A life guard (also known as household troops) is a military unit charged with protecting a high-ranking individual, such as a monarch.
Since the 15th century, has been the designation for the military security guards who protected (royals and nobles) â usually members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of the Holy Roman Empire and later its former territory â from danger. The should not be mixed up with bodyguard (), which may refer also to a single private individual.
In the Kingdom of France, the Garde du Corps was established (with reference to the ') in 1440. It was abolished after the French Revolution, re-established in 1815 after the Bourbon Restoration, and finally dissolved in 1830 after the July Revolution. In addition, Napoleon III set up the Cent-gardes for his own protection.