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The
Yeomen of the Queen’s Guarde
Valecti Garde
(Corporis) Domini Regina
Some Facts
  The
Captain of the Guard was appointed by the Queen and was usually a Peer. One
of the most famous persons to hold this position was Captain Sir Walter
Raleigh. He is known to have said that being Captain of the Guard
gave him more access to the Queen than many of her closest advisors. He
also holds the distinction of having been Captain of the Guard on three
separate occasions. The first time he was Captain, he held the
position from 1586 until 1592, when he fell out of favor for his courtship
of Elizabeth Throckmorton. In 1597, the Queen reinstated him
as Captain, a post he held until he was imprisoned again in 1603 by
James I. After being released, he was appointed to the position
again and kept it until he was led by his own guards to be beheaded
in 1618.
The
motto on the uniform of the Guards and displayed on the Battle Standard
is DIEU ET MON DROIT, which in old French, means, "GOD
IS MY RIGHT." It is one of the mottoes used by Royal Families
of England. It is the statement of the "Divine Right of
Kings."
During
the Tudor period, about half of the Yeomen of the Guard would have
been mounted. Most of the Yeomen would have been armed with
bows as their primary weapon.
 The
eight foot long weapon the Yeomen carry is called a "Partisan," which
is a type of halberd. Other weapons that would have been used
by the Yeomen are Musket and Sword.
Until
1861, the office of Yeoman of the Guard could be purchased.
The
active service battle dress for a Yeoman of the Guard included:
A
full cuirass (breast and back plates)
a
gorget (neck, upper chest and back armor)
taces
and tassets (waist and upper thigh plates)
arm
pieces
a
morion (helmet)
a
target (shield)
a
musket, musket rest, and a bandolier
long
and short pikes
A Yeoman of the
Guard on Active Service
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A Modern Yeoman Warder |
The
term Beefeater has an uncertain meaning and a cloudy origin. Some
scholars believe it refers to all Yeomen of the Guard. Others
believe it refers only to the Yeomen Warders, the detachment of the
Guards who protect the Tower of London.
It is possible that Grand Duke Cosmo de Medici coined the term during
a visit to England in 1669. He is said to have commented on the
large quantities of beef the Guards ate. It is also possible
that is comes from the French word buffetier, which means, "to
wait at tables." A third possibility is that it stems from
the fact that the Guards would taste the monarch's food for poisons. A
modern Yeoman Warder wrote that neither they nor the Yeomen of the
Guard enjoy being called Beefeaters. The Yeomen of the Guilde
of St. George of Virginia consider the term "Beefeater" derogatory
and have been known to correct patrons, saying, "We are the Yeomen
of the Guard, Madame! We are NOT Beefeaters!" followed by
a humorous definition of the term.
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Last updated:
March 3, 2009
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