Musketeers of the Guard
Encyclopedia
The Musketeers of the Guard were a fighting company of the military branch of the Maison du Roi
, the Royal Household of the French monarchy.
furnished a company of light cavalry
(the "carabins", created by Louis' father Henry IV
) with muskets. The Musketeers fought in battle both on foot (infantry
) and on horseback (cavalry
). They formed the royal guard
for the king while he was outside of the royal residences (within the royal residences, the king's guard was the "Garde du corps
" and the "Gardes suisses").
Shortly after their creation, a second company of Musketeers was created for Cardinal Richelieu. At the cardinal's death in 1642, the company passed to his successor Cardinal Mazarin who disbanded his Musketeers in 1646. The Musketeers reappeared in 1657 with a company of 150 men. At Mazarin's death in 1661, the cardinal's Musketeers passed to Louis XIV
. The two companies were reorganized in 1664, and one company took the name "Grey Musketeers" ("mousquetaires gris") from the color of their horses, while the second were called "Black Musketeers" ("mousquetaires noirs") on black horses. At roughly the same time, the size of the Musketeer companies was doubled.
The Musketeers were among the most prestigious of the military companies of the Ancien Régime, and in principle the companies were reserved for nobles. With the reforms of Michel le Tellier
– which mandated a certain number of years of military service before nobles could attain the rank of officer – many nobles sought to do this service in the privileged Musketeer companies.
In 1776, the Musketeers were disbanded by Louis XVI
, for budgetary reasons. Reformed in 1789, they were disbanded again shortly afterward. They were reformed on July 6, 1814, and definitively disbanded on January 1, 1816.
Maison du Roi
The Maison du Roi was the name of the military, domestic and religious entourage around the royal family in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration; the exact composition and duties of its various divisions changed constantly over the Early Modern period...
, the Royal Household of the French monarchy.
History
They were created in 1622 when Louis XIIILouis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
furnished a company of light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
(the "carabins", created by Louis' father Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
) with muskets. The Musketeers fought in battle both on foot (infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
) and on horseback (cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
). They formed the royal guard
Royal Guard
A Royal Guard describes any group of military bodyguards, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal person, such as Emperor/Empress, King/Queen, or Prince/Princess...
for the king while he was outside of the royal residences (within the royal residences, the king's guard was the "Garde du corps
Garde du Corps (France)
The Garde du Corps was the senior formation of the King of France's Household Cavalry within the Maison du Roi.-History:The oldest company in the Garde du Corps was the Company of Scottish Archers, later just the 1st Scottish Company or Garde Écossaise, formed in 1419 from Scots that fought for...
" and the "Gardes suisses").
Shortly after their creation, a second company of Musketeers was created for Cardinal Richelieu. At the cardinal's death in 1642, the company passed to his successor Cardinal Mazarin who disbanded his Musketeers in 1646. The Musketeers reappeared in 1657 with a company of 150 men. At Mazarin's death in 1661, the cardinal's Musketeers passed to Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
. The two companies were reorganized in 1664, and one company took the name "Grey Musketeers" ("mousquetaires gris") from the color of their horses, while the second were called "Black Musketeers" ("mousquetaires noirs") on black horses. At roughly the same time, the size of the Musketeer companies was doubled.
The Musketeers were among the most prestigious of the military companies of the Ancien Régime, and in principle the companies were reserved for nobles. With the reforms of Michel le Tellier
Michel Le Tellier
Michel Le Tellier, marquis de Barbezieux, seigneur de Chaville et de Viroflay was a French statesman.-Biography:...
– which mandated a certain number of years of military service before nobles could attain the rank of officer – many nobles sought to do this service in the privileged Musketeer companies.
In 1776, the Musketeers were disbanded by Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
, for budgetary reasons. Reformed in 1789, they were disbanded again shortly afterward. They were reformed on July 6, 1814, and definitively disbanded on January 1, 1816.
Notable Musketeers of the Guard
The following are some of the notable Musketeers:- d'ArtagnanCharles de Batz-Castelmore d'ArtagnanCharles Ogier de Batz de Castelmore, Comte d'Artagnan served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard and died at the Siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War. A fictionalized account of his life by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras formed the basis for the d'Artagnan Romances of...
(The historical basis of Dumas's character in The Three MusketeersThe Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
) - Armand d'AthosArmand d'AthosArmand, Seigneur de Sillègue, d'Athos, et d'Autevielle , better known as Armand d'Athos , was a Gascon black musketeer of the Maison du Roi in 17th century France...
(The historical basis of Dumas's character in The Three MusketeersThe Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
) - Henri d'AramitzHenri d'AramitzHenri, Seigneur d'Aramitz was a Gascon abbé, and black musketeer of the Maison du Roi in 17th century France. In addition, he was the nephew of the Comte de Troisville, captain of the Musketeers of the Guard...
(The historical basis of Dumas's character in The Three MusketeersThe Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
) - Isaac de PorthauIsaac de PorthauIsaac de Porthau was a Gascon black musketeer of the Maison du Roi in 17th century France. In addition, he was the first cousin once removed of the Comte de Troisville, captain of the Musketeers of the Guard, and first cousin of Armand d'Athos...
(The historical basis of Dumas's character in The Three MusketeersThe Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
) - Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette (later American Revolutionary War general)
- Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-SimonLouis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-SimonLouis de Rouvroy commonly known as Saint-Simon was a French soldier, diplomatist and writer of memoirs, was born in Paris...
See also
- The Three Musketeers (disambiguation)The Three Musketeers (disambiguation)The Three Musketeers is a 19th century novel by Alexandre Dumas, père.The Three Musketeers may also refer to:-Film, stage, and television:* The Three Musketeers in film, the many film adaptations of the novel...
, and Alexandre Dumas, pèreAlexandre Dumas, pèreAlexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
's classic novel The Three MusketeersThe Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...