Imperial Guard 670775 224305241 2008-07-08T07:08:51Z Kyle the bot 3115531 robot Adding: [[it:Guardia imperiale]] An '''imperial guard''' describes any group of troops or military organisation that formed a part of [[armed forces]] of any state which claimed to be an [[empire]], ruled by a monarch who in English would be titled an [[Emperor]], Empress or Imperial Prince or Princess. Usually these troops embody a more elite status then other imperial forces, including the regular armed forces, and maintain special rights, privileges and traditions. Because the head of state often wishes to be protected by the best soldiers available, their numbers and organisation may be expanded to carry out additional tasks. [[Napoleon I|Napoleon]]'s [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]] is an example of this. Some empires maintained ceremonial guard units, such as the [[Structure_of_the_British_Army#Ceremonial_Units|British Empire]], which still exist. In the post-colonial period, the term has been used colloquially and derisively to describe the staff of a person, usually a politician or corporate executive officer, that acts to prevent direct communication with the person (also called a '''palace guard''' in this context). == List of Imperial Guards == *[[Persian Immortals]] *[[Iranian Imperial Guard]] *[[Praetorian Guard]] of the Roman Empire (from around 275 B.C. until 284 A.D.) *[[Jovians]] and [[Herculians]], elite Guards legions, Roman Empire (from 284 A.D. until 7th century) *[[Scholae Palatinae]], Imperial Guards in Constantinople (ca. 312 until ca. 1080) *[[Tagma (military)|Tagmata]], elite Byzantine Guards units (8th century-11th century) *[[Varangian Guard]] of the Byzantine Empire *[[Janissary|Janissaries]] of the Ottoman Empire *[[Imperial Guards (Tang Dynasty)]], formed initially as honour bodyguards of the emperor and garrison of the capital, and evolved to reflect the era's transition of reliance on professional soldiery over conscriptions. *[[Imperial Guards Brigade]] of Manchu Banner soldiers, entrusted with guarding the person of the Emperor of China and the Forbidden City during the Qing dynasty *[[Manchukuo Imperial Guards|Imperial Guard of Manchukuo]] *[[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]] of Napoleon I and the First French Empire *[[Imperial Guard (Napoleon III)]] of the Second French Empire *[[Russian Imperial Guard]], also known as the Leib Guard, of the Russian Emperor *[[Garde du Corps (Prussia)]] of the German Empire *[[Imperial Guard of Japan]] *[[Kebur Zabangna]] (Ethiopian empire) *[[Emperor's Bowmen of the Guard]] (Ancient Korea) *[[Household Cavalry]] and the [[Foot Guards]] of the [[British Empire]] ==Fiction== The term has been used in fiction: *[[Imperial Guard (comics)]], a group of alien warriors in the Marvel Comics universe. *[[Emperor's Royal Guard]], Emperor Palpatine's personal protectors in the [[Star Wars]] universe. *[[Imperial Guard (Warhammer 40,000)]], a faction from the ''Warhammer 40,000'' tabletop miniature wargame. == See also== * [[List of empires]] * [[List of largest empires]] * [[List of extinct countries, empires, etc.]] * [[Imperialism]] * [[Colonialism]] * [[Royal Guard]] == External Links == *[http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/IMPERIAL_GUARD_infantry_1.htm Napoleon's Young Guard: Organization, Uniforms, Commanders] {{disambig}} [[Category:Guards regiments]] [[Category:Royal Guards]] [[fr:Garde impériale]] [[it:Guardia imperiale]] [[ja:近衛兵]]