Porthos

Also known as: Baron Porthos / Baron du Vallon / De Bracieux / De Bracieux de Pierrefonds / De Pierrefonds / Du Vallon / Du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds / Monsieur Bracieux / Monsieur Pierrefonds / Monsieur Porthos / Monsieur de Bracieux / Monsieur de Vallon / Monsieur du Vallon / Monsieur le Baron de Bracieux / du Vallon / the Chevalier du Vallon / the baron / the musketeer / the superb lord of Bracieux · Family: Musketeers · Role: musketeer · First appears: Chapter 3

By chapter 3, Porthos is counted among D’Artagnan’s friends, alongside Athos and Aramis, and chapter 6 records his marriage to an attorney’s wife. In chapter 9 he is lord of the hill and plain while pursuing his feudal rights against the Bishop of Noyon. After purchasing Pierrefonds, he took the title Du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds and settled there. By chapter 11, he had lost Madame du Vallon two years earlier and remained in mourning, while D’Artagnan recruited him into Mazarin’s service in exchange for a barony: “Yes, ’tis given. I shall fight heart and soul for Mazarin; but——”

In chapter 12, Porthos and Mousqueton prepared to return to military service and campaign, with Porthos agreeing to meet D’Artagnan at the Hotel de la Chevrette. Mazarin later sent Porthos and D’Artagnan after Duc de Beaufort, promising that Porthos’s barony lay on the duke’s horse. The pursuit ended with Duc de Beaufort releasing them, but Porthos and D’Artagnan first mistook Athos and Aramis for enemies. That night, the four former allies acknowledged that they were severed, then forgave one another, restored their friendship, and swore to remain united despite fighting for opposing sides. Porthos later sent Athos and Aramis two hundred pistoles, and joined the friends in confronting Milady’s son.

When Mazarin ordered Porthos to accompany D’Artagnan to England, the two pursued their mission while Athos and Aramis faced danger. Porthos and D’Artagnan captured them as prisoners, conducted them to Newcastle, and then joined their escape and the attempt to rescue Charles I. Porthos helped construct the hidden escape route at Whitehall, captured Mordaunt, and killed the man who insulted Charles I. During the flight, he forced Blaisois and Mousqueton into the sea to escape the felucca; Mousqueton remained devoted to him, saying they had been happy at Pierrefonds.