At the beginning of the Empire, admission to the Imperial Guard was limited to veterans with at least 10 years service in the Grande Armée. In 1806 Napoleon decided to express his confidence in the young men of France by adding several regiments of fresh recruits to his Guard.  They were quickly dubbed the "Young Guard" and soon demonstrated by their performance in battle that the Emperor's confidence was not misplaced.

The Young Guard of the Napoleonic Historical Society is composed of students with an interest in Napoleon. The membership rates are substantially lower than the standard membership. If you are interested in joining the Young Guard, just click here for the form, or send us an e-mail.