宗座的瑞士近卫队（德语：Päpstliche Schweizergarde；拉丁语：Pontificia Cohors Helvetica；意大利语：Guardia Svizzera Pontificia；英语：Pontifical Swiss Guard），于1506年由教宗儒略二世创建，为保护天主教会圣座罗马教廷和教宗本人的雇佣兵组织，队员原本为受雇于保护君主的佣兵，而渐渐转变为专属于梵蒂冈城国的近卫队性质的雇佣兵组织，服务年限差不多介于2年和25年之间。

Swiss Guards (Latin:Custodes Helvetici; Italian:Guardie Svizzere) are the Swiss soldiers who have served as guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. In addition to small household and palace units, Swiss mercenary regiments have served as regular line troops in various armies; notably those of France, Spain and Naples (see Swiss mercenaries). The Swiss were famous mercenaries for hundreds of years. Since Switzerland was a poor country, young men often sought their fortunes abroad. Swiss troops had a reputation for discipline and loyalty, and for employing revolutionary battle tactics such as the pike square. They were considered the most effective mercenaries of the 15th century, until their battle-drill was improved upon by the German Landsknechte. At the Battle of Marignano (1515), the Landsknecht in French service defeated the Swiss pikemen.