National Guard

National Guard, an organisation for local defence, at the disposal of the municipalities, not of the crown. Such a burgher guard had long existed in many French towns, but it was introduced into Paris only in July 1789, during the Revolution, when the revolutionary leaders decreed the formation of a national guard for Paris of 48,000 citizens; and ere long there were 300,000 for the kingdom. During the revolutionary excesses they were sometimes supine, sometimes they withstood the most violent insurrectionists. In 1794 they were the most devoted adherents of Robespierre. In 1795 they assisted in disarming the people, and were themselves reorganised so as to exclude turbulent elements, none but men of substance being allowed to serve; they even became royalist in feeling, and, rebelling against the convention, were defeated by Napoleon and the regular army, and practically ceased to exist. Napoleon re-established a national guard or militia, but, after various vicissitudes in 1814, 1830, and 1845, it has been wholly superseded by the military reorganisation since 1870.