PnM060  “The Cardinal’s Guard w/Shouldered Musket”

Just after Louis XIII raised his own personal guard company, “The Musketeers” he raised a second company to be the bodyguards of his most trusted Cardinal ... Richelieu.

A great rivalry grew up between these two bodies of fighting men ... resulting in almost ‘open-warfare’ whenever (and wherever) their separate paths crossed.

One simple way to recognize each group is by their ‘casques’ (or cassocks)... the Musketeers wore blue ... the Cardinal’s men adopted their master’s preference ... RED!

Our figure stands holding his musket rest in one hand and his musket over the shoulder.