Who were the Musketeers?
History
The first Musketeer company, called the Carabins, was formed in 1600 by Henri IV. They shot arquebuses and were known for their ability as marksmen. They were distributed among light cavalry in the event of war and quickly became known as an elite regiment. In 1622, when Louis XIII replaced the arquebuses with muskets, he renamed the company the King's Musketeers. From that point on, the Musketeers guarded the King on his travels and at his home and served as the front guard in wartime. Originally numbering around 100, the ranks had swelled to around 130 by 1625. What were they?
What was it like to be a Musketeer? The Musketeers were led by a Captain, a cornet, and a maréchal des logis. Musketeers wielded a rapier and a musket. They also each had a horse, and drilled frequently. The rank and file of the Musketeers were paid 40 sous (~$30) a day, which was twice as much as a skilled craftsman would recieve for a day's work. Additionally, the Captain recieved an allowance of 6,000 livres (~$90,000) for living expenses and 900 livres (~$13,500) a month in pay. This may seem like a lot, but officers were expected to outfit their unit out of their own purse. This led to men like Charles d'Artagnan being constantly in debt due to the expenses of their regiment far outweighing their salary. Musketeers duelled often (see honnete homme) for honor and country. |