French Guards Regiment
| Gardes Françaises | |
|---|---|
Regimental flag of the Gardes françaises | |
| Active | 1563–1789 |
| Country | France |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Guard Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
The French Guards (French: Régiment des Gardes françaises, pronounced [ʁeʒimɑ̃ de ɡaʁd fʁɑ̃sɛːz]) were an elite infantry regiment of the French Royal Army. They formed a constituent part of the maison militaire du roi de France ("military household of the king of France") under the Ancien Régime.
The French Guards, who were located in Paris, played a major part in the French Revolution as most of the guardsmen defected to the revolutionary cause and ensured the collapse of absolute monarchy in France. French Guards led the Storming of the Bastille and formed the cadre for the National Guard.