Records: the Royal Guard

## **The Establishment of the *Royal Guard***

King Edward didn’t stay at Windsor Castle, he *filled* it.

Built by his father, a day's ride west of London, it was beefy, combat-oriented architecture that drove home the *strength* of the Crown. It had presence that Westminster had lost in the process of being civilized.

The keep had its own support town around it of Windsor, Berkshire, and was a long-time flak magnet because of it. There was a level of Royal Dominance, as well, with neither competing nor supporting baronage, though it did have two Knights of the Shire representing the county in Parliament since 1295.

Therein was the challenge: how to maintain control of these massive facilities, which could house and protect an entire army, even when the *Home Team* was elsewhere. This situation had been seen time and again, in England, France and everywhere: losing control of the castle likely meant losing control of the area. That was a major part of the thought behind creating a specialized defense arm of the Royal Arms – one that would carry out multiple functions, such as the sheriff's law enforcement duties.

### **Size matters**

Defense was going to be touchy on funding alone. Simply supporting the new full-time Regiment of St. George had people scratching their heads. How to do that with castles across England (and everywhere else they controlled)?

They started with the basic foundation of the Royal Army's force structure:

* Squad (5)
	+ 4 privates
	+ 1 corporal
* Platoon (21)
	+ 4 squads
	+ 1 sergeant
* Company (213)
	+ 10 platoons
	+ 2 lieutenants
	+ 1 captain

The idea was that the Royal Guard would serve as law enforcement, with the captain as acting sheriff and the rest of the Guard his deputies. Companies would be good enough for smaller counties, with dedicated battalions for cities 10,000+.

They were technically foot soldiers, but all would be qualified to ride, with enough horses maintained that half the force could be deployed at any given time. For a company, that was roughly 105 horses in the stable at any given time.

Their specialty was site security, consolidating the smattering of positions previously employed. Administratively, they fell under the Royal Marshal, though their cost was absorbed by the Royal Army (and thus tax-funded).

The Royal Guard was a prestige position but could be prone to years of inactivity beyond patrols and law enforcement. To keep them in fighting form, any soldier in the Royal Guard was required to have combat experience – *in the Army*. Contracts were allowed to have it the first, second or third two-year block of an 8-year minimum cycle.

Further, the Guard would have some constant level of training that both the Sergeants and Royal Army did, with requirements not as stringent as the Sergeants but more stringent than the Army (they were, after all, protecting the king and his court). Salaries for the Guard were very generous.

Initial recruitment came from the Royal Army, as well as proven soldiers the armies from around England as long as they came with a letter of recommendation and could pass the minimums standards.

### **Special Operations**

While the SA was known for their derring-do, the Royal Guard immediately inherited several very sensitive missions beyond securing royal residences or keeps.

#### The Seal Guardians

* This was expanded to two soldiers at any given moment. The duo was on rotation, in 4 24-hour shifts, alternating at 12 hour stretches (a little like the nuclear football). With 4 shifts, it made 8 soldiers per seal (16 for the combined seals).
	+ Privy Seal (the personal seal of the monarch)
	+ Great Seal of the Realm (the approval seal for important state documents)

#### The Royal Mint

* There was a good deal of gold coming in for minting (or foreign coinage for re-minting). The RG protected the mint itself. The RG would also expand to guard royally-operated gold mines.

#### The Royal Wardrobe and Crown Treasury

* Separate but related treasuries, usually fed by the Mint, as well as containing other treasures and artifacts of state. This was as high-stress as guarding a keep in enemy territory.