NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Commander of the Swiss Guard

Swiss Guards are Swiss mercenary soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards and palace guards at foreign European courts from the late 15th century until the present day (in the form of the Papal Swiss Guard). They have generally had a high reputation for discipline and loyalty to their employers. Some of these units have also served as fighting troops in the field. There were also regular Swiss mercenary regiments serving as line troops in various armies, notably those of France, Spain and Naples until the 19th century who were not household or guard units. From fr:Image:Garde suisse. ... From fr:Image:Garde suisse. ... Swiss mercenaries crossing the Alps (Luzerner Schilling) Swiss mercenaries were soldiers notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Various "Swiss Guards" have existed. The earliest such detachment was the Guard of the Hundred Swiss at the French court (1497 – 1830). This small force was complemented in 1567 by a Swiss Guard regiment. The Papal Swiss Guard in the Vatican was founded in 1506 and is the only Swiss Guard that still exists. In the 18th century several other Swiss Guards existed for periods in various European courts. Events The Duke of Alva arrives in the Netherlands with Spanish forces to suppress unrest there. ... 1506 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

Swiss Guards in France

There were two different corps of Swiss mercenaries performing guard duties for the Kings of France: the Hundred Swiss (Cent Suisses), serving within the Palace as essentially bodyguards and ceremonial troops, and the Swiss Guards (Gardes suisses), guarding the entrances and outer perimeter. In addition the Gardes suisses served in the field as a fighting regiment in times of war. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

The Hundred Swiss were created in 1496 by King Charles VIII. Their main role was the protection of the King indoor, what was called the garde du dedans du Louvre (the Louvre indoor guard), but in the earlier part of their history they accompanied the King on campaign. In the Battle of Pavia (1525) the Hundred Swiss of King Francis I were slain before Francis was captured by the Spanish. They shared the indoor guard with the King's Bodyguards (Gardes du Corps), which were Frenchmen. 1496 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Charles VIII the Affable (French: Charles VIII lAffable) (June 30, 1470 â€“ April 7, 1498) was King of France from 1483 to his death. ... Combatants France Holy Roman Empire, Spain Commanders Francis I of France Charles de Lannoy, Antonio de Leyva Strength 17,000 infantry 6,500 cavalry 53 guns[citation needed] 19,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry 17 guns[citation needed] Casualties 12,000 dead or wounded[citation needed] 500 dead or wounded... Events January 21 - The Swiss Anabaptist Movement was born when Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, George Blaurock, and about a dozen others baptized each other in the home of Manzs mother on Neustadt-Gasse, ZÃ¼rich, breaking a thousand-year tradition of church-state union. ... Francis I (FranÃ§ois Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 â€“ March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le PÃ¨re et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ...

As a result of the Everlasting Peace between Switzerland and France declared in 1516, Swiss mercenaries played their most important roles in the military history of France. Francis I of France used some 120,000 Swiss mercenaries in his wars. In 1616 King Louis XIII gave a regiment of Swiss infantry the name of Gardes suisse (Swiss Guards). The new regiment had the primary role of protecting the doors, gates and outer perimeters of the various royal palaces. This unit was officially a regiment of the line, but it was generally regarded as part of the King's Military Household. // Events March - With the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon, his grandson Charles of Ghent becomes King of Spain as Carlos I. July - Selim I of the Ottoman Empire declares war on the Mameluks and invades Syria. ... Francis I (FranÃ§ois Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 â€“ March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le PÃ¨re et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ... == {| align=right cellpadding=3 id=toc style=margin-left: 15px; |- | align=center colspan=2 | Years: 1613 1614 1615 - 1616 - 1617 1618 1619 |- | align=center colspan=2 | Decades: 1580s 1590s 1600s - 1610s - 1620s 1630s 1640s |- tall> 16th century - 17th century - 18th century |} randomised 1616 was a leap year starting on Friday... Louis XIII (September 27, 1601 â€“ May 14, 1643), called the Just (French: le Juste), was King of France from 1610 to 1643. ... La Maison du Roi (House of the King) is a French Army Household Cavalry regiment. ...

