Editing Military in Vatican City (section)

===Papal Gendarmerie Corps (est. 1816)===
{{main| Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City}}
[[File:Soldier of Papal Gendarmerie Corps.jpg|thumb|120px]]

The Papal Gendarmerie Corps ({{langx|it|Corpo di Gendarmeria Papale}}) was formed in 1816 by [[Pope Pius VII]], originally under the name of Papal Carabinieri Corps. The unit was formed as a [[military police]] unit. In 1849 Pope Pius IX renamed it as the Papal Velites Regiment, and subsequently as the Papal Gendarmerie Corps. It saw active military engagements in the battles which culminated in the seizure and abolition of the Papal States. It survived (greatly reduced in size) into the period of the Vatican City State, as a ''de facto'' Vatican military unit from 1929 to 1970, providing internal security.

The elaborate ceremonial uniform (of 19th-century origin) included [[bearskin]] headdresses with red plumes, black [[coatee]]s with white-fringed [[epaulette]]s, white doeskin breeches, and knee-high riding boots. The day to day service dress uniform included [[bicorne]] hats and blue trousers.<ref>Rinaldo D'Ami, page 12 "World Uniforms in Colour" Volume 1 - The European Nations, Patrick Stephens Ltd London 1970, SBN 85059 031 0</ref>

In 1970 the corps was transformed into a civilian police unit named the Central Security Office. In 1991 it was renamed the Security Corps of Vatican City State; finally, in 2002 its policing role was redefined, and it was given its current name of Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State,<ref name=gendarmes>{{cite web|url=http://www.vaticanstate.va/content/vaticanstate/it/servizi/direzione-dei-servizi-di-sicurezza-e-protezione-civile/corpo-della-gendarmeria.html|title=Corpo della Gendarmeria|publisher=Stato della Città del Vaticano|access-date=2016-08-30|language=it}}</ref> a title which links it back to its original military foundation.

The military unit's elaborate ceremonial uniforms continued in use until 1970. These have been simplified, and its structures are all now those of a civilian police service, with modern uniforms and equipment. However, the civilian corps does retain some ceremonial functions, including the provision of the Vatican City State's ceremonial marching band.