The imperial army is the armed forces of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in Final Fantasy XVI. Although officially under the orders of the five Cardinals of the Greagorian church, it is in reality the Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage who gives orders to the commanders.
Divided into legions, it has a large number of soldiers led by officers, supported by mages belonging to the order of imperial astrologers, and can also count on its elite forces, the Holy Knights Dragoon.
The Knights of the Holy Order of the Shields of the Blackened Pinions, better known as the Black Shields, operate in the Imperial Province of Rosaria under the vicereine's orders. The army also employs "Branded soldiers", such as with the elite assassin group the Bastards.
Imperial legionaries can also count on the support of a number of war beasts, including wolves trained for combat (but which can turn against their master if the latter is too weak to fight), and a number of dragons and wyverns.