The Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna" ( - Mechanized Brigade "Grenadiers of Sardinia") is a mechanized infantry brigade of the Italian Army, based in Rome and central Italy. The brigade fields one of the oldest regiments of the Army and is one of the guard regiments of the President of Italy. The name of the unit dates back to the Kingdom of Sardinia and not the eponymous Mediterranean island of Sardinia. The brigade is part of the Division "Acqui". History 1831 & before After Charles Albert of Sardinia ascended to the throne of the Kingdom of Sardinia on 27 April 1831 a major reform of the military was undertaken. Thus on 25 October 1831 the Grenadiers Brigade "Guardie" () was raised as one of ten infantry brigades of the kingdom. The brigade consisted of the 1st Grenadiers Regiment (), with four battalions of four companies each and a depot battalion of four companies, and the 2nd Hunters Regiment (), with three battalions of four companies each and a depot battalion of three companies. The 1st Grenadiers Regiment was founded as Regiment of the Guards () on 18 April 1659 by the Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel II as his personal bodyguard regiment during military campaigns. The regiment participated in the War of the Spanish Succession, where it excelled during the Siege of Turin. After the Duchy had been elevated to kingdom in 1720 the regiment fought in the War of the Polish Succession and War of the Austrian Succession, during which the regiment performed exceptionally brave during the Battle of Assietta. During the War of the First Coalition the regiment fought in the Italian campaigns against the French Army of Italy under Napoleon Bonaparte. After France annexed the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1799 the royal family went into exile on Sardinia and the Regiment of the Guards was disbanded. The 2nd Hunters Regiment was founded on 13 July 1774 as Regiment of Sardinia () on the eponymous island and served as the guard regiment of the royal family during their exile there. After the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 the royal family returned to Turin and the re-building of the Sardinian Army commenced in 1814. In 1814 the Regiment of the Guards was raised again as the Guards Regiment (), while the Regiment of Sardinia moved to Turin, where it was renamed as Guard Hunters