Papal Zouaves
| Papal Zouaves | |
|---|---|
| Zuavi Pontifici | |
Pontifical Zouave of Major O'Reilly's Battalion of St Patrick (1860). Fully armed and equipped with a .71 cal. Model 1842 French Rifle with sword bayonet, and backpack.
|
|
| Active | January 1861 – September 1870 |
| Country |
 Papal States
|
| Allegiance | Pope Pius IX |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements | Wars of Italian Unification |
The Papal Zouaves (Italian: Zuavi Pontifici) were an infantry force formed in defence of the Papal States.
The Zouaves evolved out of a unit formed by Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de Lamoricière in 1860, the Franco-Belgian Tirailleurs. On 1 January 1861 the unit was renamed the Papal Zouaves. The name had been introduced by Frédéric-François-Xavier Ghislain de Mérode. The Almoner became Mgr. Edouard de Woelmont.
The Zuavi Pontifici were mainly young men, unmarried and Roman Catholic, who volunteered to assist Pope Pius IX in his struggle against the Italian unificationist Risorgimento. They wore a similar style of uniform to that of the French Zouaves but in grey with red trim. A grey and red kepi was sometimes substituted for the North African fez.
All orders were given in French and the unit was commanded by a Swiss Colonel, M. Allet.
Nonetheless, the regiment was truly international, and by May 1868 numbered 4,592 men. At that time the unit was composed of 1,910 Dutch, 1,301 French, 686 Belgians, 157 Romans and Pontifical subjects, 507 Canadians, 1,400 Irish, 87 Prussians, 50 English, 32 Spaniards, 22 Germans from beyond Prussia, 19 Swiss, 14 Americans, 14 Neapolitans, 12 Modenese, 12 Poles, 10 Scots, 7 Austrians, 6 Portuguese, 6 Tuscans, three Maltese, two Russians and one volunteer each from the South Sea Islands, India, Africa, Mexico, Peru and Circassia.
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