During the 17^th and 18^th centuries the Swiss Guards maintained a reputation for discipline and steadiness in both peacetime service and foreign campaigning. Their officers were all Swiss and their rate of pay substantially higher than that of the regular French soldiers. Internal discipline was maintained according to Swiss codes which were significantly harsher than those of the regular French Army. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

By the 18th century the Swiss Guards were brigaded with the Regiment of French Guards (Gardes françaises), with whom they shared the outer guard, and were in peace-time stationed in barracks on the outskirts of Paris. Like the twelve Swiss regiments of line infantry in French service the Gardes suisses wore red coats. The Swiss Guards had blue facings with white embroidery. The grenadier company were distinguished by bearskins while the other companies wore the standard tricorn headdress of the French infantry. The Guards were recruited from all the Swiss cantons. The nominal establishment was 1,600 men though actual numbers normally seem to have been below this. City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du TrocadÃ©ro. ...

The most famous episode in the history of the Swiss Guards was their defense of the Tuileries Palace in central Paris during the French Revolution. Of the nine hundred Swiss Guards defending the Palace on August 10, 1792 more than seven hundred were killed during the fighting or massacred after surrender. An estimated two hundred more died in prison of their wounds or were killed during the September Massacres that followed. Apart from about a hundred Swiss who escaped from the Tuileries, some hidden by sympathetic Parisians, the only survivors of the regiment were a 300 strong detachment which had been sent to Normandy to escort grain convoys a few days before August 10. The Swiss officers were mostly amongst those massacred, although Major Bachmann in command at the Tuileries was formally tried and guillotined in September, still wearing his red uniform coat. Two Swiss officers did however survive and went on to reach senior rank under Napoleon. Tuileries Palace before 1871 - View from the Louvre courtyard The Tuileries Palace stood in Paris, France, on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed. ... The French Revolution (1789â€“1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The September Massacres were a wave of mob violence which took place in Paris in late summer 1792, during the French Revolution. ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

There appears to be no truth in the charge that Louis XVI caused the defeat and destruction of the Guards by ordering them to lay down their arms when they could still have held the Tuileries. Rather, the Swiss ran low on ammunition and were overwhelmed by superior numbers when fighting broke out spontaneously after the Royal Family had been escorted from the Palace to take refuge with the National Assembly. A note has survived written by the King ordering the Swiss to retire from the Palace and return to their barracks but this was only acted on after their position had become untenable. The regimental standards had been secretly buried by the adjutant shortly before the regiment was summoned to the Tuileries on the night of August 9th, indicating that the likely end was foreseen. They were discovered by a gardener and ceremonially burned by the new Republican authorities.

The heroic but futile stand of the Swiss is commemorated by Bertel Thorvaldsen's monument in Lucerne dedicated in 1821 and showing a dying lion collapsed across broken symbols of the French monarchy. Image File history File links Lionmonumentlucerne. ... Image File history File links Lionmonumentlucerne. ... Bertel Thorvaldsen, portrait by Karl Begas, ca. ... Location within Switzerland View of the city from Lake Lucerne Another view across Lake Lucerne The Lion Monument Lucerne (German: (helpÂ· info)) is a city in Central Switzerland with a population of 60,274 (December 31, 2003), capital of the Canton of Lucerne. ... The coronation banquet for George IV 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The French Revolution abolished mercenary troops in its citizen army, but Napoleon I and the Restoration Monarchy both made use of Swiss troops. Four Swiss infantry regiments were employed by Napoleon, serving in both Spain and Russia. Two of the eight infantry regiments included in the Garde Royale from 1815 to 1830 were Swiss and can be regarded as successors of the old Gardes suisse. When the Tuileries were stormed again, in the July Revolution (July 29, 1830), the Swiss regiments, fearful of another massacre, were withdrawn or melted into the crowd. They were not used again. In 1832 disbanded veterans of the Swiss regiments and another foreign unit, the Legion de Hohenlohe, were recruited into the newly raised French Foreign Legion for service in Algeria. For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Following the ousting of Napoleon I of France in 1814, the Allies restored the Bourbon Dynasty to the French throne. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... Liberty Leading the People by EugÃ¨ne Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Legionnaire (film) The French Foreign Legion (French: LÃ©gion Ã©trangÃ¨re) is a unique elite unit within the French Army established in 1831. ...

The Swiss constitution, as amended in 1874, forbade all military capitulations and recruitment of Swiss by foreign powers, although volunteering in foreign armies continued until prohibited outright, in 1927. The Swiss Constitution (Bundesverfassung in German, Constitution fÃ©dÃ©rale in French, Constituzione federale in Italian and Constituziun federala in Romansh) is at the highest level of Switzerlands judicial system. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ...

