Cardinal's Musketeers

The Cardinal's Musketeers were a military corps created by Cardinal Richelieu as a personal guard to rival the King's Musketeers, serving as both a symbol of his power and a tool for enforcing his authority through constant rivalry and street brawls with the king's men.

Origins and Purpose

When King Louis XIII surrounded himself with the formidable and chosen body of the Musketeers, Cardinal Richelieu, whom the narrative calls "this second, or rather this first king of France," became desirous of having his own guard. He therefore created his own Musketeers, just as Louis XIII had his, and these two powerful rivals vied with each other in procuring the most celebrated swordsmen from all the provinces of France and even from foreign states. It was not uncommon for Richelieu and Louis XIII to dispute over their evening game of chess upon the merits of their servants, each boasting the bearing and courage of his own people. While they exclaimed loudly against duels and brawls, they secretly excited their men to quarrel, deriving immoderate satisfaction or genuine regret from the success or defeat of their own combatants.

Rivalry and Conflict with the King's Musketeers

The rivalry between the two corps was a constant feature of Parisian life. The king's Musketeers, described as "loose, half-drunk, imposing," spread themselves about in cabarets, public walks, and public sports, shouting, twisting their mustaches, clanking their swords, and taking great pleasure in annoying the Guards of the cardinal whenever they could fall in with them. They would draw in the open streets, as if it were the best of all possible sports, sometimes being killed but sure in that case to be both wept and avenged, often killing others but certain of not rotting in prison, with Monsieur de Treville being there to claim them. The Cardinal's Guards, for their part, were described by Treville as "brave, quiet, skillful men who never put themselves in a position to be arrested, and who, besides, never allow themselves to be arrested." This rivalry culminated in a famous battle near the Convent of the Carmes-Deschaux, where five of the Cardinal's Guards, led by Jussac, confronted three of the King's Musketeers—Athos, Porthos, and Aramis—along with the young d'Artagnan. The Guards were defeated, with Jussac wounded by d'Artagnan and others killed or captured, an event that caused the cardinal to be "really furious, so furious that during eight days he absented himself from the king's gaming table."

Key Members and Opponents

The Cardinal's Guards included notable swordsmen such as Jussac, Cahusac, Bicarat, and Bernajoux. Jussac was one of the first swordsmen in the kingdom, while Bicarat was described as "one of those iron men who never fell dead." These men were frequently pitted against the King's Musketeers in the ongoing street conflicts. The cardinal's men were also involved in more covert operations, such as the arrest of Monsieur Bonacieux and the attempt to capture Constance Bonacieux, acting as the cardinal's police force in the "mousetrap" set up in her husband's house.

Development and Significance

The Cardinal's Musketeers represented the institutionalization of Richelieu's personal power and his willingness to challenge the king's authority through parallel military structures. The corps was a visible manifestation of the political and personal rivalry between the cardinal and the king, with each using their guards as instruments of their will. The constant skirmishes between the two groups served as a proxy war, allowing Richelieu and Louis XIII to test their strength against each other without open confrontation. The corps ultimately failed to achieve its purpose of suppressing the King's Musketeers, as the king's men, particularly the "Three Inseparables" and d'Artagnan, consistently proved superior in combat and intrigue. The Cardinal's Musketeers thus stand as a symbol of Richelieu's ambition and the turbulent political landscape of 17th-century France, where personal loyalties and institutional rivalries shaped the course of the nation.