A Royal Guard describes any group of military bodyguards, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal person, such as Emperor/Empress, King/Queen, or Prince/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 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.
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.
see also List of protective service agencies
Mesedi, in the Hittite Empire
Somatophylakes, in the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia
Imperial Guard, in the Achaemenid Empire of Persia
Praetorian Guard, in the Roman Empire
Jovians and Herculians, in late Roman Empire and early Byzantine Empire
Jìn Jūn (禁军), in the Tang Dynasty of China
Excubitors, Spatharii, Hetaireia, Paramonai and the Varangian Guard, in the Byzantine Empire
Mona Spa in the Kingdom of Georgia
Tobang, in the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea
Naegeumwi, in the Joseon Dynasty of Korea
Jinyiwei, in the Ming Dynasty of China
ValaShahis, in Mughal Empire
Kheshig, in the Mongol Empire
Walloon Guards, in Spain; recruited from the Spanish Netherlands
Maison militaire du roi de France (to which belonged the Swiss Guards and the French Guards), in the Kingdom of France
Leyb-gvardiya, in the Russian Empire
Imperial Guard, in Napoleon I'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
Garde Du Corps, in Prussia, and later Germany
Noble Guard and Palatine Guard, in the Holy See until 1970
Corazzieri, in the Kingdom of Italy
Personal Cavalry Convoy, in the Principality of Bulgaria and Kingdom of Bulgaria
Arcièren-Leibgarde, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Evzones, in the Kingdom of Greece
Royal Guard of the Halberdiers, in the Kingdom of Portugal
Imperial Guard of the Halberdiers, in the Empire of Brazil
Royal Guard, in Bahrain
Royal Escort and Royal Palace Guard, in Belgium
Den Kongelige Livgarde and Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron, in Denmark
Konoe Shidan (近衛師団), in Japan
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
Guardia Real, in Spain
Livgardet and Livregementets husarer, in Sweden
King's Guard, in Thailand
Blues and Royals; Foot Guards; Gentlemen at Arms; King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; Life Guards; Queen's Guard; Royal Company of Archers; and Yeomen of the Guard, in the United Kingdom
