His Majesty's Life Guards Hussar Regiment (until 1855 – the Hussar Life Guards Regiment) was a Guards Hussar regiment of the Army of the Russian Empire.

Organizational stages of the regiment's existence At the end of 1774, Empress Catherine II ordered Prince Grigory Potemkin to form a hussar squadron of 130 people and two Cossack escort teams for service under Her Majesty; the squadron was named Leib Gusarsky, and the Cossack teams: one – Donskoy, the other – Chuguevskaya, and ordered to be at the highest court. In April 1775, the squadron was made up of Black (64 people), Yellow (25 people), Serbian (20 people), Moldavian (25 people), Wallachian (11 people) and Hungarian (two people) hussar regiments and was replenished with volunteers from the nobles, the best men of the army regiments and foreigners of beautiful appearance and tall stature. The contingent had to be made up of the best appearance and "living creatures", as well as honest and sober people. Throughout the reign of Catherine II, the squadron and escort teams carried the protection of Her Majesty.

On November 18, 1796, from the Life Hussar Squadron, the Cossack escort teams and the Hussar regiment and the Cossack squadron that were part of the Gatchina troops, a Consolidated Life Hussar Cossack Regiment was formed with the rights and advantages of the old guard. The regiment had 2 hussars and 2 cossack squadrons. On April 15, 1797, the 3rd Hussar Squadron was formed. On January 24, 1798, the Life Hussar Cossack Regiment was divided into 2 regiments: the hussar squadrons made up the Life Guards Hussar Regiment, and the Cossack ones – the Life Guards Cossack Regiment. On September 9, 1798, the Life Guards Hussar Regiment was reorganized into 2 battalions of 5 squadrons.

Upon the accession to the throne of Emperor Alexander I, the regiment was reorganized on December 29, 1802, into 5 squadrons and occupied the barracks in Krasnoe Selo and Pavlovsk. On January 6, 1813, the regiment was reorganized into 6 active and 1 reserve squadrons. Upon returning to Russia from a foreign campaign in 1814, the Life Hussars settled in Tsarskoe Selo, and the reserve squadron was abolished. On April 22, 1818, Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich (later Emperor Alexander II) was appointed chief of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment.

On April 6, 1836, the 7th Reserve Squadron was formed from the indefinite vacation of the lower ranks, and on January 25, 1842, it was ordered to have a frame for the 8th Reserve Squadron. In 1848, the 7th Reserve Squadron was named and the 8th Reserve Squadron was formed.

On February 19, 1855, on the occasion of the accession to the throne of Emperor Alexander II, who had been the chief of the regiment since 1818, the regiment was ordered to be called His Majesty's Life Guards Hussar Regiment. In 1856, His Majesty's Life Guards Hussar Regiment was assigned to 4 active and 1 reserve squadrons. On July 27, 1875, the reserve squadron was renamed.

During the reign of Emperor Alexander III, on August 6, 1883, the regiment was transferred to the 6–squadron, and the reserve squadron was reorganized into the Cadre Department of the Guards Cavalry Reserve.

On March 4, 1917, the regiment was renamed the Life Guards Hussar Regiment, and on May 8, 1918, it was disbanded.

During the Civil War, the regiment was revived in the Armed Forces of the South of Russia. Initially, the squadron of the regiment was part of the Consolidated Mountain Division. From December 30, 1919, the platoon and squadron of the regiment was included in the Consolidated Cavalry Brigade, from the beginning of January 1920 – in the Consolidated Guards Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, and upon arrival in the Crimea from April 16, 1920, the Life Hussars formed a platoon of the Guards Cavalry Brigade. In the White Movement, the regiment lost 10 officers (two were shot, 7 killed and one died of disease).Sergey Volkov. White Movement in Russia: Organizational Structure – Moscow, 2000

In emigration, in France, a regimental association was created, which was part of the Russian General Military Union not directly, but only as a member of the Guards Association. In 1949–1951, the association numbered 26 people (including 18 in Paris and two in the United States), in 1958 – 21 people (including 13 in Paris), by 1962 – less than 10 people. Major General Dmitry Levshin and Major General Georgy Shevich were the chairmen of the association of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment.

Participation in hostilities Napoleonic Wars

The regiment took part in the Napoleonic Wars. On June 2, 1807, the regiment distinguished itself near Friedland, where the Russian army, nevertheless, suffered one of the most crushing defeats.

On August 26, 1812, the regiment as part of the 1st Cavalry Corps of General Fyodor Uvarov distinguished itself in the Battle of Borodino.

Russian–Turkish Wars

The regiment took part in the Russian–Turkish Wars. September 11–29, 1828 – participated in the siege of Varna; October 12–16, 1877 – battle near the village of Telish; January 2–5, 1878 – battles near Philippopolis.

The first successes of the Russian Army, crossing the Danube, the capture of the cities of Nikopol and Tyrnov, but defeats occurred on our right flank when Osman Pasha moved from the city of Viddin to Plevna and fell on the Russian troops. Before the arrival of reinforcements, the Russian Army went on the defensive, and on July 22, 1877, the mobilization of a part of the Guard was announced, including the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division, which included His Majesty's Life Guards Hussar Regiment.

The troops were sent in echelons by rail to the Zhmerynka Station, where the gathering point for arriving reinforcements was located. Arriving on August 20 at the Romanian border, the entire division lined up for a review carried out by the Chief of the Division, Major General Gurko.

