Iranian Imperial Guard

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Not the Imperial Iranian Gendarmerie (see separate current thread), but the mounted escort of the Javidan Imperial Guard photographed in 1975. Their uniform appears based on that of the French cuirassiers of 1914 but with distinctive Persian helmet and breastplate features.

When the Shah fled in February 1979, the Palace in Tehran was stormed in the best revolutionary tradition. According to media reports at the time the Imperial Guards on duty were forced to take off their "gaudy uniforms", pile them on a truck and watch them driven off to be burnt. Sic transit gloria.

Forgive me, it would be wrong to base the Guards' uniform on that of the French cavalry.
The Persian mounted troops had a very colourful past. In the 1920s their uniforms were very distinctive and quite attractive. The breast plate is almost Roman with its falling skirt.

In the book Parade at Persepolis, this unit is clearly represented and called Immortal Cavalry Guardsman. On ther picture dome details may be seen and especially the horse, saddle and flag.

I(ll try to post the picture if you are interested

Daniel

Please do Daniel - that would be very interesting.

I should have said "had a superficial resemblence to the French cuirassiers of 1914" Sean (blue tunics, red breeches and lots of glittering armour). Certainly it is unlikely that the Shah would have conciously used anything other than Persian/Iranian models for his horse guards - and the patterns on the helmets and breastplates do look very striking. Although the Imperial Court uniforms worn by Iranian Ministers in the 1970s were prepared by a French designer .....

Persian cavalry of the 1920s sounds an intriguing subject - any chance of a representative figure appearing in one of your monthly groups?

Why wait

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A hussar from the early 1920s. Follows the Russian style for equipment