▁a ▁perce ived ▁sense ▁of ▁self - import ance , ▁Rich el ieu ▁did ▁not ▁name ▁them ▁Gar de ▁du ▁Corps ▁like ▁the ▁King ' s ▁personal ▁gu ards ▁but ▁rather ▁Mus k ete ers ▁after ▁the ▁Kings ' ▁junior ▁guard ▁caval ry . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁a ▁bitter ▁rival ry ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁corps ▁of ▁Mus k ete ers . ▁At ▁the ▁cardinal ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 2 , ▁the ▁company ▁passed ▁to ▁his ▁successor ▁Card inal ▁Maz arin . ▁At ▁Maz arin ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 1 , ▁the ▁cardinal ' s ▁Mus k ete ers ▁passed ▁to ▁Louis ▁XIV ▁to ▁the ▁dis g ust ▁of ▁both ▁the ▁King ' s ▁Mus k ete ers ▁and ▁the ▁Card inal ' s ▁Mus k ete ers . ▁The ▁Mus k ete ers ▁were ▁subsequently ▁re organ ized ▁as ▁a ▁guard ▁caval ry ▁regiment ▁of ▁two ▁companies . ▁The ▁King ' s ▁Mus k ete ers ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁company , ▁popular ly ▁known ▁as ▁" G rey ▁Mus k ete ers " ▁( m ous qu eta ires ▁gr is ), ▁while ▁the ▁Card inal ' s ▁Mus k ete ers ▁became ▁the ▁second ▁company , ▁known ▁as ▁" Black ▁Mus k ete ers " ▁( m ous qu eta ires ▁no irs ) ▁for ▁r iding ▁grey ▁and ▁black ▁horses , ▁respectively . ▁From ▁their ▁establishment , ▁the ▁Mus k ete ers ▁wore ▁blue ▁clo ak - like ▁c ass ock