The Gardes Suisses are remembered less for any battle of the Seven Years War than for the day the regiment was destroyed. On 10 August 1792 a revolutionary crowd attacked the Tuileries Palace in Paris, which the Swiss were guarding. Louis XVI and his family had already taken refuge with the Legislative Assembly. In the middle of the fighting the king sent an order for the Swiss to lay down their arms. Hundreds of them died in the fighting and its aftermath, in prison and in the September massacres that followed. In 1821 a dying lion was carved into a rock face at Lucerne, designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and dedicated to the loyalty and courage of the Swiss.

The eight guards stand at attention with their muskets shouldered. They wear red coats with dark blue cuffs and turnbacks and white lace across the chest, with buff belts, white gaiters and black tricornes edged in white. This is the rank and file for Garde Suisse, whose officer, sergeant and drummer lead the company. Line them up beside The Garde Francaise and The Garde Francaise (Seven Years War) for the full household infantry of the French king.

Tradition of London set 664. Eight foot figures on square gloss bases. 54mm scale (approximately 1/30). All toy soldiers cast in quality white metal and individually hand-painted in gloss enamels. Packed in the Classic Tradition Red Box. Please allow 2–3 weeks for shipping.