On August 24, General Gurko, at the head of his division, crossed the Prut River into Turkish territory and followed forced marches to the Danube River.

Passing Rymnik and Focsani, recalling the glorious campaigns of the times of Suvorov and Dibich, passing through Bucharest, the regiment arrived at Yaimnitsa on the banks of the Danube on September 11.

Crossing the Danube, the Russian Army headed through Bulgaria and on September 17, the Division stopped at Gorny–Studna, where the main apartment of the Sovereign Emperor was, who inspected the arriving troops.

The current Russian Army under the High Command of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder, was divided into three detachments: the eastern one was under the command of the Heir to the Tsarevich, the southern one was commanded by General Radetzky, the western one was commanded by Prince, later King, Carol I of Romania, with an assistant General Adjutant Totleben.

The Turkish army was divided into three groups: Suleiman Pasha was in the Balkans in the south, Abdul Kerim Pasha was in the east – Ruschuk direction, and Osman Pasha in the west. The Russians had to fight in the fall and winter with difficult transportation. To cut off the supply of the Turkish army, it was necessary to cut off the Sofia Highway and overlay the city of Plevna. Osman Pasha was in Plevna with his troops.

The division marched in the indicated direction in brigade, behind the Life Guards Hussar regiment was the glorious 5th Battery, then the Life Dragoons followed. When they reached Dolyen Lipnice, everyone stopped there until October 6. At that time, General Gurko was appointed commander of all cavalry, controlling access to Plevna.

Moving towards Plevna, the movement slowed down. The regiment met the 3rd Guards Infantry Division. Narrow trails, ravines, and forests delayed progress. On the approaches closer to Plevna, the regiment again entered the command of Adjutant General Gurko. In this area, in addition to the besieged Plevna, there were fortified places: Gorny Dubnyak, Dolny Dubnyak and Telish, surrounded by redoubts and fortifications. Those had to be taken for further advancement.

There were large Turkish forces in this area, and Osman Pasha with 35 thousand troops. Against them were troops under the command of General Gurko – cavalry, and under the command of General Skobelev – Russian infantry. On October 10, a large reconnaissance was carried out between Telish and Dolny Dubnyak. On October 12, an order was given to the troops to move to the Plevno–Sofiyskoye Highway, take positions and Gorny Dubnyak and close the enemy blockade in Plevna. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Guards Cavalry Division, Life Guards Jaeger Regiment, our batteries and a hundred Cossacks – to advance and attack a position near the village of Telish.

At that time, His Majesty's Life Guards Hussar Regiment was commanded directly by the Adjutant Wing Baron Meyendorf. The division chief ordered our brigade and the 5th Horse Guards Battery to follow under the general command of the adjutant wing of Baron Meyendorff to the assembly point and, joining with the rangers, enter the adjutant wing of Colonel Chelishchev under the general command of their commander.

At midnight the river Vid was ford and at three o'clock in the morning the regiment approached Telish. According to the order of General Gurko, the Life Jägers were ordered to attack Telish head–on, the Life Hussars with 4 mounted guns – to reveal the enemy's forces and act on its right flank, covering and supporting the left flank of the Jägers, the Life Dragoons with 2 guns to occupy the Rakitnaya Hill and guard the rear and flank of the entire detachment in the event of a detour.

Hussars with 4 guns under the command of Baron Meyendorff went at full trot to Telish. There were huge corn fields three miles away, the Turks were firing hard, the Jaegers were moving forward, the 5th Battery opened fire.

The Life Dragoons headed for Rakitnaya Heights. The Jägers advanced intensively, the Life Hussars broke through the first chain and pursued the Turks, but then, under heavy gunfire, they returned. At eight o'clock, the Jägers went out into the corn field, but despite miracles of courage, they suffered heavy losses.

The 5th Battery and the Life Hussars attacked the Turks and put them to flight, but at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, according to the order, a general retreat was made. The Jägers with the banners returned back, but on October 12 Telish could not be taken.

Gorny Dubnyak was taken on October 13 by the Pavlovites, and the Turkish line Plevna–Sofia was cut. Many prisoners were taken, the Turkish convoys began to retreat, and the guns of the 5th Battery and the Life Hussars covered the retreat of the rangers with their swift attacks. The dragoons knocked down and forced the Turks to retreat at the Rakit Height. The Jaegers' banners were greeted by the trumpeters of the Life Dragoons and the Life Hussars, and the brigade commander Baron Meyendorff commanded "Attention, sabers out, gentlemen officers".

From October 13 to 15, the Turks strengthened Telish. The Leib Jägers were healing their wounds, but on October 16 the second battle for Telish began. Leib Lancers became the front to Telish on the left, and Horse Grenadiers on the right. The lancers attacked with their quarry, but, showered with bullets, they calmly and orderly retreated. Russian artillery fired at the enemy all the time, Sheiket's bashi–bazouks went to Telish's rescue, but after the attack they began to quickly retreat. Soon a white flag was raised over Telish. The life–hussars then set out on the fleeing, and all the units, having successfully completed this operation on the 16th, united on a bivouac in the village of Svinar. During these days of the battle, Osman Pasha lost more than 5,000 people, and the supply of his army was cut and stopped.

After the fall of the specified fortified area, the command decided to besiege Plevna, and send other units through the Balkans.