The Michael the Brave 30th Guards Brigade () is a primarily

ceremonial A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin . Religious and civil (secular) ceremoni ...

, as well as combat unit of the

Romanian Armed Forces The Romanian Armed Forces ( or ''Armata Română'') are the military forces of Romania. It comprises the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Force. The current Commander-in-chief is Lieutenant General Gheorghiță Vlad who is managed by ...

established in 1990. The Brigade also has a

military music A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

band, a

drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a drill bit for making holes, or a screwdriver bit for securing fasteners. Historically, they were powered by hand, and later mains power, but cordless b ...

team detachment, and an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

. The

military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...

unit of the Brigade guards certain special objectives of Bucharest. The Brigade traces its origins to the 1st

Tirailleur A tirailleur (), in the Napoleonic era, was a type of light infantry trained to skirmish ahead of the main columns. Later, the term "''tirailleur''" was used by the French Army as a designation for indigenous infantry recruited in the French c ...

Battalion, later '' Vânători'' Battalion, which was established in 1860.

History

Origins

On 1 July 1860, ''Batalionul 1 Tiraliori'' (1st

Battalion) was established through a decree issued by

Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza Alexandru Ioan Cuza (, or Alexandru Ioan I, also Anglicised as Alexander John Cuza; 20 March 1820 – 15 May 1873) was the first '' domnitor'' (prince) of the Romanian Principalities through his double election as Prince of Moldavia on 5 Ja ...

. Besides the regular infantry duties, the battalion ensured the security of royal palaces and the headquarters of the Ministry of War. Soon after, on 31 August, it was renamed to ''Batalionul 1 de Vânători'' (1st Vânători Battalion) and was reassigned to the

Ministry of War Ministry of War may refer to: * Ministry of War (imperial China) ( 600–1912) * Chinese Republic Ministry of War (1912–1946) * Ministry of War (Kingdom of Bavaria) (1808–1919) * Ministry of War (Brazil) (1815–1999) * Ministry of War (Esto ...

. On 19 June 1930, King

Carol II Carol II (4 April 1953) was King of Romania from 8 June 1930, until his forced abdication on 6 September 1940. As the eldest son of Ferdinand I of Romania, King Ferdinand I, he became crown prince upon the death of his grand-uncle, King Carol I, ...

reformed the 6th Dorobanți Regiment "Michael the Brave" (''Regimentul 6 Dorobanți "Mihai Viteazul"'') into the Michael the Brave Guard Regiment. The 6th Dorobanți Regiment was formed on 1 July 1873, and it participated in both the

War of Independence Wars of national liberation, also called wars of independence or wars of liberation, are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) ...

, and in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. In 1891, it received the honorific name "Mihai Viteazul" (Michael the Brave). In 1940, the name was changed to the 6th Guard Dorobanți Regiment "Michael the Brave" and it participated in the

campaigns of World War II The List of theatres and campaigns of World War II subdivides military operations of World War II and contemporary wars by war, then by theater and then by campaign. Pre–World War II Asia * Japanese invasion of Manchuria (September 18, 19 ...

. On 20 June 1930, the Royal Palace Guard Battalion (''Batalionul de Gardă al Palatului Regal'') was established through an order of the General Staff. The battalion was formed by a detachment from a company from the Foot

Gendarme A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to "men-at-arms" (). In France and som ...

Regiment. On 1 September, the unit became the Palace Guard Company, and in 1935, the Palace Guard Battalion. On 15 August 1941, it was further renamed to the Royal Guard Battalion.

1948–1989

The 1st Vânători Battalion was abolished by the

communist government A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...

in 1948 after the abdication of King

Michael I Michael I may refer to: * Pope Michael I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark in 743–767 * Michael I Rangabe, Byzantine Emperor (died in 844) * Michael I Cerularius, Patriarch Michael I of Constantinop ...

. The 6th Guard Dorobanți Regiment was transformed into the 6th Infantry Regiment in 1949, then into the 148th Infantry Regiment in 1950. The Royal Guard Battalion was transformed into the Republican Guard Regiment on 15 March 1948. It was meant to ensure the security in places like

Calea Victoriei Calea Victoriei (''Victory Avenue'') is a major avenue in central Bucharest. Situated in Sector 1, and having a length of , it leads from (which runs parallel to the Dâmbovița River) to the north and then northwest up to Piața Victoriei, w ...

