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Horse Regiments
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The Life Guards
See Also the Main Article Life Guards
(English establishment; senior regiment in the English Army)
The Life Guards were organized as independent troops. Membership in these was restricted to gentlemen; their corporals and sergeants were commissioned, and ranked as lieutenants in the rest of the army.
The Life Guards were the senior regiment of the English Army. Just before the Restoration of Charles II, a Royal Mounted Bodyguard was formed in Holland from eighty Royalists, who had gone into exile with the King after the Battle of Worcester, in 1652. In March 1660, The King appointed officers to three Troops of Horse Guards. These Troops were formed on The King's return to England, in May, and were originally commanded by Lord Gerard of Brandon, Sir Philip Howard, and Sir Charles Berkeley. A fourth (Scots) troop was raised in Edinburgh on 2 April 1661, commanded by James, Earl of Newburgh.
The Life Guard are there to ensure the security of the palace, and not as the personal bodyguards of the nobility.
First Troop
- 1658 1st, or His Majesty's Own Troop of Horse Guards (formed in exile in Holland from followers of Charles II).
- 1660.05.17 Lt-Gen. Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield (Viscount Brandon) - 1668.09.16 Gen. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth & Buccleuch, KG, PC
Second Troop
- 1659 Monck's Life Guards (raised for Spanish service). - 1660 3rd, or The Duke of Albemarle's Troop of Horse Guards. - 1661 3rd, or The Lord General's Troop of Horse Guards. - 1670 2nd, or The Queen's Troop of Horse Guards.
- 1659.11.23 Col. Sir Philip Howard
Third Troop
- 1658 2nd, or The Duke of York's Troop of Horse Guards (formed in exile in Holland from followers of Charles II). - 1670 3rd Troop of Horse Guards.
- 1658 ? - 1660 Col. Charles Berkeley, 1st Earl of Falmouth - 1665.06.07 Lt-Gen. Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham, KG
Fourth Troop
- 1661.04.02 Scots Troop of Horse Guards (raised on Scottish establishment).
- 1661.04.02 Col. James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh - 1671.01.28 Col. John Murray, 1st Marquess of Athole, KT
The Horse Guards
(English establishment; ranked 1st Horse)
Founded in 1650, by Oliver Cromwell, as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of King Charles II, but the Parliamentary officers were replaced by Royalists in 1660.
- 1650.08 Regiment of Cuirassiers (raised in Parliamentary Army at Newcastle and County Durham). - 1660.07 The Royal Regiment (transferred to the King's service). - 1660.12 disbanded at Bath. - 1661.01.26 The Royal Regiment of Horse, or Horse Guards (re-formed on creation of British Regular Army; ranked as 1st Horse; also known as The Oxford Blues).
1661.01.26 Lt-Gen. Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford, KG
Motto: Honi soit qui mal y pense - Evil be to him who evil thinks (French). Nicknames: The Blue Guards, The Blues, The Oxford Blues.
