Sawar Khan, one of the Royal Guards of the Emperor Shah Jahan

A royal guard is a group of military

bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers, w ...

s, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal person, such as the emperor or empress, 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

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. Monarchs frequently modeled their royal guards upon those of fellow rulers. Thus,

Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

'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.

Political importance

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.Philip Mason, page 167 Pillars of Monarchy,

List of royal guards

Past

* Mesedi, in the Hittite Empire * Medjay, since the old kingdom of Egypt until the

Ptolemaic dynasty The Ptolemaic dynasty (; grc, Πτολεμαῖοι, ''Ptolemaioi''), sometimes referred to as the Lagid dynasty (Λαγίδαι, ''Lagidae;'' after Ptolemy I's father, Lagus), was a Macedonian Greek royal dynasty which ruled the Ptolemaic ...

* Somatophylakes, in the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia * Imperial Guard, in the

Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...

of Persia * Javidan Guard, in the Imperial State of Iran of Persia * Praetorian Guard, in the Roman Empire * Jovians and Herculians, in late Roman Empire and early Byzantine Empire * Jìn Jūn, in the Tang Dynasty of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

* Shìwèi, in the Qing Dynasty of China *

Manchukuo Imperial Guards The Manchukuo Imperial Guards (, ja, しんえいたい, translit=Shin'eitai) were an elite unit of the Manchukuo armed forces created in 1933. It was charged with the protection of the Kangde Emperor, the imperial household, and senior members ...

, in

Manchukuo Manchukuo, officially the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of (Great) Manchuria after 1934, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China, Manchuria from 1932 until 1945. It was founded as a republic in 1932 afte ...

* Royal Palace Guards, in Burma *

Hangu Beykalun Hangu may refer to: Places ;China *Hangu District, Tianjin, a district in Tianjin, China *Hangu Pass, a pass in China ;Pakistan *Hangu, Pakistan, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province *Hangu District, Pakistan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pr ...

, the Imperial Bodyguards of Maldivian Sultan, the unit was formed by

Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam As-Sulṭaan al-Ghaazee Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-A'uẓam () (death 26 August 1585) or As-Sultan Ghazi Muhammad Bodu Thakurufaanu ruled over the Maldive Islands from 1573 to 1585. He is known for fighting the Portuguese who ruled over the Maldive ...

(1573-1585), decommissioned in early 1930s, at the end of the reign Sultan Muhammad Shamsuddeen III * Excubitors, Spatharii, Hetaireia,

Paramonai The ''Paramonai'' ( el, Παραμοναί) were an obscure Byzantine guard regiment of the Palaiologan period. The name derives from the Greek verb παραμένω, meaning "to stand near something". Unlike other major guard units in the Palaio ...

and the Varangian Guard, in the Byzantine Empire * 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 The French Royal Army (french: Armée Royale Française) was the principal land force of the Kingdom of France. It served the Bourbon Dynasty from the reign of Louis XIV in the mid-17th century to that of Charles X in the 19th, with an interlude ...

, which served the

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

monarchies such as the Kingdom of France (the

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

), part of the Maison militaire du roi de France. * Monaspa, in the Kingdom of Georgia * Tobang, in the

Goryeo Dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...

of Korea * Naegeumwi, in the Joseon Dynasty of Korea * ValaShahis, in Mughal Empire * Kheshig, in the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...

* Athapattuva, in the

Kingdom of Kandy The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the Sri Lanka, island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. Initially a client kingdom ...

Monteros de Espinosa The Monteros de Espinosa are the oldest Bodyguard unit of Royal Guards in Europe. Founded by the Counts of Castile around the year 1006 and kept in service by the Castilian Sovereigns and posterior Dynasties that inherited their Kingdoms and unite ...

, 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 Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

(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 Swiss Guards (french: Gardes Suisses; german: Schweizergarde; it, Guardie Svizzere'')'' are Swiss soldiers who have served as guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. The earliest Swiss guard unit to be established on a p ...

, and the French Guards), in the Kingdom of France * Leyb-gvardiya, in the Russian Empire * Imperial Guard, in

's First French Empire * Imperial Guard, in Napoleon III's Second French Empire * 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 The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

Noble Guard The Noble Guard ( it, Guardia Nobile) was one of the household guard units serving the Pope, and formed part of the military in Vatican City. It was formed by Pope Pius VII in 1801 as a regiment of heavy cavalry. Conceived as the Pope's personal ...

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 The Principality of Bulgaria ( bg, Княжество България, Knyazhestvo Balgariya) was a vassal state under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. It was established by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. After the Russo-Turkish War ende ...

and Kingdom of Bulgaria * Arcièren-Leibgarde (Lifeguard of Halberdiers), in the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

1700-1918 * Trabanten Leibgarde (Gentlemen at Arms), in the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918 * Hofburgwache (Palace Bodyguard) in the Austrian Empire. Became the Leibgarde-Infantrerie-Kompanie (Guard Infantry Company) in 1802. * Leibgarde-Reiter-Eskedron (Bodyguard Mounted Squadron) in the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918. * 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 The Kingdom of Portugal ( la, Regnum Portugalliae, pt, Reino de Portugal) was a monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also kno ...

Imperial Guard of the Halberdiers The Imperial Guard of the Archers ( Portuguese: ''Guarda Imperial dos Archeiros'') was the ceremonial palace guard of the Brazilian Monarchs from the establishing of the Empire of Brazil in 1822 until the establishment of the republic in that co ...

, in the Empire of Brazil *

Royal Palace Guard The Royal Palace Guard ( nl, Koninklijke Paleiswachter; french: Garde du Palais Royal) was formerly a unit of the disbanded Belgian Gendarmerie, replaced by the Federal Police. It was a plainclothes detachment tasked with the protection of the King ...

, in Belgium * Royal Guard in Greece, now the Presidential Guard *

Romanian Royal Guards Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language ** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...

, in Romania * Konoe Shidan (近衛師団), in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Present

* Royal Guard, in Bahrain * Royal Escort, in Belgium * Den Kongelige Livgarde and Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron, in Denmark * Imperial Guard of the National Police Agency, in

* Royal Johor Military Force, in Malaysia * Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince, in Monaco * Royal Guard, in Morocco * Pontifical Swiss Guard, in Vatican City *

Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment The Grenadiers and Rifles Guards Regiment ( nl, Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers) is a regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army; along with the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene it is one of the two Dutch Guard regiments. History The two ante ...

, 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 The Royal Guard ( es, Guardia Real) is an independent regiment of the Spanish Armed Forces that is dedicated to the protection of the King of Spain and members of the Spanish Royal Family. It currently has a strength of 1,500 troops. While the gu ...

, in Spain * Livgardet and

Livregementets husarer The Life Regiment Hussars ( sv, Livregementets husarer; designated K 3) is one of the world's oldest regiments still active. The regiment descends directly from units set up by King Gustav I of Sweden (Gustav Vasa) in 1536, when Sweden set ...

, in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

* King's Guard and the Royal Security Command, in Thailand * King's Guard; Royal Company of Archers; and Yeomen of the Guard, in the United Kingdom

Lifeguard A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and CPR/ AED first a ...

* Presidential guard

Related units

* Colour guard *

Guard of honour A guard of honour ( GB), also honor guard ( US), also ceremonial guard, is a group of people, usually military in nature, appointed to receive or guard a head of state or other dignitaries, the fallen in war, or to attend at state ceremonials, ...

* Sovereign's Bodyguard

References

External links

* {{Authority control Military organization Lists of military units and formations Protective security units Bodyguards