, ''

Șoseaua Kiseleff ''Șoseaua Kiseleff'' (''Kiseleff Road'') is a major road in Bucharest, Romania. Situated in Sector 1 (Bucharest), Sector 1, the boulevard runs as a northward continuation of Calea Victoriei. History The road was created in 1832 by Pavel Kisel ...

'' and the

Băneasa Airport Băneasa () is a borough () on the north side of Bucharest, in Sector 1, near the Băneasa Lake (). Like every north-side district of Bucharest, it is relatively sparsely populated, with large areas of parkland. Bordering on Băneasa Forest, ...

. The unit also provided protection for officials from the Ministry of National Defense. In 1964, the 30th Guards Regiment was established with guard and protocol duties within the

Romanian People's Army The Army of the Socialist Republic of Romania () was the army of the Socialist Republic of Romania (1965 to 1989), previously known as the Army of the Romanian People's Republic () during the Romanian People's Republic (1947 to 1965). Following t ...

Present

The General Staff of the Armed Forces renamed the 30th Guards Regiment to the 30th Guards Brigade on 23 February 1990 following the

Romanian Revolution The Romanian revolution () was a period of violent Civil disorder, civil unrest in Socialist Republic of Romania, Romania during December 1989 as a part of the revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries around the world, primarily ...

. In 1995, the unit received the honorific name "

Mihai Viteazul Michael the Brave ( or ; 1558 – 9 August 1601), born as Mihai Pătrașcu, was the Prince of Wallachia (as Michael II, 1593–1601), Prince of Moldavia (1600) and ''de facto'' ruler of Transylvania (1599–1600). He is considered one of Rom ...

" (Michael the Brave) in an attempt to restore the old guard unit traditions of the Romanian Army. On 25 July 2001, it became a regiment again, being named the 30th Guards and Protocol Regiment Michael the Brave, then was renamed to the Michael the Brave 30th Guards Regiment in 2006. The unit was awarded with the

National Order of Faithful Service The National Order of Faithful Service () is the second highest national order of Romania after the Order of the Star of Romania, and the third highest State decoration, with the Order of Michael the Brave being the first. Originally it was establ ...

in 2015 on the occasion of the brigade's 155th anniversary. In 2018, it became a brigade once more, being subordinated to the General Staff of the

Units

Honor Guard Company

The primary mission of the brigade is to perform the required military honours for the

President of Romania The president of Romania () is the head of state of Romania. The president is directly elected by a two-round system, and, following a modification to the Romanian Constitution in 2003, serves for five years. An individual may serve two ter ...

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

and foreign leaders. It also takes part in events such as the inauguration of a president,

military parades A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the world. Mass ...

, state funerals and

military tattoos A military tattoo is a performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th-century Dutch language, Dutch phrase ' ('turn off the Beer tap, tap'), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct in ...

, as well as the Guard Mounting ceremony at the Mormântul Soldatului Necunoscut in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

. Ceremonies for state visits usually involve more than 100 soldiers of the brigade and the band. The company has taken part in ceremonies in

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

, and has represented the country in the 2007

Bastille Day military parade The Bastille Day military parade, also known as the 14 July military parade, translation of the French name of , is a French military parade that has been held on the morning of Bastille Day, 14 July, each year in Paris since 1880, almost with ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, and the 2016

Chișinău Independence Day Parade The Chișinău Independence Day Parade is one of the events of the Independence Day (Moldova), Independence Day of Moldova held by the Moldovan National Army. The parade is held in Chișinău, Moldova on August 27 every 5 to 10 years on Great Nati ...

Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...

Brigade Fanfare

The

Fanfare band A fanfare band, fanfare corps, fanfare battery, fanfare team, horn and drum corps, bugle band, drum and bugle corps, or trumpet and drum band (including the German ''Fanfarenzug'', ''Fanfarenkorps'' and ''Regimentsbläserkorps'', the Dutch ''drumb ...

of the Brigade (''Fanfara Brigăzii'') provides musical support to the ceremonial activities of the honor guard.

