The musketeer was once an infantryman armed with a musket.
The musketeers in the history of France
The body of musketeers of the military household of the King of France was created in 1622 when King Louis XIII provided muskets (infantry weapon) to a company of light horses of the Guard also called carabins (light cavalry), itself created by his father, Henri IV. From 1622 to 1629, the musketeers depended on the captain-lieutenant of the light horses. In 1622, the first of them was Jean de Bérard de Montalet. In 1634, the king made him captain of the company of musketeers, leaving effective command to the sieur de Troisville.
Musketeers are recruited only among gentlemen who have already served in the Guard. Moving to the Musketeers is a promotion. It allows you to join an elite corps, close to the king. In addition, it is expected that men leaving its ranks will be appointed ensign or lieutenant (a much higher rank then, especially in elite corps) in the Guards or officers in the regiments. In the absence of a military school, the passage under the eyes of the sovereign makes it possible to verify the competence and loyalty of each man.
These musketeers had the distinction of fighting either on foot or on horseback. They formed the usual guard of the king outside, the guard inside the royal apartments being that of the bodyguards and the Swiss guards. Mazarin, not appreciating the turbulent musketeers of the king, had their company dissolved in 1646. It did not reappear until 1657, then numbering 150 men. On Mazarin's death in 1661, the Cardinal's company of musketeers passed to King Louis XIV. It was reorganized on the model of the first company in 1664 and received the nickname of "grey musketeers" due to the coat of its horses, while the second company was called "black musketeers".
At the same time, the size of the companies was doubled. Indeed the musketeers were one of the most prestigious military corps in the kingdom, bringing together only nobles in principle. Many of the latter, forced since the reforms of Le Tellier to spend a certain number of years in the troops before reaching the rank of officer, preferred to perform this service in a privileged corps. Thus, both soldiers like Marshal de Montesquiou and writers like the Duke of Saint-Simon were musketeers.
In 1776, the musketeers were suppressed for reasons of economy by Louis XVI. Reformed in 1789, they were abolished soon after.
The Restoration recreated them on July 6, 1814, and dissolved them definitively on January 1, 1816.
Literature
Alexandre Dumas immortalized them in his trilogy, the first volume of which is entitled The Three Musketeers, drawing inspiration from the apocryphal memoirs of Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras. The motto of the musketeers:One for all, all for one.
This novel made the musketeers popular but should in no way be considered a historical work as there are so many liberties with history. With the help of the very free and already highly fictionalized Memoirs of Monsieur d'Artagnan published in 1700 by Courtilz de Sandras, Dumas constructed with virtuosity and talent a romantic vision of the reign of Louis XIII.
Some historical errors are quite remarkable:
* The Musketeers, the King's Guards, would certainly not engage in the Queen's defense. This one was very badly perceived for its foreign origin and its intrigues against the king and Richelieu. This very romantic vision constitutes neither more nor less than a case of lèse majesté
* To render service to George Villiers of Buckingham, English Prime Minister and General, then in a state of war and enemy of France is High Treason.
* The real d'Artagnan, musketeer above all under Louis XIV was before his lieutenancy the creature of Mazarin, who used him for secret missions, like Rochefort in the novel.