Scots Guards

Scots Guards, a name now nsed for a celebrated household regiment in the British army (till lately, Scots Fusilier Guards), but also applied to the Scottish troops who for many centuries served under the kings of France. The alliance of the two countries was due to their common enmity to England brought about by the ambitious designs of Edward I. The nucleus of the Scottish forces in the French army was a body of nearly 10,000 men led by the Earl of Buchan, which disembarked at La Rochelle in 1419. Charles VII. divided these Scotsmen into two distinct corps - "Les Gendarmes Ecossais (the Scots men-at-arms), and "La Compagnie Ecossaise de la Garde de Corps du Roi (the Scots Lifeguards). The loyalty of the Scots Guards was not more conspicuous than their heroism in battle, and they played a distinguisbed part in the wars of Charles VIII., Louis XII., and Francis I. They ceased to be composed of Scotsmen after the Seven Year's War, and were disbanded at the Revolution. Their final abolition took place in 1830.