List of commanders of the Swiss Guard

The Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard is the head of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. In total, there have been 35 commanders of the Swiss Guard serving 51 popes, with interruptions during 1527–1548 following the Sack of Rome, in 1564/5, in 1704–1712 and in 1798/9 following the French invasion. 24 out of 35 commanders were citizens of the city of Lucerne (not counting the incumbent, Christoph Graf, who is from Pfaffnau in the canton of Lucerne). During 1652–1847 the office became quasi-heritable, with ten commanders members of the Pfyffer von Altishofen family of Lucerne. Two commanders were from Zürich, serving during the years of the Swiss Reformation; in modern times, three commanders were from St. Gallen, two from Fribourg, and one each from Solothurn, Grisons and Valais.

Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard
German: Kommandant der Päpstlichen Schweizergarde
French: Commandant de la Garde Suisse Pontificale
Italian: Comandante della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia
Latin: Praefecti Pontificalis Custodiae Helveticae
Flag of the Pontifical Swiss Guard with commander Christoph Graf's emblem
since 7 February 2015
Member ofThe Pontifical Swiss Guard
Reports toThe Pope
ResidenceVatican City
Formation22 January 1506 (518 years ago)
First holderKaspar von Silenen
DeputyPhilippe Morard

List of commanders

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List:[1]

