D’Artagnan

Also known as: Agnan / Captain d’Artagnan / Chevalier d’Artagnan / D'Artagnan / M. Agnan / M. d’Artagnan / Messire d’Artagnan / Monsieur d'Artagnan / Monsieur d’Artagnan / Monsieur le Chevalier d’Artagnan / chevalier / d'Artagnan / disguised lieutenant / d’Artagnan / monsieur d’Artagnan / musketeer / the Gascon / the captain / the ex-musketeer / the lieutenant / the musketeer / the old musketeer · Family: Musketeers · Role: lieutenant of the musketeers · First appears: Chapter 13

In chapter 12, Charles II ordered D’Artagnan, then lieutenant of the musketeers, to meet him secretly and ride with him alone. By chapter 14, D’Artagnan recalled that he had been Mazarin’s favorite, had served against Cromwell, and had been appointed captain of the musketeers, though Mazarin revoked the commission when peace was made. He resigned his lieutenancy to Louis XIV, who granted his discharge and ordered his pension; D’Artagnan had been an enemy of Cardinal de Richelieu, while M. de Treville, Buckingham, Beaufort, Retz, and Louis XIII were among those connected with his earlier service. He lost his commission and fortune but gained his liberty, leaving the king’s service on unlimited leave in chapter 19. With Planchet, his former servant and business partner, he then planned the restoration of Charles II: “Planchet, it is a restoration.”

In chapters 20–29, D’Artagnan and Planchet formed a company, recruited an expedition, and set out to seize Monk and restore Charles II. He wrote a will providing for Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Raoul, and Planchet if he did not return. After capturing Monk at Newcastle and delivering him to Charles II concealed in a chest, D’Artagnan became the restored king’s friend and received his gratitude. He met Athos again after eleven years apart, remained connected with Porthos and Aramis, and later served as Charles II’s companion and agent, while Monk first became his captive and enemy and then pardoned him. Charles II offered him command of the musketeers, but D’Artagnan refused in order to keep his promise to the French king; the restored king nevertheless rewarded him with three hundred thousand livres and introduced him to Henrietta Stuart through Duke of Buckingham and Parry. Henrietta Stuart became a friend, and Charles II declared, “you have revealed to me an unknown friend, to whom I shall ever be grateful, and whom I shall always love.”