Papal Swiss Guard

The Corps of the Pontifical Swiss Guard or Swiss Guard (Ger: Schweizergarde, Ital. Guardia Svizzera Pontificia, Lat. Pontificia Cohors Helvetica, or Cohors Pedestris Helvetiorum a Sacra Custodia Pontificis) as part of the Military of the Vatican City is an exception to the Swiss rulings of 1874 and 1927. It is a small force responsible for the security of the Apostolic Palace, the entrances to the Vatican City and the safety of the Pope. Its official language is German. 1506 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1712x2288, 816 KB) Vatican - guard Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Vatican City Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1712x2288, 816 KB) Vatican - guard Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Vatican City Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Swiss Guards have been Swiss who fought for various European powers from the 15th century until the 19th century, called up from the separate Swiss cantons and placed at the disposal of various foreign powers by treaties (the capitulations), in return for money payments. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... View across St. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ...

The history of the Swiss Guards has its origins in the 15th century. Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1484) already made a previous alliance with the Swiss Confederation and built barracks in Via Pellegrino after foreseeing the possibility of recruiting Swiss mercenaries. The pact was renewed by Innocent VIII (1484-1492) in order to use them against the Duke of Milan. Alexander VI (1492-1503) later actually used the Swiss mercenaries during their alliance with the King of France. During the time of the Borgias, however, the Italian wars began in which the Swiss mercenaries were a fixture in the front lines among the warring factions, sometimes for France and sometimes for the Holy See or the Holy Roman Empire. The mercenaries enlisted when they heard King Charles VIII of France was going to raise a war against Naples. Among the participants in the war against Naples was Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, the future Pope Julius II (1503-1513), who was well acquainted with the Swiss having been Bishop of Lausanne years earlier. The expedition failed in part thanks to new alliances made by Alexander VI against the French. When Cardinal della Rovere became pope, Julius II in 1505 asked the Swiss Diet to provide him with a constant corps of 200 Swiss mercenaries. In September 1505, the first contingent of 150 soldiers started their march towards Rome, under the command of Kaspar von Silenen, and entered the Vatican on January 22, 1506, today given as the official date of the Guard's foundation. "The Swiss see the sad situation of the Church of God, Mother of Christianity, and realize how grave and dangerous it is that any tyrant, avid for wealth, can assault with impunity, the common Mother of Christianity," declared Ulrich Zwingli, a Swiss Catholic who later became a Protestant reformer. Pope Julius II later granted them the title "Defenders of the Church's freedom"^[1]. Sixtus IV, born Francesco della Rovere (July 21, 1414 â€“ August 12, 1484) was Pope from 1471 to 1484. ... Pope Innocent VIII (1432 â€“ July 25, 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo, was Pope from 1484 until his death. ... Pope Alexander VI (1 January 1431 â€“ 18 August 1503), born Roderic Borja (Italian: Borgia), (reigned from 1492 to 1503), is the most controversial of the secular popes of the Renaissance and one whose surname became a byword for the debased standards of the papacy of that era. ... The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c. ... Charles VIII the Affable (French: Charles VIII lAffable) (June 30, 1470 â€“ April 7, 1498) was King of France from 1483 to his death. ... The Bishop of Lausanne (French: Ã‰vÃªque de Lausanne) was a Prince-Bishop of the Holy Roman Empire and the Ordinary of the diocese of Lausanne, Switzerland (Latin: Dioecesis Lausannensis). ... Pope Julius II (December 5, 1443 â€“ February 21, 1513), born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513. ... 1505 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tagsatzung of 1531 in Baden (1790s drawing). ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1506 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Zwinglis Successor Zwinglis successor, Heinrich Bullinger, was elected on December 9, 1531, to be the pastor of the Great Minster at Zürich, a position which he held to the end of his life (1575). ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ...

The force has varied greatly in size over the years and has even been disbanded. Its first, and most significant, hostile engagement was on May 6, 1527 when 147 of the 189 Guards, including their commander, died fighting the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V during the Sack of Rome in order to allow Clement VII to escape through the Passetto di Borgo, escorted by the other 40 guards. The last stand battlefield is located on the left side of St Peter's Basilica, close to the Campo Santo Teutonico (German Graveyard). May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... Charles V (24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558) was ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily (1516-1554), Archduke of Austria (1519-1521), King of the Romans (or German King), (1519-1556 but did not formally abdicate until 1558) and... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For the antipope (1378-1394) see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII Clement VII, né Giulio di Giuliano de Medici (1478 – September 25, 1534) was pope from 1523 to 1534. ... The Passetto, or Passetto di Borgo, is a secret passage that links the Vatican City with the Castle of Sant Angelo. ... Logo of the rione Borgo is the XIV rione of Rome. ...

