Chevalier Guard Regiment
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=March 2011}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Chevalier Guard Regiment
— III —
| image= Austerlitz cropped.jpg
| image_size = 250
|caption=Chevalier Guard Regiment in the Battle of Austerlitz
|dates=1800-1918
|country=Russian Empire
|branch= Russian Imperial Guard
|type= Heavy cavalry
|role=
|size=Regiment
|command_structure=1st Guard Cavalry division
|garrison=St. Petersburg
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|ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
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|motto=
|colors=
|identification_symbol=
|identification_symbol_label=Banner of the regiment
|identification_symbol_2=
|identification_symbol_2_label=Badge of the regiment
|march=
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The Chevalier Guard Regiment ({{langx|ru|Кавалергардский полк|Kavalergardskiy polk}}) was a Russian heavy cavalry guard regiment, created in 1800 by the reformation of the Chevalier Guard corps, itself created in 1764 by Catherine the Great.{{cite web |title=Imperial Guard |url=http://www.mannerheim.fi/05_s_ura/e_kaarti.htm |website=mannerheim.fi |accessdate=12 May 2020}} As other Russian heavy cavalry guard regiments (the Life-Guards Horse Regiment, His Majesty's Life-Guards Cuirassier Regiment, and Her Majesty's Life-Guards Cuirassier Regiment), the Chevalier Guards were equipped as cuirassiers (with some differences in uniform and equipment from army cuirassiers and other guard cuirassier regiments).{{cite book |last1=Viskovatov |first1=Aleksandr Vasilevich |title=Uniforms of Russian army during the Napoleonic war Vol. 8 - The grenadiers |date=2016 |publisher=Soldiershop Publishing |isbn=9788893270403 |translator=Mark Conrad |series=Soldiers, Weapons & Uniforms |volume=13}}
Campaigns
- 1805 – The regiment first saw combat in the Battle of Austerlitz, in which it fought bravely, covering the retreat of units from the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky Regiments of the Russian Imperial Guard infantry. The Chevalier Guards were countercharged and defeated by the French Horse Grenadiers of the Old Guard, who inflicted heavy casualties among the Russians.
- 1807 – Battle of Heilsberg
- 1812 – The regiment distinguished itself during the Patriotic War of 1812. The Chevalier Guards lost their colonel early in the Battle of Borodino but, in concert with the Life Guard Horse Regiment, effectively stopped the decisive charge of Saxon cuirassier regiments and defeated French Horse Carabiniers.
- 1813 – Lützen, Kulm, Leipzig
- 1814 – Fère-Champenoise
- 1831 – Polish Campaign
- 1914 – First World War
The regiment was disbanded in 1918.
Many famous men served as Chevalier Guards including Georges-Charles de Heeckeren d'Anthès, Grigory Potemkin, Denis Davydov, Mikhail Skobelev, Alexander Rodzyanko, Pavlo Skoropadskyi, Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and Alexander Ypsilantis.
Gallery
{{Gallery
|height=200
|mode=packed
|File:chevalier guard.jpg|Officers of the Chevalier Guard. In left (1–2) is Gustaf Mannerheim
|File:Cavalerguard Regiment.jpg|Military uniform, 1914. Her Majesty Empress Marie Theorodovna Chevalier Guards regiment
|File:Кираса офицерская Кавалергардского полка 1880.jpg|Officer's cuirass from the Chevalier Guard Regiment, 1880
|File:B.Villevalde. Episode from Foreign Campaigns of Russian Army of 1813-1814..jpg|This painting by Bogdan Willewalde depicts the meeting of officers of the Russian Guards cavalry with the residents of one of the European cities in 1813–1814. It depicts (left - right) officer of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment, chief- and staff officers of the Life Guards Horse Regiment, chief-officers of the Life Guards Uhlan and Chevalier Guard Regiments. In the background can be seen the lower ranks of the Life Guards Hussar and one of the Army Cuirassier Regiments.
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Russian Imperial Guard
- [http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Russian_guard.htm Russian Imperial Guard During the Napoleonic Wars]
{{Cavalry regiments of the Russian Empire}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chevalier Guard Regiment}}
Category:Cavalry regiments of the Russian Empire
Category:Former guards regiments
Category:Military units and formations established in 1800
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918
Category:Russian military units and formations of the Napoleonic Wars
Category:Russian Imperial Guard
Category:1800 establishments in the Russian Empire
Category:1918 disestablishments in Russia