Papal Military Corps

When the Papal States existed they had an army and police force like any other country. When these states came under attack the military corps was augmented by a group of international volunteers known as the Papal Zouaves. Later the Papal Military Corps included the Noble Guard (a ceremonial guard of honor made up of Roman aristorcrats), the Palatine Guard (a militia), the Papal Gendarme and the Pope's personal protectors and the oldest unit of them all; the Swiss Guard, formally the Pontifical Helvetian Cohort. After Vatican II it was Pope Paul VI who dissolved the Papal Military Corps with the exception of the Swiss Guard.