- Swiss Guard
- The Pontifical Swiss Guard, also known as the Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard, is an armed forces, guard of honour, and protective security unit, maintained by the Holy See to protect the Pope and the Apostolic Palace within the territory of the Vatican City State. Established in 1506 under Pope Julius II, it is among the oldest military units in continuous operation and is sometimes called "the world's smallest army".
The Pope's mysterious army | DW Documentary
It’s the smallest and most mysterious army in the world: the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
The film accompanies these men of faith and combat, from their recruitment in Switzerland to their military training in the heart of the Vatican.
Made up of 150 men, this elite corps lives in barracks in the heart of Vatican City. All must be Swiss nationals and devout Catholics. All have sworn to fight to the death to protect their faith and the Holy Father.
They are heirs to a 500-year-old tradition in which the Pope’s protection and security were assured by mercenaries from Switzerland.
Trained to wield both halberds and semi-automatic assault rifles, the Swiss Guards form a unique army. But who are they really? What motivates these young boys to join this military and religious corps? An insight into a world usually closed to the cameras.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard, also known as the Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard, is an armed forces, guard of honour, and protective security unit, maintained by the Holy See to protect the Pope and the Apostolic Palace within the territory of the Vatican City State. Established in 1506 under Pope Julius II, it is among the oldest military units in continuous operation[5] and is sometimes called "the world's smallest army".
The Swiss Guard is considered an elite military unit. It is highly selective in its recruitment: candidates must be unmarried Swiss Catholic males between 19 and 30 years of age and at least 5 feet 8.5 inches (1.74 meters), who have completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces and hold a professional diploma or high school degree. As of 2024, there were 135 members.
History
Italian Wars
The Pontifical Swiss Guard has its origins in the 15th century.
Pope Sixtus IV (1471–1484) had allied with the Swiss Confederacy and built barracks in Via Pellegrino after foreseeing the possibility of recruiting Swiss mercenaries. The pact was renewed by Pope Innocent VIII (1484–1492) in order to use Swiss troops against the Duke of Milan. Alexander VI (1492–1503) later used the Swiss mercenaries during his alliance with the King of France.
During the time of the Borgias, the Italian Wars began, in which the Swiss mercenaries were a fixture on the front lines among the warring factions, sometimes for France, and sometimes for the Holy See or the Holy Roman Empire. The mercenaries enlisted when they heard King Charles VIII of France was going to war with Naples. Among the participants in the war against Naples was Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, the future Pope Julius II (1503–1513), who was well acquainted with the Swiss, having been Bishop of Lausanne years earlier.
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In September 1505, the first contingent of 150 soldiers departed on foot to Rome, under the command of Kaspar von Silenen. They entered the city on 22 January 1506, now regarded as the official date of the Guard's foundation.
"The Swiss see the sad situation of the Church of God, Mother of Christianity, and realize how grave and dangerous it is that any tyrant, avid for wealth, can assault with impunity, the common Mother of Christianity," declared the Swiss theologian Huldrych Zwingli, who later became a Protestant reformer. Pope Julius II later granted the Guard the title "Defenders of the Church's freedom".[12]
The force has varied greatly in size over the years and on occasion has been disbanded and reconstituted.
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In 1537, Pope Paul III ordered the Swiss Guard to be reinstated and sent Cardinal Ennio Filonardi to oversee recruitment.
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