Gardes de la Marine

In France, under the Ancien Régime, the {{lang|fr|Gardes de la Marine}} (Guards of the Navy), or {{lang|fr|Gardes-Marine}} were young gentlemen undergoing training to be naval officers. The training program was established by Cardinal Richelieu in 1670 and lasted until Admiral Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix abolished it in 1786.

The Gardes-Marine received a brevet commission from the King and were organized into companies, established at the harbors of Brest, Toulon, and Rochefort. All naval officers were drawn from these companies, which were the equivalent of the current naval school.

The king paid schoolmasters to instruct the Gardes-Marine in everything they needed to know to be good officers - there were masters in mathematics, drawing, writing, fortification, naval architecture and construction, dance, hydrography, fencing, etc.

The Gardes-Marine sailed on the king's ships, on which they served as soldiers, and trained in all roles on board. At sea they honed the skills they had learned ashore. Their training, in cooperation with the captain of the vessel, included four hours intended for their different exercises. The first hour was in piloting and hydrography, the second for musketry and military manoeuvres, the third for cannon exercise, the fourth one for training in steering a ship, if time allowed, supervised by the captain or second in command, done by each of the gardes in turn.

File:Generic-Navy-1.svg|{{lang|es|Guardiamarina}}
(Argentine Navy){{cite web |title=Grados Militares |url=https://www.fuerzas-armadas.mil.ar/GradosMilitares.aspx |website=fuerzas-armadas.mil.ar |publisher=Joint Chiefs of Staff (Argentina) |access-date=27 May 2021 |language=es}}

File:Generic-Navy-0.svg|{{lang|pt-BR|Guarda-marinha}}
(Brazilian Navy){{cite web |title=Postos e Graduações |url=https://www.marinha.mil.br/postos-e-graduacoes |website=marinha.mil.br |publisher=Brazilian Navy |access-date=7 May 2021 |language=pt}}

File:Generic-Navy-1.svg|{{lang|pt|Guarda-marinha}}
(Cape Verdean Coast Guard){{cite journal |title=Anexo A |journal=Boletim Oficial |date=18 January 2017 |volume=1 |issue=4 |pages=133–136 |url=https://kiosk.incv.cv/V/2017/1/18/1.1.4.2286/ |publisher=Government of Cape Verde |language=pt}}

File:Chile-Navy-OF-(D).svg|{{lang|es|Guardiamarina}}
(Chilean Navy){{cite web |title=Los grados jerárquicos de la Armada |url=https://www.armada.cl/armada/nuestra-armada/los-grados-jerarquicos-de-la-armada/2017-08-29/095559.html |website=armada.cl/ |publisher=Chilean Navy |access-date=27 May 2021 |language=es |date=7 May 2014}}

File:Generic-Navy-1.svg|{{lang|es|Guardiamarina}}
(Mexican Navy){{cite web |author1=Secretary of the Navy |author1-link=Secretariat of the Navy |title=Ley Orgánica De La Armada De México |trans-title=Organic Law of the Mexican Navy |url=https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/355395/LEY_ORG_NICA_DE_LA_ARMADA_DE_M_XICO.pdf |access-date=22 May 2021 |pages=16-17 |language=es |date=21 July 2018}}{{cite web |title=Grados y Equivalencias |url=http://2006-2012.semar.gob.mx/organizacion/conocenos-mas/grados-y-equivalencias.html |website=2006-2012.semar.gob.mx/ |access-date=23 November 2021 |language=es |date=5 November 2008}}

File:Generic-Navy-(star)-O0.svg|{{lang|es|Guardiamarina}}
(Paraguayan Navy){{cite book |last1=Cooke |first1=Melinda W. |editor1-last=Hanratty |editor1-first=Dennis M. |editor2-last=Meditz |editor2-first=Sandra W. |title=Paraguay: A Country Study |series=Area Handbook Series |date=1990 |edition=2nd |publisher=Library of Congress |pages=216–217 |chapter-url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.paraguaycountrys00hanr_0/?sp=252 |access-date=5 October 2021 |chapter=Chapter 5: National Security |lccn=89600299}}

File:Uruguay Navy OF-D.svg|{{lang|es|Guardiamarina}}
(National Navy of Uruguay){{cite book |editor1-last=Hudson |editor1-first=Rex A. |editor2-last=Meditz |editor2-first=Sandra W. |title=Uruguay: A Country Study |date=1992 |publisher=Federal Research Division, Library of Congress |isbn=0-8444-0737-2 |pages=222–223 |edition=2nd |url=https://www.marines.mil/portals/1/Publications/Uruguay%20Study_3.pdf?ver=2012-10-11-163307-517 |access-date=13 June 2021 |chapter=Chapter 5. National Security}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Citation|author=Nicolas Viton de Saint-Allais |authorlink=Nicolas Viton de Saint-Allais |year=1816 |title=Dictionnaire encyclopédique de la noblesse de France |location=Paris}}

Category:Navy of the Ancien Régime

Category:Naval academies

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