The Three Musketeers, one of the most popular historical romances ever written, recounts the adventures of d’Artagnan, a young nobleman from Gascony who leaves home to join the royal Musketeers of the Guard in Paris. Initially rebuffed in his application, he turns an adversarial encounter with the three musketeers of the title – Athos, Porthos, and Aramis – into an enduring alliance when the guards of the King’s rival Cardinal Richelieu attempt to apprehend them for illegal dueling and he helps fend them off. He is appointed to the company and proceeds to become entangled in the affairs of the court and state. Set between 1625–1628, the rivalry between King Louis XIII and the conniving Cardinal Richelieu provides much of the action and features the characters of Richelieu agent Le Comte de Rochefort and spy Milady de Winter, one of the best female villains ever created. The conflict between the Catholics and Protestants figures heavily as well, reaching a peak in the Siege of La Rochelle

The story is based on Memoires de Monsieur d’Artagnan (1700), an historical novel by Gatien de Courtiz de Sandras that captured Dumas’ fancy, and was written in collaboration with Auguste Maquet, who did historical research and suggested plot outlines. The Three Musketeers was published as a serial between March and July 1844 before publication in book form. It was followed by two sequels, Twenty Years After and The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years later. It has been adapted many times for stage, film, television, comic books and games.

Play sample: 

Download a PDF datasheet