Just how tough is the French Foreign Legion
Origins of the French Foreign Legion: The French Foreign Legion was created on March 9, 1831, by a royal ordinance issued by Louis Philippe.
Foundation: The French monarch founded the military unit ostensibly to bolster the strength of the French Army by allowing foreign.
Invasion of Algiers: The invasion of Algiers ordered by King Charles X in 1830.
Sidi Bel Abbès: Algeria would be the Foreign Legion's homeland for 130 years and shape its character.
Battalions of Light Infantry of Africa: The legion served alongside the Battalions of Light Infantry of Africa.
Notoriety: The legion itself soon gained notoriety for turning a blind eye to criminals and misfits seeking to join its ranks.
A mercenary corps: Soon, the French Foreign Legion was regarded as the world's premier mercenary corps.
Success :But the legion's deployment to Spain during the Carlist War (1835–1839) to support Isabella's claim to the Spanish.
Leather bellies: It was during the Crimean War that legionnaires were first called "leather bellies.
Suitable for warfare: The Crimean experience, though costly (total casualties in the campaign were 1,703 killed.