Hussar Life Guards Regiment

Categories / Army. Navy/Garrison
HUSSAR LIFE GUARDS REGIMENT (from 1855 His Majesty’s Regiment), its history dates back to the Life Hussar Squadron, formed in 1775, which in 1796 was incorporated into the Cossack Life Hussar Regiment, in 1798 was formed into its own regiment; enjoyed privileges of the Old Guards, consisted of 2 to 5 squadron battalions, in 1802 was re-formed into a 5-squadron unit. Participated in the wars with France of 1799, 1805, 1806-07, 1812-14, in the Russo-Turkish Wars of 1828-29 and 1877-78, in suppressing of the Polish Uprising of 1830-31. From 1802 the regiment was stationed in Pavlovsk and Krasnoe Selo, from 1814 – in Tsarskoe Selo, (hence the informal name “hussars of Tsarskoe Selo – tsarskoselsky hussars”). The barracks were situated in the neighbourhood bordered by Volkonskaya (now Parkovaya), Sofiyskaya, Furazhnaya, Gussarskaya, Stesselevskaya (now Krasnoy Zvezdy Street) and Gospitalnaya Streets. From 1817 the regiment church was the Holy Wisdom Cathedral. From 1855 reigning emperors were the regiment’s patrons, future Emperors Alexander II and Nicholas II commenced their service in its ranks. During WW I 1914-18 the regiment within the 2d Guards Cavalry Division was dispatched to the North-Western front. It was disbanded in early 1918.

References: Манзей К. Н. История Лейб-гвардии Гусарского полка, 1775-1857: В 4 ч. СПб., 1859; Столетняя служба Л.-гв. гусарского его величества полка: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1875; Лейб-гусары: История. Биографии. Мемуары. М., 2003.

A. N. Lukirsky. Alexander II, Emperor
Nicholas II, Emperor
Манзей К. Н. История Лейб-гвардии Гусарского полка, 1775-1857: В 4 ч. СПб., 1859
Столетняя служба Л.-гв. гусарского его величества полка: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1875 St. Sofia Cathedral at Tsarskoe Selo
1797