' ▁father ▁Henry ▁IV ) ▁with ▁mus k ets . ▁Mus k ete ers ▁fought ▁in ▁battle ▁both ▁on ▁foot ▁as ▁inf antry ▁and ▁on ▁horse back ▁as ▁drag o ons . ▁At ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Font eno y ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 5 ▁the ▁King ' s ▁Mus k ete ers ▁served ▁as ▁regular ▁caval ry , ▁charg ing ▁British ▁inf antry ▁with ▁drawn ▁s words . ▁ ▁As ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁junior ▁units ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Guard , ▁the ▁Mus k ete ers ▁were ▁not ▁closely ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁royal ▁family . ▁Trad itional ▁body guard ▁duties ▁were ▁in ▁fact ▁performed ▁by ▁the ▁Gar de ▁du ▁Corps ▁and ▁the ▁Cent - su isses . ▁Because ▁of ▁its ▁later ▁establishment , ▁the ▁Mus k ete ers ▁were ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁lower ▁classes ▁of ▁French ▁nob ility ▁or ▁younger ▁sons ▁from ▁noble ▁families ▁whose ▁oldest ▁sons ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁more ▁pr estig ious ▁Gar de ▁du ▁Corps ▁and ▁Che v au - leg ers ▁( Light ▁Hor se ). ▁The ▁Mus k ete ers , ▁many ▁of ▁them ▁still ▁te en agers , ▁soon ▁gained ▁a ▁reputation ▁for ▁un r uly ▁behaviour ▁and ▁fighting ▁spirit . ▁ ▁Their ▁high ▁es prit ▁de ▁corps ▁gained ▁royal ▁favor ▁for ▁the ▁Mus k ete ers ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁frequently ▁seen ▁at ▁court ▁and ▁in ▁Paris . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁their ▁creation , ▁Card inal ▁Rich el ieu ▁created ▁a ▁body guard ▁ ▁unit ▁for ▁himself . ▁So ▁as ▁not ▁to ▁off end ▁the ▁King ▁with