Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bodyguard - The History & Present


THE BODYGUARD PROFESSION: A BRIEF HISTORY In Malaysia the Bodyguard profession is a comparatively new occupation and very little has been published concerning it. It is even difficult to discover what the necessary requirements are to work as a bodyguard. The Bodyguard profession is one of the oldest in the world. History has shown that in most societies there were four basic professions: 1) priests, 2) soldiers, 3) prostitutes and 4) politicians.



THE COMITATUS 
During the middle ages the Catholic Church had its own protection facilities, its own armies, and very few church dignitaries traveled without their personal protection. Church dignitaries were probably the first to seek protection; they had their own cadre of guards. Politicians were probably the first to utilize private bodyguards; then, and as more people amassed wealth and status the need for private protection expanded to the individuals who could afford the luxury. Luxury was a sure incentive for the courtesans and prostitutes to follow.Historians have never chronicled the history of protection; and even though there were protection specialists during the Bible times, they are not mentioned in the Bible. The first time the bodyguard as such was mentioned in history was in 400 AD. Four hundred years after the birth of Christ the Anglo-Saxon tribes invaded Britain. With them they brought the Germanic code of absolute fealty to their chieftain. The chieftain’s personal guards were known as his comitatus.


THE SAMURAI!
In Japan during the year 1100 AD a historically unique civilization came into dominance; it was a feudal culture, a violent, primitive, military society: it was the time of the Shogun. In a sense it was similar to civilization during the dark ages in Europe. In different locales the Lords built their private castles, recruited their own armies, and the most trusted of their military retainers became their personal guards.


THE MODERN BODYGUARDS
Society during the times of the comitatus and the Samurai were hectic, violent ones; but as tumultuous as they probably were, they were not as full of anarchism and insanity as ours is today. Our present-day “lords” are the CEOs and officers of large corporations, our celebrities and very rich, and our politicians. The corporate elite of today, the celebrities, the famous, or anyone in the public eye, are as vulnerable today as the medieval daimyo’s of Japan. The time of the Samurai is gone; but the problem, the need for protection, is still with us.

In today’s world bodyguards may face terrorists, criminals, drug dealers, kidnappers or just plain “nuts.” These are on one end of the scale. On the other, bodyguards may escort celebrities from their place of performance to their hotel; they may travel with a jewelry broker from one city to another; or, it’s possible they may provide individual protection at an abortion clinic during a demonstration.

City Square Shooting Gallery