Portal:Military history of France/Selected unit/5

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The Musketeers of the Guard were a fighting company of the military branch of the Royal Household or Maison du Roi. They were created in 1622 when Louis XIII furnished a company of light cavalry (the "carabins", created by Louis' father Henri IV) with muskets. Musketeers fought in battle both on foot (infantry) and on horseback (dragoons). 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 disbanned the Musketeers in 1646. The Musketeers reappeared in 1657 with a company of 150 men. (More...)