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The King’s Lifeguard Regiment of Horse
Flag Illustration | ![]() |
Active | 1642-1646 |
Country | England |
Allegiance | Royalist |
Conflicts | First Civil War |
Type | Horse |
Colonel | King Charles I |
Area Raised | Yorkshire |
Flag Colour | Red |
Flag Design | Known |
Field Armies | Oxford 1642-1646 |
The King’s Lifeguard Regiment of Horse, serving with the Oxford Army throughout the First Civil War
Service History
1642
- May: Raised in Yorkshire
- July: First Siege of Hull
- August: Repulsed from Coventry
- October: Battle of Edgehill
- December: Quartered at Oxford
1643
- August to September: Siege of Gloucester
- September: First Battle of Newbury
1644
- June: Battle of Cropredy Bridge
- August: Battle of Lostwithiel
- October: Second Battle of Newbury
- November: Relief of Donnington Castle
1645
- March: Skirmish at Kidlington
- May: Storm of Leicester
- June: Battle of Naseby
- August: Storm of Huntingdon
- September: Battle of Rowton Heath
- November to May 1646: Besieged at Newark
1646
- May: Surrender of Newark
Notes
Flags & Equipment
The cornet illustrated above was taken by the Earl of Essex's army sometime between 1642 and 1644. It is not definitely identified as one of the King's Lifeguard's cornets, but this appears probable based on its extra wide gold fringing, crown and royal cypher.
According to Blount: The coronet-devise of His Majesties own troop or Life-guard of horse was a Lyon Passant, Crowned Or, with DIEU ET MON DROIT for motto2)
By 1643 the Lifeguard were being issued with harquebusier equipment3) though this does not necessarily preclude individuals wearing cuirassier armour.
Notable Officers
King Charles I
Lord Bernard Stewart
Sir William Killigrew
Sir Edward Brett
Captain Edward Brett commanded a troop of The Queen’s Regiment of Horse that escorted the Queen to Exeter then was attached to the King's Lifeguard during the Lostwithiel campaign of 1644. Brett was knighted by Charles I on the field of battle and promoted to Major. It appears that The King's Lifeguard was reorganised at this time into the King's troop and the Queen's troop.
Lt Col Gordon
Led the Earl of Lichfield's troop in August 1645
Officer Lists
August 1645
The Lifeguard of Horse at Doncaster, 19th August 16454), commanded by Lord Bernard Stuart, Earl of Lichfield
- The King's Troop, commanded by Lord Bernard Stuart, Earl of Lichfield
- The Queen's Troop, commanded by Sir Edward Brett, Regimental Major
- The Earl of Lichfield's Troop, commanded by Lt Colonel Gordon
- Sir Thomas Glemham's troop, commanded by Sir Henry Stradling
September 1645
The King's Lifeguard of Horse 'about 200' strong commanded by Lord Bernard Stuart, Earl of Lichfield
- The King's Troop, commanded by Lord Bernard Stuart, Earl of Lichfield
- The Queen's Troop, comanded by Sir Edward Brett, Regimental Major
- The Earl of Lichfield's Troop, commanded by Lt. Col. Gordon
- Sir Henry Stradling's Troop