The regiment has its origins in "fänikor" (companies) raised in Dalarna in 1542. During 1598, some of the units participated in the War against Sigismund and in 1605 one "fänika" from Dalarna fought at the Battle of Kircholm. In 1615, these units—along with "fänikor" from the nearby provinces of Uppland and Västmanland—were organised by Gustav II Adolf into "Upplands storregemente", of which 1,400 of the total 3,000 soldiers were recruited in Dalarna. "Upplands storregemente" consisted of three field regiments, of which the "Dalregementet" was one. The Dalarna Regiment was also the first Swedish regiment to be allotted, which happened as early as in 1621. Parts of this grand regiment participated in the Polish–Swedish wars during the siege of Riga in 1621 and as garrison from 1626–1629. During this period, sometime between 1623 and 1628, the grand regiment was permanently split into three smaller regiments, of which the Dalarna Regiment was one. The regiment's first commander was Axel Oxenstierna.