Royal Guardians Profile: The Japanese Imperial Guard

The modern Japanese Imperial Guard is a far cry from what it used to be but is no less effective at its primary duty of protecting the Emperor of Japan, the Imperial Family and their residences. The modern Japanese Imperial Guard was formed in 1867 as part of the Imperial Japanese Army. Their style was very French though after 1870 the Japanese imported German military experts to train them. The Imperial Guard served in the victory over Russia and was greatly expanded, including two brigades made up entirely of natives of the island of Formosa (Taiwan). During World War II Imperial Guard units were sent to serve in southern China and in the occupation of French Indochina (Vietnam). Later Imperial Guard troops fought in the victorious campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. Their reputation was tarnished over these events when evidence was produced after the war at war crimes trials that members had participated in several atrocities. With the Japanese surrender in 1945 and the occupation of Japan by the United States the Imperial Guard was abolished (as was the Imperial Japanese Army as a whole) but in 1947 it was reformed as part of the National Police Agency.

The modern Imperial Guard of the Police Agency consists of some 900 members and are charged with the protection of the Emperor, his family and properties. They also train as fire-fighters to be prepared for any fires in the Imperial Palace complex. Men and women alike serve in the guard today and are a highly trained, proud and efficient security force that has been called on to fend off potential attackers and recently had to perform the unusual task of dealing with a drunken, naked foreigner who decided to go for a swim in the imperial moat!

Royal Guardians Profile: The Qing Imperial Guards Brigade

When the Manchurians took power in China and established the "Great Pure Dynasty" they imported their own system of military organization. Known as the Eight Banners the system was designed by the founder of the Qing, Emperor Nurhaci. Based on the tribal-clan structure of the Manchu's nomadic society it allowed large and well trained armies to be gathered very quickly and put directly into action. The Eight Banners included Manchu, Mongol and Han troops though eventually the sheer number of Han soldiers necessitated forming them into their own army. However, the Eight Banners always remained the reliable central core of the Qing Imperial Army. In time they became more professional and more modernly trained. However, from the outset, the Emperor selected the very best warriors from each of the Eight Banners to serve as his guards and personal troops in the Forbidden Purple City. This elite force became known as the Imperial Guards Brigade and they were charged with the personal security of the Emperor and ensuring that no one violated the sacred confines of the Forbidden City and live to tell about it. These forces served throughout the life of the Qing Dynasty and many if not most remained loyal to the Manchu Emperor even after the fall of the dynasty and the establishment of the republic. Many were on hand when the last Emperor was enthroned as Emperor of Manchukuo though in that political entity the Emperor had a new and more modern Imperial Guard that was kept under close watch by the Japanese.

Royal Guardians Profile: The Immortals

The Iranian Imperial Guard was formed in 1942 as an outgrowth of the former Persian Royal Guard. It started with 700 special volunteers organized by General Jafar Shafaghat but quickly expanded in size to the Imperial Guard Division in 1953. It was built around the Javidan Guard who were known as "The Immortals" in reference to the famous Imperial Guard of ancient Persia from which they historically descended. It has always been somewhat unique in Imperial Iran that, although they have long been a staunchly Shia Islamic country on the whole, they still took great pride in their history and the glories of the ancient Persian Empire. The Immortals were housed at the Lavizan Barracks in the north side of Tehran and by 1978 this most elite formation had grown to brigade-size and included its own tank arm as well as a troop of household cavalry (Pahlavi Cavalry Guard) for ceremonial duties at the court of the Shah. Despite this growth however, standards for membership were kept extremely high. To qualify to become an Immortal a recruit had to pass an astounding array of mental and physical tests as well as be able to recite his own family history backwards to 23 generations from memory.

The Immortals were a stylish symbol of what would prove to be the last bow of Persian royal glory before the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution. In that most crucial period the Iranian Imperial Guard proved staunchly loyal to the Shah. There were some clashes with militant revolutionaries but everything happened too quickly for a major battle to ensue. The Shah left the country on the promise that he could return after the situation had been calmed, but of course that never happened. The Ayatollah took power, abolished the monarchy and declared the country a theocracy as the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian Imperial Guard was returned to its barracks and disbanded, some later being absorbed into regular military units to participate in the Iraq-Iran War.