DUTIES OF THE SWISS GUARD
In many provinces of the kingdom, from Brittany to Dauphiné, from Flanders to Corsica, passing through Île-de-France and Provence, Swiss troops stood guard over the monarchy and its possessions. By the end of the 18th century, the primary purpose of Swiss service in France was the maintenance of order, often functioning as a form of market police.
The Swiss regiments in foreign service constituted, through their solidity and loyalty, a military elite. However, the regiment of the Swiss Guards, recruited from the thirteen cantons and their allies, was the only one to depend on the entire Swiss Confederation.
Founded on a permanent basis in 1616, the regiment of the Swiss Guards — the foremost corps of the “friendly and allied nation”, namely Switzerland — represented the very finest of Swiss troops in the service of the King of France, being particularly assigned to the protection of the sovereign and his residences.
GUARD
AND CEREMONIAL DUTIES
In the service of the King, outside the royal residences, the Swiss Guards, together with their counterparts from the French Guards regiment, ensured the ceremonial duties and the protection of the sovereign.
At Versailles in particular, two companies of Swiss Guards, relieved on a weekly basis, took part in the guard of the palace and accompanied the King during his movements and major court ceremonies.
Through their discipline and loyalty, these elite soldiers embodied the military presence of the sovereign and contributed to the prestige of the King’s Military Household.
MAINTAINING
ORDER
The Swiss Guards Regiment also carries out a mission of maintaining public order, primarily in Paris and the Île-de-France region.
Detachments are regularly sent into the capital, on patrol or on duty.
They ensure the surveillance of certain strategic locations such as bakeries and mills in the capital, and may also be called upon to restore calm during disturbances or popular unrest.
PARTICIPATION
IN WAR
Although assigned to the King’s guard, the Swiss Guards Regiment remains a combat unit.
When circumstances require it, part of the regiment joins the kingdom’s armies and takes part in military campaigns, often on the front line alongside the French Guards.
Thus, these soldiers serve not only at court, but also on the battlefield, illustrating the regiment’s dual role: protecting the sovereign and defending the kingdom.