Life guard (military)

A life guard (also known as household troops) is a military unit charged with protecting a high-ranking individual, such as a monarch.

Germany
Since the 15th century, Leibgarde has been the designation for the military security guards who protected Fürsten (royals and nobles) – usually members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of the Holy Roman Empire and later its former territory – from danger. The Leibgarde should not be mixed up with bodyguard (Leibwächter), which may refer also to a single private individual.

France
In the Kingdom of France, the Garde du Corps was established (with reference to the sergents d'armes) in 1440. It was abolished after the French Revolution, re-established in 1815 after the Bourbon Restoration, and finally dissolved in 1830 after the July Revolution. In addition, Napoleon III set up the Cent-gardes for his own protection.

List of life guard units

 * Germany:
 * Kingdom of Bavaria: Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment – part of the Bavarian Army
 * Kingdom of Prussia: Prussian Life Guards – part of the Guards Corps of the Prussian Army
 * Nazi Germany: 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" – incorporated into the Waffen-SS during World War 2
 * Kingdom of France: French Life Guards – part of the Maison Militaire du Roi de France of the French Royal Army
 * Imperial Russia: Imperial Guard (Leibgarde) – regiments of life guards that evolved into many elite combat units in the Imperial Russian Army
 * United Kingdom: Life Guards – part of the British Army
 * Sweden: Life Guards – part of the Swedish Army
 * Denmark: Royal Life Guards – part of the Danish Army
 * United States: Washington's Life Guard – part of the Continental Army