The Imperial Guard brought together the most experienced elite troops. At its peak in 1812, it numbered over 100,000 men. It was deployed as a last resort on the battlefield, as at Eylau or Waterloo.
The Imperial Guard was the spearhead of the Grande Armée. Created under the Consulate as the Consular Guard, it became the Imperial Guard on May 18, 1804. It was divided into Old, Middle and Young Guard according to the regiments' seniority.
Commanders and battles
Notable commanders
Battles
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Recommended books to dig deeper (affiliate links)
Napoleon — A magisterial biography
An exhaustive biography of the Emperor, the fruit of rigorous research.
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Organization, tactics and daily life of the Grande Armée soldiers.
≈ £18.00Austerlitz 1805
The detailed account of the Battle of the Three Emperors.
≈ £12.99As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases.