Why did Russian tsars hire foreigners as bodyguards, not compatriots

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Today, bodyguards accompanying an important person surprise no one. But they have existed in Russia for a long time. And, by the way, they were not always compatriots of the protected nobles. For example, in the 16th and 18th centuries, tsars often hired foreigners, appointing them as personal bodyguards. This was due to the monarchs' fear of conspiracies. Most often, professional military personnel from Western Europe were considered as foreign bodyguards. Read how Ivan the Terrible, Alexei Tishaishy and Peter the Great defended their lives.

How Ivan the Terrible hired foreigners and who were the bellies who could not protect the sovereign

Any nobleman from birth was considered a military man in the Moscow state and had to serve. Nevertheless, in troubled times, the monarchs believed that it was better to entrust the safety of their person to foreign mercenaries, who were paid big money for this. The close ones were unreliable, as there was a danger that they might have a secret intent - to seize the throne. And also to be a "sent Cossack" of political opponents. John IV, known as Ivan the Terrible, was the first to hire foreigners. Fearing conspiracies, he could not trust the boyars. He also doubted the unconditional loyalty of anyone close to him. In the second half of the 16th century, the formation of a foreign guard began at the court of Grozny, which consisted of approximately 1200 military mercenaries from Western Europe. The "national" units were created - the Scottish company, the Dutch cavalry. But mainly Germans, Swedes and Danes served in such a guard.

During the feasts, the Tsar's safety was ensured by at least twenty German nobles. And this despite the fact that there were also official guards, the so-called "bells". These people in ceremonial clothes were near the royal throne. In their hands they held a reed or a silver hatchet. According to the tradition, descending from the great princes of Moscow, Rynda became handsome and tall young men, representatives of noble families. Despite the personable appearance, the young men could not ensure the safety of the king. Therefore, professional foreign military personnel were hired.

How foreign soldiers swore allegiance to False Dmitry

The practice of Ivan the Terrible was taken up by other rulers. For example, Boris Godunov had a whole squad of mercenaries. And "Tsarevich Dmitry", that is, False Dmitry, willingly accepted hired soldiers into his army. He formed three companies, each with a hundred men. They provided Dmitry's personal protection. The companies were commanded by the Frenchman Margeret, the Courland military Knutson and the Scotsman Wandtman.

It should be noted that many foreigners (about 500 people) returned to their homeland during the Time of Troubles. And among those who remained in the service of False Dmitry, there were traitors. For example, when angry residents of Moscow decided to kill Grishka Otrepiev in 1606, only one German bodyguard gave his life for his employer.

The story of Captain Wandtmann, mentioned above, is sad. He fought on the side of False Dmitry II and even served as a governor of Kaluga. However, then the impostor suspected the captain of treason, and he was ruthlessly executed.

The guards of Alexei Tishaishiy - 40 bodyguards and 500 archers

The Time of Troubles is over, and the need for bodyguards from the monarchs has not disappeared. The rulers continued to hire foreigners. An Inozem order was even created. This happened in 1624. The functions of this state institution included providing foreign mercenaries with good housing, impressive remuneration, high-quality uniforms, and so on.

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Quiet is famous for carrying out the reform of the church. Therefore, he was forced to strengthen his personal protection - a large number of subjects did not approve of the "betrayal of the old faith," and some schismatics received threats of reprisals.

In 1648, the Thirty Years' War ended in Europe, and a huge number of men were left without a livelihood. Their ability to fight has become unnecessary at home. The flow of the military from countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany, England, Austria, Scotland headed to Russia, as rumors of huge earnings spread quickly.

Tsar Alexei used the most professional military personnel as his personal guards. He never went out without bodyguards, and there were (hard to believe, but true) more than forty of them. Foreigners were not interested in the reform of the church and internal squabbles. Therefore, the Quiet One chose them. The Inozem order provided bodyguards with uniforms and ammunition, and it was not easy to distinguish foreigners from the Russian military.

But the king used not only hired guards. The archers kept the peace of the Moscow Kremlin and other residences. They were on duty around the clock. Five hundred people were on guard, charging their squeaks and preparing to repulse the intruders.

Peter I, who chose his friends and the personal army of Peter III from the German military to be the guards

After Peter I dealt with the archers, the Life Guards (Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments) took over the function of guarding the royal residences. Although Peter was very fond of everything European, he considered his compatriots - orderlies whom he chose on his own - as personal bodyguards. Usually this honor was given to the king's friends whom he could trust.

Later, the Russian rulers also used the services of the guards, who often participated in conspiracies. Only Peter Fedorovich the Third made a choice in favor of foreigners, in particular, Holstein troops were used. It was essentially his personal army that he relied on. But even the experience of foreign guards did not help prevent the conspiracy organized by Catherine II, the wife of Peter III.

By the way, people of lesser status would also benefit from professional security. For example, women politicians whose careers cost their lives.