King's Infantry Regiment (France)
Régiment du Roi was a name given to several of the most prestigious regiments of the French Army under the ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration, with most of the Army's branches having a régiment du Roi. It is not to be confused with the term régiment royal
History
The Régiment du Roi was created on 2 January 1663 when Louis XIV declared himself its colonel, with the Marquis de Dangeau as lieutenant-colonel, later replaced by Jean Martinet in 1670. Drawn from the King’s Musketeers, it became a model infantry corps and military school under Martinet’s direction. In 1667, Louis XIV introduced four grenadiers per company, among the first elite soldiers of this type in the French Army.Infantry
In 1663, the régiment Royal Infanterie was renamed the King's Infantry Regiment. Under this title it fought at the Battle of Fontenoy on 11 May 1745.This regiment was one of three garrisoning Nancy in August 1790 and as such played a leading role in the mutiny known as the Nancy affair. In 1791 it became the 105e régiment d'infanterie de ligne.
In 1814 the 1st Infantry Regiment was renamed régiment du Roi; it lost that name in 1816 when a new system of "Departmental Legions" replaced the former regiments of the French line infantry.