The Swiss Guard has served the popes since the 1500s as the papal army. Ceremonially, they shared duties in the Papal household with the Palatine Guard and Noble Guard, both of which were disbanded in 1970 under Paul VI. Today the Papal Swiss Guard have taken over the ceremonial roles of the former Vatican units, serving now as the army of the sovereign state of the Vatican. At the end of 2005, there were 134 members of the Swiss Guard. This number consisted of a Commandant (bearing the rank of "oberst" or Colonel), a chaplain, three officers, one sergeant major ("feldwebel"), 30 NCOs, and 99 "halberdiers", the rank equivalent to private (so called because of their traditional Halberd). The Palatine Guard (Guardia Palatina dOnore) was a unit of the military of the Vatican City. ... The Noble Guard (Guardia Nobile) was the most senior guard unit of the Vatican City. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article discusses states as sovereign political entities. ... ... Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... A chaplain is typically a member of the clergy serving a group of people who are not organized as a mission or church; lay chaplains are also found in some settings such as universities. ... This article is about a military rank and position. ... Feldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... Swedish halberds from the 16th century Halderdiers from a modern day reenactor troupe. ...

Building on their training in their traditional service in the Swiss military, members wear a long sword (officers a rapier or straight sabre) and receive instruction in the ceremonial use of their halberd on a four-sided pole which is held on their right during marches, drill, and regular formations in their official duties around the Vatican. The halberd includes a loose metal ring just below the halberd blade which adds a loud clink when an individual or formation comes to attention. Other weapons and regalia carried by higher ranking non-halberdiers include: a command baton, a partisan, a flamberge (a wavy two-handed sword), and breastplate with shoulder guards. Headwear is typically a black beret for daily duties, while a black or silver morion helmet with red, white, yellow and black, and purple ostrich feather is worn for ceremonial duties, the former for guard duty or drill; the latter for high ceremonial occasions such as the annual swearing in ceremony or reception of foreign heads of state. The Guard also engages in yearly rifle competition and receives self-defense instruction, as well as basic instruction on defensive bodyguard tactics not dissimilar to those used in the protection of many heads of state. ^[2] A partisan (also partizan) is a type of polearm that was used in Europe during medieval times. ...

The guards must be Catholic, unmarried males with Swiss citizenship who have completed basic training with the Swiss military and can obtain certificates of good conduct. New recruits must have a professional diploma or high school degree and must be between 19 and 30 years of age and at least 174 cm (5'9") tall^[3]. Swiss citizenship is status of being a citizen of Switzerland and it can be obtained by birth, marriage or naturalisation. ... In a railway station, a young Swiss militia soldier returning to duty after a week-end break The military of Switzerland, officially known as the Swiss Armed Forces, is a unique institution somewhere between a militia and a regular army. ...

Qualified candidates must apply to serve. If accepted, new guards are sworn in every May 6 in the San Damaso Courtyard (Italian: Cortile di San Damaso) in the Vatican. (May 6 is the anniversary of the Sack of Rome.) The chaplain of the guard reads aloud the oath in the language of the guard (mostly German, some French, a little Italian): May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... The city of Rome has been sacked on several occasions. ... A chaplain is typically a member of the clergy serving a group of people who are not organized as a mission or church; lay chaplains are also found in some settings such as universities. ... An oath (from Old Saxon eoth) is either a promise or a statement of fact calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually a god, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. ...

When his name is called, each new guard approaches the Swiss Guard's flag, grasping the banner in his left hand. He raises his right hand with his thumb, index, and middle finger extended along three axes, a gesture that symbolizes the Holy Trinity, and speaks: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Sacred College of Cardinals is the body of all Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Sede vacante is the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church in the Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... In the several centuries following the founding of Christianity, five particular cities and centers of Christianity were considered to be Apostolic Sees. ... // Origins The practice of carrying standards, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Egypt some 5,000 years ago. ... // This digit is one of the five fingers (though the word finger can also refer exclusively to the non-thumb digits). ... The Index finger The index finger, pointer finger or forefinger is the second digit of a human hand, located between the thumb and the middle finger. ... This article is about the vulgar gesture. ... Military signalmen use hand and body gestures to direct flight operations aboard aircraft carriers. ... For other uses, see Trinity (disambiguation). ...