Drill Team Detachment

The Brigade also has a

Drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a drill bit for making holes, or a screwdriver bit for securing fasteners. Historically, they were powered by hand, and later mains power, but cordless b ...

team detachment. The detachment has participated in many events in the country and abroad, in Europe and America. In 2019, the drill team also participated in the

Virginia International Tattoo The Virginia International Tattoo is a military tattoo that began in 1997 and is the signature event of the Virginia Arts Festival, a not-for-profit performing arts organization based in Norfolk, Virginia. The event was established in 1997, and ...

Salvo Battery

The

Salvo A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute. As a tactic in warfare, the intent is to cripple an enemy in many blows at once and prevent them from f ...

Battery (''Bateria salve'') of the Brigade provides the

gun salute A gun salute or cannon salute is the use of a piece of artillery to fire shots, often 21 in number (''21-gun salute''), with the aim of marking an honor or celebrating a joyful event. It is a tradition in many countries around the world. Histo ...

s during various events, such as the

Great Union Day Great Union Day (; also called Unification Day or National Day) is a Romanian national holiday celebrated on 1 December to mark the 1918 Great Union (the unification of Transylvania, Bassarabia, and Bukovina with the Kingdom of Romania). The ...

or the Navy Day. It is equipped with 76 mm Model 1942 guns.

Military Police Unit

The brigade maintains a

unit that engages targeting threats to the Bucharest Garrison as well as acts as security and military police in the city. During the

in December 1989, 15 soldiers from the brigade's special purpose unit were killed while in duty.

Church

The Military Church "Saint Great Martyr Mina" in Bucharest is a place of worship that belongs to the brigade.

Decorations

The 30th Guard Brigade received the following decorations: * ROU Order of the Star of Romania 1999 Officer BAR

Order of the Star of Romania The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the Order of Michael the Brave. It is the oldest Order of Romania. It is awarded by the Preside ...

, Peacetime (Knight – 2000; Officer – 2010) * ROU Faithful Service Order 2000 Knight BAR

, Peacetime (Knight – 2015) * ROU Military Virtue Order 2002 GOfficer BAR

Order of Military Virtue The Military Virtue Medal () is a Romanian military decoration, instituted on April 8, 1872, by King Carol I. A previous version, called ''Pro Virtute Militari'', was established by Alexandru Ioan Cuza in 1860 for the veterans of the Dealul Spir ...

, Peacetime (Officer – 2015; Commander – 2020; Grand Officer – 2023)

Gallery

File:Regimentul de Gardă Mihai Vitazul, uniformă de gală model 1930.png, Ceremonial uniform of the Michael the Brave Guard Regiment in 1930 File:14 juillet - 30e régiment de la garde.jpg, Soldiers during the 2007 Bastille Day Parade File:Michael the Brave regiment Bastille Day 2007.jpg, A soldier of the Honor Guard in 2007 File:2june2006 177.jpg, Guards marching during a parade in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in 2006 File:Michael the Brave 30th Guards Brigade national day 2015.jpg, Flag Guard of the 30th Guards Brigade in 2015 File:Poroshenko in Romania 02.jpg,

Petro Poroshenko Petro Oleksiiovych Poroshenko (born 26 September 1965) is a Ukraine, Ukrainian politician and Oligarchy, oligarch who served as the fifth president of Ukraine from 2014 to 2019. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine), Minister ...

inspecting the unit. File:Drill team of the 30th Guards Brigade.jpg, Drill team of the brigade in 2017

References

Bibliography

External links

ROMANII AU TALENT 2018 - BRIGADA 30 GARDA MIHAI VITEAZUL

Drill team Brigada 30 Garda "Mihai Viteazul" 1 Dec 2010

Ziua Porţilor Deschise la Brigada 30 Gardă "Mihai Viteazul"

Regimentul 30 garda Mihai Viteazu

Regimental Documentary (2003)
{{DEFAULTSORT:30th Guard Brigade Michael the Brave 1860 establishments in Romania Brigades of Romania Guards of honour