Origins of the French Foreign Legion

The Foreign Legion was established in 1831 by King Louis Philippe I to consolidate all foreign corps fighting under French colors, which included, among others, the Swiss Guards, the Swiss regiment of the Royal Guard, and the Hohenlohe Regiment. After its creation, the Legion participated in the further recruitment of foreign nationals into French military service.

Initially, the Legion was heavily involved in the French conquest of Algeria (1830–1849) and the First Carlist War (1833–1840). After the Legion was essentially abandoned by the French government during the First Carlist War, a second Legion was formed in 1836. This Legion would become the modern Foreign Legion and would participate in the expansion and maintenance of the French colonial empire during the 19th and 20th centuries.