The term of service is between two and 25 years. The official dress uniform is of blue, red, orange and yellow with a distinctly Renaissance appearance. A repeated historical misconception is that the dress uniform was designed by Michelangelo. In fact, guard commander, Commandant Jules Repond (1910-1921) created the present uniforms in 1914. While the uniforms of the Swiss Guard bearing Pope Julius II on a litter (painted by Raphael) is often cited as inspiration for the Swiss Guard uniform, the actual uniforms worn by those soldiers are of the style which appears by today's standards as a large skirt, a common style in uniforms during the Renaissance. A very clear expression of the modern Swiss Guard uniform can be seen in a 1577 fresco by Jacob Coppi of the Empress Eudoxia conversing with Pope Sixtus III. It is clearly the precursor of today's recognizable three-colored uniform with boot covers, white gloves, a high or ruff collar, and either a black beret or a black morion (silver for high occasions). Sergeants wear a black top with crimson leggings, while other officers wear an all-crimson uniform. The regular duty uniform is more functional, consisting of a simpler solid blue version of the more colorful tri-color grand gala uniform, worn with a simple brown belt, a flat white collar and a black beret. For new recruits and rifle practice, a simple light blue overall with a brown belt may be worn. During cold or inclement weather, a dark blue cape is worn over the regular uniform. The original colors (blue and yellow) were issued by Pope Julius II taking his family (Della Rovere) colors, Pope Leo X added the red to reflect his family's Medici colors. In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1355x1260, 356 KB) Summary Members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard at the Prefettura Pontificia in Vatican City. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1355x1260, 356 KB) Summary Members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard at the Prefettura Pontificia in Vatican City. ... For other uses, see Blue (disambiguation). ... Red may be any of a number of similar colors at the lowest frequencies of light discernible by the human eye. ... The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585â€“620 nm. ... A yellow Tulip. ... Raphael was famous for depicting illustrious figures of the Classical past with the features of his Renaissance contemporaries. ... Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (March 6, 1475 â€“ February 18, 1564), commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Raphael or Raffaello (April 6, 1483 â€“ April 6, 1520) was an Italian master painter and architect of the Florentine school in High Renaissance, celebrated for the perfection and grace of his paintings. ... Black cat, thought by some to cause bad luck Black is both a color and the shade of objects that do not reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum. ... Basque style Beret Black beret with military emblem A beret (pronounced in English, except in American English in which it is pronounced ) is a soft round cap, usually of wool felt, with a flat crown, which is worn by both men and women. ... Look up overall in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Pope Julius II (December 5, 1443 â€“ February 21, 1513), born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513. ... Pope Leo X, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (11 December 1475 â€“ 1 December 1521) was Pope from 1513 to his death. ...

After the May 13, 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II by Mehmet Ali Agca, a much stronger emphasis has been made on the Swiss Guards' functional, non-ceremonial roles. This has included extended training in unarmed combat and with issue SIG P 75 pistols (a.k.a. P220) and Heckler & Koch submachine-guns.^{[citation needed]} May 13 is the 133rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (134th in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II) born [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland â€“ April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as Pope of the Catholic... Mehmet Ali Ağca The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft or SIG is a Swiss company that was active in various businesses during its history. ... Categories: Weapon stubs | Semi-automatic pistols ... Heckler & Koch G41 Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) (pronounced [1]) is a German weapons manufacturing company famous for various series of small firearms, notably the MP5 submachine gun, the MP7 personal defense weapon, USP series of handguns, high-precision PSG1 sniper rifle, and the G3 and G36 assault rifles. ...

Ranks of the Swiss Guard

Commissioned Officers

... Commandant is a military or police title or rank and can mean any of the following: The commander of certain military corps and services, such as the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Commandant of the Coast Guard in the United States or the Commandant of the (now obsolete... Oberstleutnant is the German Army (Bundeswehr) equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... Hauptmann (German: ) is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officers rank in the German Army. ... Captain is a nautical term, an organizational title, and a rank in various uniformed organizations. ...

