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Swiss Guards
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Swiss Guards
Swiss Guards (French: Gardes Suisses [ɡaʁd sɥis]; German: Schweizergarde [ˈʃvaɪ̯tsɐˌɡaʁdə] ⓘ; Italian: Guardie Svizzere [ˈɡwardje ˈzvittsere]) 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 permanent basis was the Hundred Swiss (Cent-Suisses), which served at the French court from 1490 to 1817. This small force was complemented in 1616 by a Swiss Guards regiment. In the 18th and early 19th centuries several other Swiss Guard units existed for periods in various European courts.
Foreign military service was outlawed by the first Swiss Federal Constitution of 1848 and a federal Law of 1859, with the only exception being the Pontifical Swiss Guard (Latin: Pontificia Cohors Helvetica, Cohors Pedestris Helvetiorum a Sacra Custodia Pontificis; Italian: Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) stationed in Vatican City. The modern Papal Swiss Guard serves as both a ceremonial unit and a bodyguard. Established in 1506, it is one of the oldest military units in the world. It is also the smallest army in the world.
Two different units of Swiss mercenaries performed guard duties for the Kings of France: the Hundred Swiss (Cent Suisses) served in the Palace as bodyguards and ceremonial troops, and the Swiss Guards (Gardes Suisses), who guarded entrances and outer perimeter. In addition, the Gardes Suisses served in the field as a fighting regiment in times of war.
The Hundred Swiss were created in 1480 when Louis XI retained a Swiss company for his personal guard. By 1496 they comprised one hundred guardsmen and about twenty-seven officers and sergeants. Their main role was to protect the King in the palace as the garde du dedans du Louvre (the Louvre indoor guard), but in the earlier part of their history they also accompanied the King to war. In the Battle of Pavia (1525) the Hundred Swiss of Francis I were slain before Francis was captured by the Spanish. The Hundred Swiss shared indoor guard duties with the King's Bodyguards (Garde du Corps), who were French.
The Hundred Swiss were armed with halberds, the blade of which carried the Royal arms in gold, as well as gold-hilted swords. Their ceremonial dress until 1789 comprised an elaborate 16th-century Swiss costume covered with braid and livery lace. A surviving example is on display in the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. A less ornate dark blue and red uniform with bearskin headdress was worn for ordinary duties.
The Cent Suisses company was disbanded after Louis XVI left the Palace of Versailles in October 1789. It was refounded on 15 July 1814 with an establishment of 136 guardsmen and eight officers. In 1815, the Hundred Swiss accompanied Louis XVIII into exile in Belgium and returned with him to Paris following the Battle of Waterloo. The unit then resumed its traditional role as palace guards at the Tuileries. In 1817, it was replaced by a new guard company drawn from the French regiments of the Royal Guard.
In 1616, Louis XIII gave an existing regiment of Swiss infantry the name of Gardes suisses (Swiss Guards). The new regiment primarily protected the doors, gates and outer perimeters of the royal palaces.
By the end of the 17th century the Swiss Guards were part of the Maison militaire du roi. They were brigaded with the Gardes françaises (French Guards Regiment), with whom they shared the outer guard. In peacetime they were stationed in barracks on the outskirts of Paris. Like the eleven Swiss regiments of line infantry in French service, the Gardes suisses wore red coats. The line regiments had black, yellow or light blue facings. The Swiss Guards were distinguished by dark blue lapels and cuffs edged in white embroidery. Only the grenadier company wore bearskins, while the other companies wore the standard tricorn headdress of the French infantry.
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Swiss Guards AI simulator
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Swiss Guards
Swiss Guards (French: Gardes Suisses [ɡaʁd sɥis]; German: Schweizergarde [ˈʃvaɪ̯tsɐˌɡaʁdə] ⓘ; Italian: Guardie Svizzere [ˈɡwardje ˈzvittsere]) 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 permanent basis was the Hundred Swiss (Cent-Suisses), which served at the French court from 1490 to 1817. This small force was complemented in 1616 by a Swiss Guards regiment. In the 18th and early 19th centuries several other Swiss Guard units existed for periods in various European courts.
Foreign military service was outlawed by the first Swiss Federal Constitution of 1848 and a federal Law of 1859, with the only exception being the Pontifical Swiss Guard (Latin: Pontificia Cohors Helvetica, Cohors Pedestris Helvetiorum a Sacra Custodia Pontificis; Italian: Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) stationed in Vatican City. The modern Papal Swiss Guard serves as both a ceremonial unit and a bodyguard. Established in 1506, it is one of the oldest military units in the world. It is also the smallest army in the world.
Two different units of Swiss mercenaries performed guard duties for the Kings of France: the Hundred Swiss (Cent Suisses) served in the Palace as bodyguards and ceremonial troops, and the Swiss Guards (Gardes Suisses), who guarded entrances and outer perimeter. In addition, the Gardes Suisses served in the field as a fighting regiment in times of war.
The Hundred Swiss were created in 1480 when Louis XI retained a Swiss company for his personal guard. By 1496 they comprised one hundred guardsmen and about twenty-seven officers and sergeants. Their main role was to protect the King in the palace as the garde du dedans du Louvre (the Louvre indoor guard), but in the earlier part of their history they also accompanied the King to war. In the Battle of Pavia (1525) the Hundred Swiss of Francis I were slain before Francis was captured by the Spanish. The Hundred Swiss shared indoor guard duties with the King's Bodyguards (Garde du Corps), who were French.
The Hundred Swiss were armed with halberds, the blade of which carried the Royal arms in gold, as well as gold-hilted swords. Their ceremonial dress until 1789 comprised an elaborate 16th-century Swiss costume covered with braid and livery lace. A surviving example is on display in the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. A less ornate dark blue and red uniform with bearskin headdress was worn for ordinary duties.
The Cent Suisses company was disbanded after Louis XVI left the Palace of Versailles in October 1789. It was refounded on 15 July 1814 with an establishment of 136 guardsmen and eight officers. In 1815, the Hundred Swiss accompanied Louis XVIII into exile in Belgium and returned with him to Paris following the Battle of Waterloo. The unit then resumed its traditional role as palace guards at the Tuileries. In 1817, it was replaced by a new guard company drawn from the French regiments of the Royal Guard.
In 1616, Louis XIII gave an existing regiment of Swiss infantry the name of Gardes suisses (Swiss Guards). The new regiment primarily protected the doors, gates and outer perimeters of the royal palaces.
By the end of the 17th century the Swiss Guards were part of the Maison militaire du roi. They were brigaded with the Gardes françaises (French Guards Regiment), with whom they shared the outer guard. In peacetime they were stationed in barracks on the outskirts of Paris. Like the eleven Swiss regiments of line infantry in French service, the Gardes suisses wore red coats. The line regiments had black, yellow or light blue facings. The Swiss Guards were distinguished by dark blue lapels and cuffs edged in white embroidery. Only the grenadier company wore bearskins, while the other companies wore the standard tricorn headdress of the French infantry.
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