No. Portrait Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard Took office Left office Time in office Place of origin Pope
1von Silenen, KasparKaspar von Silenen
(1467–1517)
15065 August 1517 †10–11 yearsSilenen, Uri; LuzernJulius II
Leo X
2Röist, MarxMarx Röist
(1454–1524)
151715 June 1524 †6–7 yearsZürichLeo X
Adrian VI
Clement VII
3Röist, CasparCaspar Röist
(1478–1527)
15246 May 1527 †2–3 yearsZürichClement VII
Guard disbanded
(1527–1548)
4von Meggen, JostJost von Meggen [it]
(1509–1559)
154817 March 1559 †10–11 yearsLuzernPaul III
Julius III
Marcellus II
Paul IV
5von Silenen, Kaspar LeoKaspar Leo von Silenen155915644–5 yearsLuzernPius IV
Guard disbanded
(1564–1566)
6von Brunegg, Jost SegesserJost Segesser von Brunegg [it]
(1529–1592)
15661592 †25–26 yearsLuzernPius V
Gregory XIII
Sixtus V
Paul IV
Urban VII
Gregory XIV
Innocent IX
Clement VIII
7von Brunegg, Stephan Alexander SegesserStephan Alexander Segesser von Brunegg [it]
(1570–1629)
159216 August 1629 †36–37 yearsLuzernClement VIII
Leo XI
Paul V
Gregory XV
Urban VIII
8Fleckenstein, NikolausNikolaus Fleckenstein [it]
(1580–1645)
1629164010–11 yearsLuzernUrban VIII
9Fleckenstein, JostJost Fleckenstein [it]
(1588–1652)
164026 June 1652 †11–12 yearsLuzernUrban VIII
Innocent X
10Pfyffer von Altishofen, Johann RudolfJohann Rudolf Pfyffer von Altishofen
(1615–1657)
165217 May 1657 †4–5 yearsLuzernInnocent X
Alexander VII
11Pfyffer von Altishofen, LudwigLudwig Pfyffer von Altishofen
(?–1686)
16581686 †27–28 yearsLuzernAlexander VII
Clement IX
Clement X
Innocent XI
12Pfyffer von Altishofen, FranzFranz Pfyffer von Altishofen
(?–1696)
16861696 †9–10 yearsLuzernInnocent XI
Alexander VIII
Innocent XII
13von Baldegg, Johann Kaspar MayrJohann Kaspar Mayr von Baldegg [it]
(1652–1704)
16961704 †7–8 yearsLuzernInnocent XII
Clement XI
-Pfyffer von Altishofen, Johann RudolfJohann Rudolf Pfyffer von Altishofen
Acting
170417127–8 yearsLuzernClement XI
14Pfyffer von Altishofen, Johann KonradJohann Konrad Pfyffer von Altishofen
(?–1727)
17121727 †14–15 yearsLuzernClement XI
Innocent XIII
Benedict XIII
15Pfyffer von Altishofen, Franz LudwigFranz Ludwig Pfyffer von Altishofen
(?–1772)
1727175426–27 yearsLuzernBenedict XIII
Clement XII
Benedict XIV
16Pfyffer von Altishofen, Jost IgnazJost Ignaz Pfyffer von Altishofen1754178223–24 yearsLuzernBenedict XIV
Clement XIII
Clement XIV
Pius VI
17Pfyffer von Altishofen, Franz AloisFranz Alois Pfyffer von Altishofen1783179814–15 yearsLuzernPius VI
Post vacant
(1798–1800)
18Pfyffer von Altishofen, Karl LeodegarKarl Leodegar Pfyffer von Altishofen1800183433–34 yearsLuzernPius VII
Gregory XVI
Leo XII
Pius VIII
19Pfyffer von Altishofen, MartinMartin Pfyffer von Altishofen1835184711–12 yearsLuzernGregory XVI
Pius IX
20Meyer von Schauensee, Franz Xaver LeopoldFranz Xaver Leopold Meyer von Schauensee
(1803–1860)
18471860 †12–13 yearsLuzernPius IX
21von Sonnenberge, AlfredAlfred von Sonnenberge1860187817–18 yearsLuzernPius IX
22de Courten, Louis-MartinLouis-Martin de Courten [it]
(1835–1937)
1878190122–23 yearsSierre, ValaisLeo XIII
23Meyer von Schauensee, LeopoldLeopold Meyer von Schauensee
(1852–1910)
19011910 †8–9 yearsLuzernLeo XIII
Pius X
24Repond, JulesJules Repond
(1853–1933)
1910192110–11 yearsFreiburgPius X
Benedict XV
25Hirschbühl, AloisAlois Hirschbühl
(1883–1950)
1921193513–14 yearsBrusio, GraubündenBenedict XV
Pius XI
26d'Aspremont, Georg von SuryGeorg von Sury d'Aspremont193519426–7 yearsSolothurnPius XI
Pius XII
27Pfyffer von Altishofen, HeinrichHeinrich Pfyffer von Altishofen1942195714–15 yearsLuzernPius XII
28Nünlist, RobertRobert Nünlist [it]
(1911–1991)
1957197214–15 yearsLuzernPius XII
John XXIII
Paul VI
29Pfyffer von Altishofen, FranzFranz Pfyffer von Altishofen
(1917–1995)
197219829–10 yearsLuzernPaul VI
John Paul I
John Paul II
30Buchs, RolandRoland Buchs [de]
(1940–2022)
25 November 198229 November 199715 years, 4 daysFreiburgJohn Paul II
-Estermann, AloisAlois Estermann
(1954–1998)
Acting
29 November 19974 May 1998156 daysLuzernJohn Paul II
31Estermann, AloisAlois Estermann
(1954–1998)
4 May 19984 May 1998 †0 daysLuzernJohn Paul II
(30)Buchs, RolandRoland Buchs [de]
(1940–2022)
Acting
6 May 199816 August 199841 daysFreiburgJohn Paul II
32Segmüller, PiusPius Segmüller
(born 1952)
199820023–4 yearsSt. GallenJohn Paul II
33Mäder, Elmar TheodorElmar Theodor Mäder
(born 1963)
200220085–6 yearsWuppenau, Thurgau / St. GallenJohn Paul II
Benedict XVI
34Anrig, Daniel RudolfDaniel Rudolf Anrig
(born 1972)
19 August 200831 January 20156 years, 165 daysSargans, St. GallenBenedict XVI
Francis
35Graf, ChristophChristoph Graf
(born 1961)
7 February 2015Incumbent9 years, 320 daysPfaffnau, LuzernFrancis

References

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  1. ^ Guardia Svizzera Pontificia (2013). "Comandanti" (in Italian). Retrieved 19 February 2018.