Izmailovsky Life Guards Regiment

Izmaylovsky Lifeguard Regiment
— III —
Badge of the regiment
Active22 September 1730 – 1917
CountryRussian Empire
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
SizeRegiment
Garrison/HQSt. Petersburg
Insignia
Banner of the regiment

The Izmaylovsky Regiment (Russian: Изма́йловский лейб-гва́рдии полк, romanizedIzmáylovskiy leyb-gvárdii polk), also Izmailovsky, was one of the oldest regiments of the Imperial Russian Army, a subdivision of the 1st Guards Infantry Division of the Imperial Russian Guard. It was formed in Moscow on 22 September 1730 as Empress Anna's personal life guards (leib guard), named after the Romanov ancestral estate of Izmaylovo.[1]

The first colonel of the regiment that was appointed was Adjutant general Count Karl Gustav von Löwenwolde. After him, only members of the imperial family were appointed chiefs of the regiment.

On 17 March 1800, the regiment was renamed to Lifeguards of His Imperial Highness Konstantin Pavlovich (Лейб-гвардии Его Императорского Высочества Константина Павловича), and then on 28 May of the same year to Lifeguard of His Imperial Highness Nikolai Pavlovich (Лейб-гвардии Его Императорского Высочества Николая Павловича).

The original name was restored in 1801. The regimental church was Trinity Cathedral, Saint Petersburg, where its military ensigns were kept.

  1. ^ Simon Sebag Montefiore (2016). The Romanovs: 1613–1918. Orion. p. 202. ISBN 978-1-4746-0027-9. [Anna] founded her own Guards regiment, named after her mother's estate, the Izmailovsky, filled with German officers whom she trusted after her many years in Germanic Courland.