[2][3][4] The raising of a "Bourgeois Guard" ("garde bourgeoise") for Paris was discussed by the National Assembly on 11 July 1789 in response to the King's sudden and alarming replacement of minister for finance and state,[5] Jacques Necker, with the Baron de Breteuil on that day.

Similar bodies of National Guards were spontaneously created in the towns and rural districts of France in response to widespread fears of chaos or counter-revolution.

[8] Initially, each city, town and village maintained National Guard units operated by their respective local governments in the districts for not more than a year.

They were united on 14 July 1790 under Lafayette, who was appointed "Commandant General of all the National Guards of the Kingdom" and was responsible to the King as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

On 5 December 1790 Robespierre held a speech on the urgent topic of the National Guard; envisaging an evolution from semi-organised militia to citizen-soldiers independent from the regular army.

[21] On 17 July the municipality of Paris accepted all citizens armed with a pike for enlistment as part of the capital's own National Guard unit.

The formation of the National Guard can be seen as a response to public demand for maintaining order, while at the same time reducing or ending its dependence on the monarchy.

After 9 Thermidor, year II (27 July 1794), the new government of the Thermidorian Reaction placed the National Guard under the control of more conservative leadership.

By a skilful appeal to patriotism, and judicious pressure applied through the prefects, it became a useful reservoir of half-trained men for new battalions of the active army.

Mass conscription was extended to age groups previously exempt from military service, to provide more manpower for the expanded National Guard.

Clothing and equipment were often in short supply and even the Paris National Guard was obliged to provide pikes as substitute weapons for some of its new recruits.

Following the occupation of Paris by the allied armies, the National Guard was expanded to 35,000 men and became the primary force for maintaining order within the city.

The future Charles X served as its Colonel-General, reviewed the force regularly and intervened to veto its proposed disbandment on the grounds of economy by the Conseil.

Napoleon III confined the National Guard during the Second Empire to subordinate tasks to reduce its liberal and republican influence.

During the Franco-Prussian War the Government of National Defense of 1870 called on the Guard to undertake a major role in defending Paris against the invading Prussian army.

Having been converted from a volunteer reserve into a much larger force composed mainly of conscripts, the National Guard had lost its identity and raison d'être.

The National Guard was superseded by the creation of territorial regiments, made up of older men who had completed their period of full-time military service.

These reserve units were embodied only in times of general mobilisation but remained an integral part of the regular army, distinguished only by details of insignia.

[citation needed] As of 2024, Division General François-Xavier Poisbeau serves as the Secretary-General for the National Guard, who reports to the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of the Armed Forces.