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Regiment
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about regiments in military ground forces. For regiments in air forces, see Aviation Regiment (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with regimen.
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service, or specialisation.
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In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers,[1] recruited or conscripted in one geographical area, by a leader who was often also the feudal lord in capite of the soldiers. Lesser barons of knightly rank could be expected to muster or hire a company or battalion from their manorial estate.
By the end of the 17th century, infantry regiments in most European armies were permanent units, with approximately 800 men and commanded by a colonel.