Since the end of the 18th century, the Diputaciones forales (Provincial Governments) of Alava, Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya had created armed police corps which were the jurisdiction of the provincial governments, and which had similar duties: the maintenance of public order and provincial administration.

   The first time that Vizcaya's Miqueletes were created was in 1784, in the form of a mobile team of nine men, and this was the origin of Vizcaya's Mikeletes Corps.

   The continuous abolition and restoring of the corps did not alter its duties during the reign of Ferdinand VII (1784-1833): The pursuit of criminals and political dissidents, who in this case were the supporters of the constitutional regime.

   After the first Carlist War, the General Assembly (Juntas) of Vizcaya provided a set of rules and regulations for the police corps in 1848.

   In 1872, a new set of rules and regulations envisaged the reorganisation and enlargement of the armed police force, which from there on would be known as "Foral Guard" (Territorial Statutory Guard) up until 1877. This name has been commonly used and it has lasted until present day.

   At the end of the Civil War in the Basque Provinces, and two months after the abolition of the Economic Agreement (23 June, 1937) of Vizcaya and Gipuzcoa, the Chief of Staff of the Northern Armies ordered the dissolution of Guipuzcoa's Mikeletes and Vizcaya's Foral Guard, although not of Alava's Miņones. The reason for this dissolution was that the members of the corps had joined the losing side during the war.

   At the end of the Dictatorship period and with the coming of a democratic regime, it became possible to restore and update the historical rights and privileges, by means of the First Additional Provision of 1978's Constitution.

   The Basque Country's Autonomous Police Force was established under article 17, paragraph five, of the Statute of Autonomy, which agreed with Royal Decree of 22 December, 1980, in regards to restoring the Foral (Territorial Statutory) Corps..

Documentation

Memorabilia

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