With the release of the new film adapted from "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas, i deemed it necessary to research the historical accuracy of the novel (which I listened to an audiobook of the novel). I have discovered that the Musketeers did exist and so did D'Artagnan
Every nation in Europe had musketeers in their army. England,Germany, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France had musketeers who were riflemen in our terminology. The Musketeers we think of (as does popular culture) is the French Musketeers.
The Musketeers of the Guard were the elite bodyguards to the King of France and were involved in the many wars including the Thirty-Year Wars (1618–1648). They were also known as "Musketeers of Military Household of King of France" or in their language "Garde du corps" or the "Gardes suisses".
They were formed in 1622 under King Louis XIII to create a "light cavalry" company which were formerly called the "carabins" under King Henry IV. The Musketeers fought with both infantry and cavalry (both on foot and horseback). When Cardinal Richelieu stepped into power after Kin Louis XIII, he ordered the creation of his own company of musketeers (which is true element in the story). After his death and with the induction of Cardinal Mazarin, the Musketeers were disbanded in 1646 until 1657 after Mazarin's death and with the reign of King Louis XIV. The Musketeers grew into two companies called the Grey and the Black Musketeers from the color of their horses in 1664. The Cardinal's Musketeers were integrated with the regular Musketeers under King Louis XIV.
In 1776, King Louis XVI disbanded the Musketeers for budgetary reasons. However they were reformed shortly in 1789.
On July 6, 1814, the Musketeers were reformed again after the French Revolution and the Bourbon Restoration Movement had gone underway with the end of the reign Napoleon Bonaparte. They fought under King Louis XVIII and during the War of the Seventh Coalition. In which several nations including the newly reformed France fought Bonaparte after he escaped from exile from the island of Elba. Afterwards on January 1, 1816 they were officially disbanded during a time of peace.
A special note must be given in which the Musketeers were the most prestigious among the companies that formed the Ancien RĂ©gime or the aristocratic, social and political system in France. The companies within the Musketeers were reserved only for Nobility only. Under the reforms of Michel Le Tellier, the marquis de Barbezieux, the nobility were given a number of years of military service before they were granted the rank of officer. Many nobles sought rank and prestige in the ranks of the Musketeers.
This tradition of Nobles fulfilling Military service hearkens back to the Middle Ages in France where the Nobility formed the ranks of Knights in the Army.
