Gers, the country of d'Artagnan

D'Artagnan won everlasting fame in 1844 through "The Three Musketeers", the swashbuckling novel by Alexandre Dumas, and through the famous line "All for one and for all!". D'Artagnan was born Charles de Batz de Castelmore in Gers in the early 17th century, in Castelmore castle, near Lupiac. The son of the Seigneur de Castelmore et de la Plagne and of Francoise de Montesquiou, she herself the daughter of the Seigneur d'Artagnan, he belongs to an ancient and really noble family. In an atmosphere disturbed by internal fights and by a war which has been devastating Central Europe for ten years, he is twenty years when he decides to leave his native Gascony, where his seven brothers and sisters remain, and goes to Paris.

He knows that he will be welcomed there: doesn't he walk on the steps of the most famous

Gascon, Henri III de Navarre, who became the king of France under the name of Henri IV? The "Good King" (who died thirty years ago) had helped the career of gentlemen from Gascony and Bearn who, in their turn, helped young cadets: a small Gascon colony had therefore settled up in Paris.

All along the XVIIth century, Gascons will hold the highest positions at court and in the army: thus, Monsieur de Tréville, by his spirit and his courage, has been made a Count and has been appointed the captain of the king's musketeers. The young man dreams to equal him and enters the regiment of French guards where he finds out a new life: duels for the slightest cause, gambling, gallantry and service training. The regiment teaches him the art of war. He shows all his qualities there, under the command of Monsieur des Essarts, the brother-in-law of Monsieur de Tréville. The war against Spain and Germany helps him put into practice all the things he learned with the regiment. He is a brilliant soldier who joins the Musketeers of the King as of 1644. Young Louis XIV is then five years old and the country is governed by Cardinal Mazarin who, as a good politician, asks Monsieur de Tréville to let him know who are the two best musketeers in his regiment.

This is how d'Artagnan enters the Cardinal's service. Aremarkable man for his working capacity and his knowledge of the state affairs, Mazarin is nonetheless a very controversial man: we must add that he has considerably increased taxes, causing a true civil war (the Fronde) which will last for 4 years, from 1648 until 1652. In 1651, the Cardinal is thrown out and takes refuge in the Rhineland. What is d'Artagnan going to do? Any other man, initially concerned with his own career and glory, would have abandoned the minister who had fell into disfavour. But this is to know little about our Gascon! A cause which seems to be lost is not a reason for him to give up...

D'Artagnan becomes a zealous messenger for the Cardinal, between France and Germany. He spends his life horse-riding, carrying messages at full speed, thwarting traps and overcoming obstacles. Once Mazarin is back in France, the disorders which are stirred up against him persist. D'Artagnan keeps being the connection between the Prime Minister's followers, even when Condé revolts against the king. Once the royal authority has been restored, d'Artagnan is finally appointed the captain of the guards in 1655, nine years after having joined Mazarin's service. The war against Spain starts again and d'Artagnan behaves brilliantly, as usually. He is wounded in 1654, takes part in the siege of Landrecies and of Saint-Ghislain and, in 1656, in the siege of Valenciennes.

During the siege of Dunkirk, in which he leads his guards, he replaces the second lieutenant of the musketeers, who had resigned. He finally is the officer of an elite company and he is directly connected with the king (the musketeers being in charge, in times of peace, of the sovereign's escort). His men carry a musket (we should have guessed), which is a weapon less heavy than the delicate harquebus but, however, more difficult to be used.: the powder must be poured and the bullet must be introduced into the gun, then the powder must be lit with a wick which is kept burning. The whole thing is so complex that the weapon can only shoot once every 5 minutes! D'Artagnan has now won top honours and his spare time is devoted to gallantry. As he approaches serenity and wisdom, he succumbs to the charming Charlotte Anne de Chancely. This marriage will not help him taste the delights of married life for a long time.

After a few months he is on the road again to escort Louis XIV who goes to Saint-Jean-de-Luz to marry Marie-Thérèse, the Spanish infanta. He will be asked a very delicate mission by the young king: the arrest of Nicolas Fouquet, Vicomte de Vaux, a minister whose wealth and splendour has given offence to the king. He will fulfill his obligation firmly and humanely, and, without a moment's hesitation, he defies the king's orders and allows his famous prisoner to kiss his wife and children goodbye. The Marquise de Sévigné, a lifelong friend of Fouquet's, will be full of praise for d'Artagnan, who was "the only consolation" of Fouquet during his journey to the terrible prison of Pignerol in Piémont. He still keeps, in spite of these difficult responsibilities, taking care of his musketeers company with undivided attention.
The king holds him in high regard and, in 1667, he is chosen to succeed Mancini as the captain lieutenant of the first company of musketeers. This time - and this not usual - one of the most envied positions at court goes to merit and not to birth. It is only fair.

In 1673, the king and his court start a war again in Flanders. The royal army lays siege to Maastricht, a small Brabant city, that Europeans presently know well. June 24, at 10.00 PM, d'Artagnan's company attacks a gate and fights all night to prevent the Dutch from coming back. At daybreak, at the time when attack is launched, he falls, his throat pierced by a musket bullet. He was 62 years old. Honest with himself, proud and courageous, allowing not anybody to be of his men. Beyond his legend, this Gascon gentleman therefore broadly deserves his reputation and all honours from the novel written by Alexandre Dumas.