Life Company

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Categories / Army. Navy/Garrison
LIFE COMPANY, a separate extra-privileged guard unit. Ordered by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in 1741, formed of the Grenadier Company of the Preobrazhensky Life Guard Regiment. The company assisted her seizure of the throne on 25 November 1741. Every guard in the company was ennobled and received the rank of officer; a private of the Life Company was equated with an army poruchik (lieutenant), while a praporshchik (ensign) of the Life Company was considered equal to a colonel. The Empress was captain of the Life-Company; its officers were commissioned from immediate confidants who were general field-marshals and generals. The Life Company were the Empress' personal guard. The company was quartered in the Winter Palace of Peter the Great, which also adopted the name Life Company House. It was disbanded in 1761.

References: Антонов Б. И. Императорская гвардия в Санкт-Петербурге. СПб., 2001.

G. V. Kalashnikov. Elizaveta Petrovna, Empress
Peter I, Emperor
Антонов Б. И. Императорская гвардия в Санкт-Петербурге. СПб., 2001 Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment