National Guard (France)

Quick Facts: Who was National Guard (France)?

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National Guard (France)

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France's evolving reserve force, established during the Revolution and reformed multiple times.

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Origins & Early Life

The National Guard (French: Garde nationale) is a French military, gendarmerie, and police reserve force, active in its current form since 2016 but originally founded in 1789 during the French Revolution. In 2016, France announced the reestablishment of the National Guard for the second time, in response to a series of terrorist attacks in the country. It was founded as separate from the French Army and existed both for policing and as a military reserve. In its original stages from 1792 to 1795, the National Guard was perceived as revolutionary and the lower ranks were identified with the sans-culottes, or lower-class commoners. It experienced a period of official dissolution from 1827 to 1830 but was reestablished.

Career & Major Achievements

Soon after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the National Guard in Paris again became viewed as dangerously revolutionary, which contributed to its dissolution in 1871. The raising of a "bourgeois guard" (French: garde bourgeoise) for Paris was discussed by the National Assembly on 11 July 1789 in response to the King's sudden and alarming replacement of the minister for finance and state, Jacques Necker, with the Baron de Breteuil on that day. The replacement caused rapidly spread anger and violence throughout Paris. The National Assembly declared the formation of a "bourgeois militia" (French: milice bourgeoise) on 13 July. In the early morning of the next day, the search for weapons for this new militia led to the storming of the town hall, the Hotel des Invalides and then the storming of the Bastille.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Marquis de Lafayette was elected to the post of commander in chief of the Bourgeois Militia on 14 July, and it was renamed the "National Guard of Paris". When the French Guards mutinied and were disbanded during the same month, the majority of this former royal regiment's rank and file became the full-time cadre of the Paris National Guard. Similar bodies of National Guards were spontaneously created in the towns and rural districts of France in response to widespread fears of chaos or counter-revolution. "Bourgeois militia" changed its name to National Guard, like in Limoges in November 1789, where no other military bodies were allowed. Initially, each city, town and village maintained National Guard units operated by their respective local governments in the districts for not more than a year.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1789: 1789 Milestone — The raising of a "bourgeois guard" (French: garde bourgeoise) for Paris was discussed by the National Assembly on 11 July 1789 in response to the King's sudden and alarming replacement of the minister for finance and state, Jacques Necker, with the Baron de Breteuil on that day.
2. 1792: 1792 Milestone — In its original stages from 1792 to 1795, the National Guard was perceived as revolutionary and the lower ranks were identified with the sans-culottes, or lower-class commoners.
3. 1827: 1827 Milestone — It experienced a period of official dissolution from 1827 to 1830 but was reestablished.
4. 1870: 1870 Milestone — Soon after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the National Guard in Paris again became viewed as dangerously revolutionary, which contributed to its dissolution in 1871.
5. 2016: 2016 Milestone — The National Guard (French: Garde nationale) is a French military, gendarmerie, and police reserve force, active in its current form since 2016 but originally founded in 1789 during the French Revolution.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: National Guard (France)

True or False: “The National Guard was permanently dissolved after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, preventing any modern revival.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While it faced dissolution in 1871, the force has been reestablished multiple times, most recently in its current form since 2016.

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