The regiment has its origin in the Nyland cavalry () raised in 1618. In 1632, this unit was organized into a cavalry regiment. The regiment's soldiers were conscripted mainly from the county of
Nyland and Tavastehus. It was one of the original eight
Swedish cavalry regiments mentioned in the
Swedish constitution of 1634. Its men were Finns (known as
Hakkapeliitat) and it placed sixth in the order of precedence. |The regiment's first commander was
Torsten Stålhandske. F In the spring of 1700, the regiment was transferred to
General Wellingk's army corps in
Swedish Livonia. From 1702 on, the regiment, with six of its eight
companies, had joined the main army. In 1705–1706 it was part of
Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld's corps. After the
Battle of Poltava in 1709, the regiment was present at the capitulation in
Perevolochna. The regiment had to be completely reraised. It was then stationed with the army in Finland. The regiment was part of General
Armfeldt's army of 7,500 men which invaded
Norway through
Jämtland in August 1718. The cavalry regiment was reorganized into Nyland and Tavastehus
dragoon regiment in 1721. In 1791, the regiment was converted to infantry. The northern battalion was incorporated into
Tavastehus county infantry regiment as its third
battalion, while the southern battalion was incorporated into
Nyland Infantry Regiment. == Campaigns ==