15-707: The Constitutional Guard (French: Garde Constitutionnelle ) was a French royal guard formation which lasted a few months in 1792 as part of the Maison du Roi , being superseded by the National Guard . It existed in the period of the constitutional monarchy during the French Revolution . When the National Constituent Assembly dissolved itself on 3 September 1791, it decreed as a final measure that King Louis XVI should have
30-565: A Constitutional Guard , also known as the Garde Brissac after its commander Louis Hercule Timolon de Cossé, Duc de Brissac . This guard's formation was the only court reform to be put into effect, but it only lasted a few months, being superseded by the National Guard . Formerly created on 16 March 1792 and numbering 1,200 infantry and 600 cavalry, the Constitutional Guard provided a substantial force expected to ensure
45-454: 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 . Bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative )
60-414: A team of bodyguards from a government agency, security forces, or police forces. Less-important public figures, or those with lower risk profiles, may be accompanied by a single bodyguard who doubles as a driver . The work of a bodyguard consists mainly of planning routes, pre-searching rooms and buildings where the client will be visiting, researching the backgrounds of people that will have contact with
75-487: Is a type of security guard , government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an important person or group of people , such as high-ranking public officials, wealthy businesspeople, and celebrities, from harm. The personnel team that protects a VIP is often referred to as the VIP's security detail . Most important public figures, such as heads of state , heads of government , and governors are protected by
90-436: The palace 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. Royal guards have historically comprised both purely ceremonial units serving in close proximity to
105-636: The German mercenary regiments of the former Royal Army . The Constitutional Guard was accordingly issued with the dark blue coats of the French National Guard . The Guard was organised into two infantry battalions, and 3 cavalry squadrons, known simply as the "Mounted" and "Foot" sections. Although the new corps had been organised and sworn in according to the requirements of the Constitution of September 1791, it almost immediately became
120-673: The Tuileries was finally stormed by revolutionary forces on 10 August 1792 . The Duc de Brissac was arrested on charges of planning to use his guardsmen against the Assembly, and subsequently killed during the September Massacres that followed. The standard uniform for the Constitutional Guard was a dark "navy" blue frock coat with red facings, a black bicorne; with white trim, and white breeches and black boots. Royalists Others Royal guard A royal guard or
135-545: The deportation of refractory priests and the establishment of a military camp for provincial militias near Paris. The Constitutional Guard was replaced by units of the Paris National Guard, who took over responsibility for the security of the Tuileries palace and the royal family resident there. Lacking any particular commitment of loyalty to the monarchy, the National Guard was to prove unreliable when
150-756: 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
165-482: The nobility. On 29 May 1792 the Constitutional Guard was disbanded. This measure was undertaken following a formal request from the Legislative Assembly addressed to King Louis, whose position had been weakened following the abortive flight to Varennes . He hoped, by concurring in the dissolution of his guard, to win support for several vetoes that he wished to impose. These related to measures aimed at
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#1732758226336180-423: The object of suspicion and hostility by the growing revolutionary movement. There were street brawls between guardsmen and anti-monarchists, and revolutionary newspapers inaccurately described the Constitutional Guard as being made up of aristocrats. This appears to have been an attempt to link the new guard with its predecessor - the recently disbanded Gardes du Corps , which had been recruited solely from members of
195-519: The security of the constitutional monarchy in the event of any uprising in Paris. It was recruited from a mixture of regular soldiers with good service records and selected volunteers. Members of the former Régiment des Gardes Françaises (which had mutinied immediately before the storming of the Bastille ) were specifically excluded from the new corps. The commanding officer of the Constitutional Guard
210-561: 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
225-519: Was the Duc de Brissac, formerly commander of the Cent-Suisses company of Swiss bodyguards and noted for his personal loyalty to the king. The new force was stationed in and near to the Tuileries palace. Queen Marie-Antoinette had asked that it be uniformed in sky-blue but the conservative politician Antoine Barnave was able to persuade her that this apparently minor measure would lead to confusion with
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