The regiment traces its heritage to the
lifeguards that was assigned to Gustav Vasa in 1521. This makes it the oldest
regiment in the swedish army. From this lifeguard unit the elite drabantcorps
emerged and from this a fänika (the original name of the tactical
formation in the late dark ages) was raised. In 1608 the fänika lost
its guards status but in 1613 Gustaf II Adolf raised a liferegiment of his own
that was disbanded the same year. In 1615 a new liferegiment was raised arond
the lifecompany of the old one. This regiment was disbanded the next year but in
1618 a new regiment was raised around the old lifecompany. This regiment was
named the Drabantregiment. In 1621 it was renamed the Courtregiment.
It was disbanded in 1624 but simultaneously a new regiment was raised,
later called the yellow regiment. After the death of Gustaf II Adolf
the regiment lost its guards status. Only the Drabantcorps remained and
around it the Courtregiment of queen Kristina was raised and in 1649 it
was transformed into the Royal majestys guards and liferegiment. Karl X
Gustav reorganized and enlarged it into the Royal majestys lifeguards on
foot and horse. After the death of Karl X Gustav it was reduced to a
companysized unit but when Karl XI reached maturity it was reorganized into a
infantryregiment and a cavalry battallion again under the name Royal
majestys lifeguards on foot and horse. Karl XII organized the cavalry
battallion as an independant unit and the regiment was renamed Royal
majestys lifeguards on foot. In 1791 under Gustav III the regiment was
renamed the Royal majestys first lifeguards due to the raising of a
second. In 1792 it was renamed Royal Svea lifeguards. Gustaf IV Adolf
deprived the regiment of its guards status and renamed it Fleetwoods
regiment. This was rectified by the crownprince Karl Johan in 1809 that
renamed it the Svea guards, a year later the Svea lifeguards. The
regiment has always been located in Stockholm. Between 1948-1957 it was an
amored infantry regiment.
The regiments color is yellow.
Heraldic symbol:
The regiment as a lifeguards regiment
uses the namechiffer of the ruling monarch in silver .
Victory names:
THE WAR OF LIBERATION 1521 RHEN 1631 LUETZEN 1632 WARZAWA 1656
THE CROSSING OF THE BÄLT 1658 HALMSTAD 1676 LUND 1676
LANDSKRONA 1677 NARVA 1700 DUENA 1701 KLISZOW 1702 HOLVCZYN 1708
SVENSKSUND 1790
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