Russian Imperial Guard

The term Leib Guard ({{lang-ru|?????-????????}}, from German leib, meaning body) collectively distinguished military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great founded the first such units: the Semyonovsky (???????????) and Preobrazhensky (???????????????) 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.

Related Topics:
German - Guards - Emperor of Russia - Peter the Great - Infantry - Regiments - Elisabeth - Catherine the Great

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Over time, some Dragoon, Hussar and Cossack regiments joined the Leib Guard, as well as Guards Equippage, a naval squadron.

Related Topics:
Dragoon - Hussar - Cossack - Leib Guard - Naval

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Every soldier and officer of the Guard had the style of the Leib Guard (????-??????? ...), for example: Colonel of the Leib Guard (????-??????? ?????????). Note 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.

Related Topics:
Monarch - Royal family - Colonel

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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.

Related Topics:
Table of Ranks - Regular army - Major - 1884

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