Little is known about the real d'Artagnan. There is only one on him portrait/selfportrait, the authenticity of which is not guaranteed, and imaginary memories published in 1700, 27 years after his death. Mixing the real and imaginary, they were written by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras, who discovered the life of the Gascon hero during one of his stays in the Bastille. So let's dig a little deeper into the subject to disentangle the fictional from the real... One thing is certain: motto of the Musketeers is well anchored in our world & everyone knows it:
All for one, one for all ! ⚔️
Right wrong
Following the novels of our dear Alexandre Dumas, he makes our Gascon a real hero. It is through the representation of these facts and their revelation to the public that Alexandre Dumas creates the legend of d'Artagnan, now known to everyone. The novels are inspired by historical facts but it is also necessary to note the numerous divergences with history.
01
D'Artagnan only exists in books and films
Wrong! Our Gascon hero was born around 1613 in Lupiac.
02
The 3 musketeers are more than 3?
True ! The three musketeers are four in number, it has been said spiritually; Alexandre Dumas was not wrong either in saying the three musketeers, because the fourth only becomes a musketeer in the middle of the novel. Their names are Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan; Everyone has their own distinct personality.
03
D'Artagnan had no children
Wrong! He had 2 children with his wife Anne-Charlotte Boyer de Chalecy. The first son is called Louis I de Batz-Castelmore (1660-1709), and takes the title of Count d'Artagnan. His second son was named Louis II de Batz-Castelmore (1661-1714).
04
His first real feats of arms took place at the very beginning of the 1640s.
True ! As part of the Thirty Years' War. We find him in the service of Cardinal Mazarin, who dissolved the company in 1646.
05
D'Artagnan participated in the arrest of Nicolas Fouquet
True ! In 1661. Charles de Batz was finally promoted to captain-lieutenant of the musketeers and governor of Lille in 1667.
06
D'Artagnan dies of natural causes
Wrong! He lost his life during the Dutch War during the siege of Maastricht in June 1673 during a Dutch counterattack. He was killed by a musket ball in the throat alongside a hundred companions.
The statue of d'Artagnan on his rearing horse erected in Lupiac, means that he died in battle, like a true hero.
07
D'Artagnan is buried at Castelmore Castle
Wrong! Castelmore Castle is his birthplace.
D'Artagnan's burial place was unknown until recently. French historian Odile Bordaz speculated that the famous musketeer could have been buried in the Church of Saint Peter and Paul in Wolder, near Maastricht.
Lupiac, birthplace of d'Artagnan
The d'Artagnans of fiction
