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Imperial Guard Лейб-гвардия | |
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![]() Leib Guards reception at the Constantine Palace | |
Active | 1683–1917 |
Country | ![]() |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Artillery Cavalry Horse artillery Imperial guard Infantry |
Size | Division |
Russian Armed Forces |
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Staff |
Services (vid) |
Independent troops (rod) |
Special operations force (sof) |
Other troops |
Military districts |
History of the Russian military |
The Russian Imperial Guard, officially known as the Leib Guard (Russian: Лейб-гвардия Leyb-gvardiya, from German Leib "body"; cf. Life Guards / Bodyguard) were military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great founded the first such units in 1683, to replace the politically motivated Streltsy. The Imperial Guard subsequently increased in size and diversity to become an elite corps of all branches within the Imperial Army rather than Household troops in direct attendance on the Tsar. Numerous links were however maintained with the Imperial family and the bulk of the regiments of the Imperial Guard were stationed in and around Saint Petersburg in peacetime. The Imperial Guard was disbanded in 1917 following the Russian Revolution.