From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Group of military bodyguards for the protection of a royal person
King's Guards
at
Buckingham Palace
A
royal guard
is a group of military
bodyguards
, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a
royal family member
, such as a
king
or
queen
, or
prince
or
princess
. They often are an elite unit of the regular
armed forces
, or are designated as such, and may maintain special rights or privileges.
Institution and tasks
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The Palace Guard by Ernst Rudolf.
Royal guards have historically comprised both purely ceremonial units serving in close proximity to the monarch, as well as regiments from all arms, forming a designated substantial elite and intended for active service as part of the army. An example of the first category would include the
Tropas de la Casa Real
of the Spanish monarchy prior to 1930, comprising
halberderos
and a mounted escort. Examples of the second would include the Imperial Guards of the Russian and German Empires prior to 1917?18.
[1]
Monarchs frequently modelled their royal guards upon those of fellow rulers. Thus,
Napoleon I
's
Garde Imperiale
was imitated by his opponent
Alexander I of Russia
, his Bourbon successor
Louis XVIII
, and his nephew
Napoleon III
. The modern
Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers
regiment of the Netherlands and the
Escorte Royale
of Belgium retain features of uniform and other distinctions that can be traced back to Napoleonic influences.
[2]
Political importance
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Because of their location, status, role and nature, royal guards have frequently been able to play a political role beyond their intended military and social ones. In times of revolution, the continued loyalty or defection of such units has often played a key part in the outcome of wider unrest. Historical examples were
England in 1688
,
Spain in 1808
,
Sweden in 1809
,
France in 1789
and again
in 1814-15
,
Russia in 1917
and
Persia in 1906
and again
in 1953
.
[3]
List of royal guards
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Past
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]
Royal Guards in Baroda
The
French Guards
at
Fontenoy
in 1745.
- Mesedi
, in the
Hittite Empire
- Medjay
, since the old kingdom of Egypt until the
Ptolemaic dynasty
- Somatophylakes
, in the
ancient Kingdom of Macedonia
- Royal Palace Guards
, in
Burma
- Pengawal Diraja
, in
Brunei
- Hangu Beykalun
, the Royal Bodyguards of Maldivian Sultan, the unit was formed by
Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam
(1573?1585), decommissioned in early 1930s, at the end of the reign Sultan
Muhammad Shamsuddeen III
- Royal Foreign Units Guards
,
King's Royal Guards
such as the
Scottish Guard
,
Swiss Guards
such as the
Hundred Swiss
, Guards of the
French Royal Army
, which served the
European
monarchies
such as the
Kingdom of France
(the
Ancien Regime
), part of the
Maison militaire du roi de France
.
- Monaspa
, in the
Kingdom of Georgia
- Tobang
, in the
Goryeo dynasty
of
Korea
- Naegeumwi
, in the
Joseon dynasty
of
Korea
- Athapattuva
, in the
Kingdom of Kandy
- Monteros de Espinosa
, in the Kingdom &
Crown of Castille
, now part of the Guardia Real of Spain
- Walloon Guards
, in Spain; recruited from the
Spanish Netherlands
- Spanish Guards
(Gardes Espagnoles), an infantry regiment brigaded with the Walloon Guards but recruited within Spain itself.
- Maison militaire du roi de France
(to which belonged the
Garde du Corps
, the
Swiss Guards
, and the
French Guards
), in the
Kingdom of France
- Royal Foot Guard
, in the
Kingdom of Poland
and the
Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Leibgarde der Hartschier
, in the
Kingdom of Bavaria
- Guards Corps
, in the
Kingdom of Prussia
, and later in the
German Empire
- Noble Guard
and
Palatine Guard
, in the
Holy See
until 1970
- Corazzieri
and
Granatieri di Sardegna
, in the
Kingdom of Sardinia
and later the
Kingdom of Italy
- Personal Cavalry Convoy
, in the
Principality of Bulgaria
and
Kingdom of Bulgaria
- Konigliche Ungarische adelige Leibgarde
(Royal Hungarian Noble Bodyguard)
- Royal Hungarian Crown Guard
. In existence under both the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the subsequent
Kingdom of Hungary
- Royal Guard of the Halberdiers
, in the
Kingdom of Portugal
- Royal Palace Guard
, in
Belgium
- Royal Guard
in Greece, now the Presidential Guard
- Romanian Royal Guards
, in
Romania
Present
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- Royal Guard
, in
Bahrain
- Royal Escort
, in
Belgium
- Gurkha Reserve Unit
, in
Brunei
- Ceremonial Guard
, in
Canada
- Den Kongelige Livgarde
and
Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron
, in
Denmark
- Royal Guard
, in
Jordan
- Royal Johor Military Force
, in
Malaysia
- Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince
, in
Monaco
- Royal Guard
, in
Morocco
- Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment
,
Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene
and the
Royal Marechaussee
in the
Netherlands
- Hans Majestet Kongens Garde
, in
Norway
- Royal Guard
, in
Oman
- Royal Guard Regiment
, in
Saudi Arabia
- Guardia Real
, in
Spain
- Livgardet
and
Livregementets husarer
, in
Sweden
- King's Guard
and the
Royal Security Command
, in
Thailand
- King's Guard
;
Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
;
High Constables and Guard of Honour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse
;
Royal Company of Archers
; and
Yeomen of the Guard
, in the
United Kingdom
- Pontifical Swiss Guard
, in
Vatican City
Similar units
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Related units
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See also
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References
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External links
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