More Musketeers to protect the king

I used the figures from the sets of Mounted Guards of the cardinal and Mounted Musketeers of the king to build a second unit of 6 musketeers on horses. This time they are in full swing with swords and hat in the air. Every classic cinematic version of Dumas' novel shows D'Artagnan and his friends in such a way although it doesn't really seem to be typical for these soldiers. 

One of them is firing his pistol. The equipment of the musketeers was very expensive. (photo: A. Hanselmann)

 

The most famous Musketeer Charles de Batz de Castlemore d'Artagnan was killed during the charge of his musketeers at Maastricht in 1673 on foot. Perhaps his remains were recently found in a church [1]. I can not swear that they never charged on horseback in such a way. But it should be very rare. Unfortunately all of the figures are missing their primary weapon: the musket. I would suppose that they wore them in the same way like the contemporary dragoons [2].

One of them has no cassock but a breastplate. One of them has very nicely sculpted hair. All of them should have muskets as you can see them on other figures. (photo: A. Hanselmann, 2026)

Unfortunately there are no servants on horseback in the set. We find them not only in the novel [3]. The Musketeers were nobles and even ordinary horse units had grooms for horses.

 

I love the details of the heads. As always with Sets by RedBox the horses could be looking better. There are no sacks or such details as we find them in the Set of Swedish cavalry by Revell. (photo: A. Hanselman, 2026)

 

There are two officers in the set of mounted Royal Musketeers which could be used as the Comte de Tréville [4] and his majesty himself.  

 

Maybe the officer is showing the battlefield to the king. (photo: A. Hanselmann, 2026)

 

I tried to use contemporary paintings for both of them - for example a later painting for de Tréville [5] and a painting of the king in golden armour [6]. On other painting the king wears black armour. A white plume can be a reminscence of his father with his white feathers on his hats. On most of the paintings of the king are helmets with white feathers on top of them. 

 

Some of the best figures RedBox had made yet. (photo: A. Hanselmann, 2026)

 

Text: André Hanselmann

Photos: André Hanselmann 

 

Notes: 

1) rtbf "Archéologie : un squelette qui pourrait bien être celui du célèbre d’Artagnan découvert dans une église de Maastricht", 25 mars 2026

2) Compare here: https://wackershofenannodomini.blogspot.com/2022/05/landleben-1622-das-bier-kommt-nach-hall_16.html Daniel Klotz from the Dragoon regiment Wolf.

3) For example Planchet. 

4) In the novel he is the commander of the musketeers in 1626 already although he got the rank of commander of the 1st company in 1634. Jean-Aramnd du Peyrer at least served during the siege of La Rochelle in the ranks of the famous Musketeers. 

5) Le Nain: "Jean-Arnaud de Peyrer" 1644 

6) "Louis XIII et le cardinal Richelieu devant La Rochelle". 17th century, French school.