Russian Imperial Guard
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The term Leib Guard (Russian: Ле́йб-гва́рдия, from German Leib, meaning body; cf Life Guards) collectively distinguished military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great founded the first such units: the Semyonovsky (Семёновский) and Preobrazhensky (Преображе́нский) infantry regiments; they became the most distinguished Guards units and their officers took an active part in the "Palace Revolutions" of the Empresses Elisabeth and Catherine the Great.
Empress Anna Ioannovna was unpopular among the old Guards of Peter the Great, and upon ascension she introduced two new regiments, faithful to her: the Leib Guard Izmailovo Regiment (Лейб-гвардии Измайловский полк)[1], named after the village near Moscow, the manor of the family of the Empress, and the Leib Guard Cavalry Regiment (Лейб-гвардии Конный полк).[2] Another famous horse guards regiment was the Chevalierguards Regiment (Кавалергардский полк), formed in 1800 and distinguished in campaigns against Napoleon.
Over time, some Dragoon, Hussar and Cossack regiments joined the Leib Guard, as well as Guards Equippage, a naval squadron. The Finnish Sharp-shooter Battalion of Guard was added in 1829 and promoted to Old Guard in 1879.
Every soldier and officer of the Guard had the style of the Leib Guard (Лейб-гвардии ...), for example: Colonel of the Leib Guard (Лейб-гвардии полковник). It is a misconception that the monarch himself functioned as the commander of the Leib Guard regiments, so only he and some members of royal family could hold a title of Colonel (Polkovnik) of the Guards, but in fact there were many guards officers in the rank of colonel.
Commissioned officers enjoyed a two-grade elevation in the Table of Ranks over regular army officers; this later changed to a one-grade elevation -- first for the New Guards then for the rest of the Leib Guard. Following the abolition of the rank of Major in 1884, most grades below VII shifted one position upwards, effectively returning to those of the Old Guards.
| Grade, Old Guards | Grade, New Guards | Category | Infantry | Cavalry, Cossacks until 1891 | Cossacks (since 1891) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | V | Staff Officers | Colonel (Полковник) | ||
| V | VI | Sub-Colonel (Подполковник) (until 1798); | |||
| VI | VII | Premier Major, Second Major (Премьер-майор, секунд-майор) (until 1798) | |||
| VII | VIII | Ober-Officers | Captain (Капитан) | Rittmeister (Ротмистр) | Yesaul (Есаул) |
| VIII | IX | Stabs-Captain (Штабс-капитан) | Stabs-Rittmeister (Штабс-ротмистр) | Sub-Yesaul (Подъесаул) | |
| IX | X | Poruchik (Поручик) | Sotnik (Сотник) | ||
| X | XI | Sub-Poruchik (Подпоручик) | Khorunzhiy (Хорунжий) | ||
| XI | XII | Praporshchik (Прапорщик) | Cornet (Корнет) | ||
| XII | XIII | Under-Officers | Feldwebel (Фельдфебель) | ||
| XIII | XIV | Sergeant (Сержант) Feldwebel (1800-1884) | Wachtmeister (Вахмистр) | Sub-Khorunzhiy (Подхорунжий) | |
| XIV | |||||
| Sub-Praporshchik (Подпрапорщик); Senior Unteroffizier (Старший унтер-офицер) since 1800 | Wachtmeister (Вахмистр) | ||||
| Unteroffizier (Унтер-офицер) | Uryadnik (Урядник) | ||||
| Gefreiter (Ефрейтор) | Prikazny (Приказный) | ||||
| Privates | Musketeer, Fusilier, Grenadier etc. (Мушкетёр, фузилёр, гренадёр и т.д.) | Dragoon, Hussar, Cuirassier, Cossack etc. (Драгун, гусар, кирасир, казак и т.д.) | Cossack (Казак) | ||
[edit] References
- ^ Leib Guard Izmailovo Regiment (Russian)
- ^ Her Imperial Majesty's Leib Guard Cavalry Regiment (Russian)