Non-commissioned Officers

Wachtmeister was a German military rank of non-comissioned officers. ... Lance Corporal (LCpl or L/Cpl) is a military rank used by some elements of the British, Commonwealth, and U.S. armed forces. ...

Enlisted

Insignia

2006 Anniversary - 500 years in service

In April-May 2006, to celebrate 500 years in the line of duty a group of veteran guards marched from Switzerland to Rome, a month long journey through Italy. In a public ceremony on May 6 the 33 new guards were sworn in on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica instead of the traditional San Damaso Courtyard. The reverse side of all â‚¬2 coins. ...

This event was also attended by the band of the Honourable Artillery Company of London. Armorial bearings of the HAC, granted in 1821 The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army, and the second most senior. ...

The banner

The Swiss Guard banner is : a white cross divides the banners in four quarters. In the right lower corner is displayed Pope Julius II's coat-of-arms, in the middle is displayed the commander's own coat-of-arms. The ruling Pope coat-of-arms is in the left upper quarter: the other quarters display the Swiss Guard colors.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 144 KB) Summary Guardia Svizzera Pontifica (particolare) Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Swiss Guard ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 144 KB) Summary Guardia Svizzera Pontifica (particolare) Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Swiss Guard ...

List of commanders

Pius SegmÃ¼ller (born 8 March 1952) was the commander Swiss Guard in the Vatican (1998-2002). ...

Former Vatican Guards

The Noble Guard (Guardia Nobile) was the most senior guard unit of the Vatican City. ... The Palatine Guard (Guardia Palatina dOnore) was a unit of the military of the Vatican City. ...

Other Swiss Guards

Swiss Guard units similar to the French ones existed at several other courts in the 18^th century as well.

class="preview" id="pv188"> Events January 6 - The Union of Atrecht united the southern Netherlands under the Duke of Parma, governor in the name of king Philip II of Spain. ... The House of Savoy or in Italian, La Casa di Savoia, or simply Casa Savoia, (or Savoie, French) is a dynasty of nobles who traditionally had their domain in Savoy, a region that includes present-day Piemonte, other parts of Northern Italy, and a smaller region in France. ... Flag of Savoy This article is about the historical region of Savoy. ... Kingdom of Sardinia, in 1839: Mainland Piedmont, with Savoia upper left (pink) and Nizza (Nice) lower left (brown) both now French, and Sardinia in the inset. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The year 1696 had the earliest equinoxes and solstices for 400 years in the Gregorian calendar, because this year is a leap year and the Gregorian calendar would have behaved like the Julian calendar since March 1500 had it have been in use that long. ... // Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713... Friedrich I of Prussia, KurfÃ¼rst of Brandenburg, King in Russia (Fredrick I, July 11, 1857 -- February 25, 1913), Hohenzollern, was the first King in Prussia, reigning from January 18, 2001, until his death. ... The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a state in central Italy which came into existence in 1569, replacing the Duchy of Florence, which had been created out of the old Republic of Florence in 1532, and which annexed the Republic of Siena in 1557. ... Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Kingdom of Saxony, lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Germany, finally being absorbed into the Weimar Republic in 1918. ... Events January 8 - Premiere of George Frideric Handels opera Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Kingdom of Naples was born out of the division of the Kingdom of Sicily after the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. ... Events April 24 - A congress assembles at Aix-la-Chapelle with the intent to conclude the struggle known as the War of Austrian Succession - at October 18 - The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed to end the war Adam Smith begins to deliver public lectures in Edinburgh Building of... Year 1796 (MDCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Anthem: Volkshymne (Peoples Anthem) Capital Vienna Language(s) German Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy History - Established 1804 - Disestablished 1867 Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy The Crown of the Austrian Emperor The Austrian Empire (German: ) was an empire centred on what is modern day Austria that officially lasted from 1804... Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia The worlds most famous coin, a silver thaler of Maria Theresa, dated 1780. ... Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ... 1780 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Hofburg Neue Burg section, seen from Heldenplatz. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ...

References

May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland is an encyclopedia on the history of Switzerland that aims to take into account the results of modern historical research in a manner accessible to a broader audience. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland is an encyclopedia on the history of Switzerland that aims to take into account the results of modern historical research in a manner accessible to a broader audience. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ...

External links

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Vatican City | Roman Curia | Guards Regiments | Military of Switzerland | Swiss society | Mercenary units and formations | Regiments of France | Military units and formations of the Early Modern era Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

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