4th Light Infantry Regiment4° Reggimento di Fanteria Leggera20 February 1812May 1815Originally a provisional light infantry regiment, reorganised into the 4th Light Regiment in 1813.
Reserve Units In 1815, the Army of the Reserve numbered 91 companies split into various gendarmerie and police legions and units.
Provincial Infantry English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedNotesProvincial (District) Chosen CompaniesCompagnie Scelte Provinciali (Distrettuali)12 June 1812Provincial BattalionsBattaglioni Provinciali10 January 1815May 1815Formed for service in the Neapolitan War1st Provincial Regiment of the Line1° Reggimento Provvisori di LineaMarch 1815May 1815Formed for service in the Neapolitan War2nd Provincial Regiment of the Line2° Reggimento Provvisori di LineaMarch 1815May 1815Formed for service in the Neapolitan War3rd Provincial Regiment of the Line3° Reggimento Provvisori di LineaMarch 1815May 1815Formed for service in the Neapolitan War4th Provincial Regiment of the Line4° Reggimento Provvisori di LineaMarch 1815May 1815Formed for service in the Neapolitan War5th Provincial Regiment of the Line5° Reggimento Provvisori di LineaMarch 1815May 1815Formed for service in the Neapolitan War
Royal Gendarmerie English nameItalian NameFormation DateDisbandedNotes1st Legion (of Naples)1° Legione di Napoli3 March 180913 September 1816Formed through the expansion of the old Legion of Naples2nd Legion (of Bari)2° Legione di Bari3 March 180913 September 1816Formed through the expansion of the old Legion of Naples and the Legion of Foggia.3rd Legion (of Salerno)3° Legione di Salerno3 March 180913 September 1816Formed through the expansion of the old Legion of NaplesLegion of NaplesLegione di Napoli5 January 18083 March 1809Formed through the merger of the old 1st and 2nd LegionsCalabrian Armiger HuntersArmigeri Cacciatori Calabresi16 April 1807Formed to combat brigands and rebels in CalabriaAuxiliary GendarmerieGendarmeria Ausiliaria23 November 1807Originally formed as the Royal Armigers to combat brigands.Provincial Infantry CompaniesCompagnie Provinciali di Fanteria4 May 1810Gendarmerie of the Royal NavyGendarmeria Reale di Marina30 March 1810Guard of Customs and borderGuardia dei Dazi Indiretti24 February 1809Established to guard the borders and enforce tax collection and deal with brigands.
Provincial Legions