Horse Guards Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Horse Guards Regiment was a regiment only in name: it actually consisted of several independent troops raised initially on the three different establishments. In the late 1660s there were thus three troops in England, one in Ireland, and two in Scotland of which one was ceremonial for attendance of Lord High Commissioner (named after John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton
and after John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes). In 1707 there were four troops of Horse Guards (the three original English and one Scots), and two troops of Horse Grenadiers.
From 1658 to 1788, the Horse Guards existed as independent troops. They were placed on the English establishment in 1661 with the founding of the modern Regular British Army. In 1788, as part of the re-organization of the British Army, the remaining 1st and 2nd Troops were united with the 1st and 2nd Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards
to form, respectively, the 1st
and 2nd Regiments of Life Guards
.
Originally, as befitted their rôle as bodyguards to the Sovereign, the ranks of these Troops were filled by members of the gentry. They, therefore, had no non-commissioned officers, their corporal
s being commissioned and ranking as lieutenant
s in the rest of the army. Although this no longer obtains, it has resulted in the unique rank structure of their successor regiment, the Life Guards
.
.
John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton
John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton was a Scottish army officer, who belonged to a Kincardineshire family which had held lands at Middleton since the 12th century....
and after John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes). In 1707 there were four troops of Horse Guards (the three original English and one Scots), and two troops of Horse Grenadiers.
From 1658 to 1788, the Horse Guards existed as independent troops. They were placed on the English establishment in 1661 with the founding of the modern Regular British Army. In 1788, as part of the re-organization of the British Army, the remaining 1st and 2nd Troops were united with the 1st and 2nd Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards
Horse Grenadier Guards
The Horse Grenadier Guards were a series of cavalry troops in the British Household Cavalry between 1687 and 1788, who used grenades and other explosives in battle. Originally attached to the Horse Guards, they became independent for a century before being disbanded...
to form, respectively, the 1st
1st Regiment of Life Guards
The 1st Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards and 1st Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards to form the Life...
and 2nd Regiments of Life Guards
2nd Regiment of Life Guards
The 2nd Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 2nd Troop of Horse Guards and 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 1st Life Guards to form the Life...
.
Originally, as befitted their rôle as bodyguards to the Sovereign, the ranks of these Troops were filled by members of the gentry. They, therefore, had no non-commissioned officers, their corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
s being commissioned and ranking as lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
s in the rest of the army. Although this no longer obtains, it has resulted in the unique rank structure of their successor regiment, the Life Guards
Life Guards (British Army)
The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...
.
1st Troop [1658-1788]
- 1658-1788 1st (His Majesty's Own) Troop of Horse Guards [formed in exile in Holland from followers of Charles II].
- 1746 absorbed 3rd Troop, The Horse Guards.
- 1788 absorbed 1st Troop, The Horse Grenadier Guards and was reorganised to form the 1st Regiment of Life Guards1st Regiment of Life GuardsThe 1st Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards and 1st Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards to form the Life...
2nd Troop [1659-1788]
- 1659 [raised as a Parliamentary life guard for attending the Council of State].
- Nov 1659 re-modelled as Monck's Life Guards
- 1660-1661 3rd (The Duke of Albemarle's) Troop of Horse Guards.
- 1661-1670 3rd (The Lord General's) Troop of Horse Guards.
- 1670-1788 2nd (The Queen's) Troop of Horse Guards.
- 1788 absorbed 4th Troop, The Horse Guards.
- 1788 On June 8 it absorbs the 2nd Troop, The Horse Grenadier Guards and on June 25 it is reorganised, to form the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards2nd Regiment of Life GuardsThe 2nd Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 2nd Troop of Horse Guards and 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 1st Life Guards to form the Life...
.
3rd Troop [1658-1746]
- 1658-1670 2nd (The Duke of York's) Troop of Horse Guards [formed in exile in Holland from followers of Charles II]
- 1670-1746 3rd (The Duke of York's) Troop of Horse Guards
- 1746 absorbed by 1st Troop, The Horse Guards.
4th Troop [1686-1689]
- 1686-1689 4th (Lord Dover's) Troop of Horse Guards [Disbanded upon the deposing of James II of EnglandJames II of EnglandJames II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
].
4th (Dutch) Troop [1689-1699]
- 1599 raised on April 30 in Holland as a troop of horse and redesignated in 1665 as Garde du Corps van Zijne Majesteit, i.e., His Majesties Life Guards.
- 1689-1699 Placed on English establishment in 1689 and returned to Dutch service in 1699 upon conclusion of the Nine Years' War and the Treaty of RyswickTreaty of RyswickThe Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
. During this period the Dutch troop was ranked as the 4th Troop of Life Guards. In literature this troop is sometimes confused with the Dutch Regiment of Horse Guards, known as Portland's Horse after its commander William Bentinck, 1st Earl of PortlandWilliam Bentinck, 1st Earl of PortlandHans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, Baron Bentinck of Diepenheim and Schoonheten, KG, PC was a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder in the Netherlands, and future King of England. He was steady, sensible, modest...
. - 1705 The troop lost its Guards status.
4th (Scots) Troop [1709-1746]
- 1661-1709 Scots Troop of Horse Guards [raised on the Scottish establishment]
- 1709-1746 4th Troop of Horse Guards [transferred to the British establishment]
- 1746 absorbed by 2nd Troop, The Horse Guards.
The Scottish Troop [1661-1676]
Raised on the Scottish Establishment for attendance on the Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of ScotlandLord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland
The Lord High Commissioners to the Parliament of Scotland, sometimes referred to as the fifth estate of the Estates of Scotland, were the Scottish Sovereign's personal representative to the Parliament of Scotland following James VI of Scotland's accession to the throne of England and his becoming,...
.
- 1661-1663 The Earl of Middleton'sJohn Middleton, 1st Earl of MiddletonJohn Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton was a Scottish army officer, who belonged to a Kincardineshire family which had held lands at Middleton since the 12th century....
Troop of Horse Guards - 1664-1676 The Earl of Rothe'sJohn Leslie, 1st Duke of RothesJohn Leslie , son of John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes, was the 7th Earl of Rothes and 1st Duke of Rothes. He was a descendant of Princess Beatrix, sister of King Malcolm III of Scotland...
Troop of Horse Guards
The Irish Troop [1662-1685]
- 1662 raised on the Irish Establishment
- 1685 disbanded following the ascension of James II