Aroyal guardis a group of militarybodyguards,soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of aroyal family member,such as akingorqueen,orprinceorprincess.They often are an elite unit of the regulararmed forces,or are designated as such, and may maintain special rights or privileges.
Institution and tasks
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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 theTropas de la Casa Realof the Spanish monarchy prior to 1930, comprisinghalberderosand 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'sGarde Imperialewas imitated by his opponentAlexander I of Russia,his Bourbon successorLouis XVIII,and his nephewNapoleon III.The modernGarderegiment Grenadiers en Jagersregiment of the Netherlands and theEscorte Royaleof Belgium retain features of uniform and other distinctions that can be traced back to Napoleonic influences.[2]
Political importance
editBecause 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 wereEngland in 1688,Spain in 1808,Sweden in 1809,France in 1789and againin 1814-15,Russia in 1917andPersia in 1906and againin 1953.[3]
List of royal guards
editPast
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- Mesedi,in theHittite Empire
- Medjay,since the old kingdom of Egypt until thePtolemaic dynasty
- Somatophylakes,in theancient Kingdom of Macedonia
- Royal Palace Guards,inBurma
- Pengawal Diraja,inBrunei
- Hangu Beykalun,the Royal Bodyguards of Maldivian Sultan, the unit was formed byMuhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam(1573–1585), decommissioned in early 1930s, at the end of the reign SultanMuhammad Shamsuddeen III
- Royal Foreign Units Guards,King's Royal Guardssuch as theScottish Guard,Swiss Guardssuch as theHundred Swiss,Guards of theFrench Royal Army,which served theEuropeanmonarchiessuch as theKingdom of France(theAncien Régime), part of theMaison militaire du roi de France.
- Monaspa,in theKingdom of Georgia
- Tobang,in theGoryeo dynastyofKorea
- Naegeumwi,in theJoseon dynastyofKorea
- Athapattuva,in theKingdom 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 theSpanish 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 theGarde du Corps,theSwiss Guards,and theFrench Guards), in theKingdom of France
- Royal Foot Guard,in theKingdom of Polandand thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Leibgarde der Hartschier,in theKingdom of Bavaria
- Guards Corps,in theKingdom of Prussia,and later in theGerman Empire
- Noble GuardandPalatine Guard,in theHoly Seeuntil 1970
- CorazzieriandGranatieri di Sardegna,in theKingdom of Sardiniaand later theKingdom of Italy
- Personal Cavalry Convoy,in thePrincipality of BulgariaandKingdom of Bulgaria
- Konigliche Ungarische adelige Leibgarde(Royal Hungarian Noble Bodyguard)
- Royal Hungarian Crown Guard.In existence under both the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the subsequentKingdom of Hungary
- Royal Guard of the Halberdiers,in theKingdom of Portugal
- Royal Palace Guard,inBelgium
- Royal Guardin Greece, now the Presidential Guard
- Romanian Royal Guards,inRomania
Present
edit- Royal Guard,inBahrain
- Royal Escort,inBelgium
- Gurkha Reserve Unit,inBrunei
- Ceremonial Guard,inCanada
- Den Kongelige LivgardeandGuard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron,inDenmark
- Royal Guard,inJordan
- Royal Johor Military Force,inMalaysia
- Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince,inMonaco
- Royal Guard,inMorocco
- Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment,Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Ireneand theRoyal Marechausseein theNetherlands
- Hans Majestet Kongens Garde,inNorway
- Royal Guard,inOman
- Royal Guard Regiment,inSaudi Arabia
- Guardia Real,inSpain
- LivgardetandLivregementets husarer,inSweden
- King's Guardand theRoyal Security Command,inThailand
- King's Guard;Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms;High Constables and Guard of Honour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse;Royal Company of Archers;andYeomen of the Guard,in theUnited Kingdom
- Pontifical Swiss Guard,inVatican City
Similar units
editRelated units
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^José M. Bueno,El Ejército de Alfonso XIII - Tropas de la Casa Real,ISBN84-86071-01-1
- ^Philip Mason,Pillars of Monarchy,ISBN0-7043-2424-5
- ^Philip Mason, page 167 Pillars of Monarchy,ISBN0-7043-2424-5
External links
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Media related toRoyal guardsat Wikimedia Commons
