The Forty-Five Guardsmen

by Alexandre DUMAS (1802 - 1870)

The Execution

The Forty-Five Guardsmen

The sequel to "Chicot the Jester" and final book of the "Valois Romances." This story begins six years after the famed "Duel of the Mignons" between the favorites of the courts of King Henry III and Henry the Duke of Guise (somewhat allied with the King's brother, Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alencon). Dumas concludes his historical fiction on the War of the Three Henries while (1) detailing the formation of the Forty-Five Guardsmen (who were to become the Musketeers), (2) following Chicot the Jester as he stays loyal to the failing regency of King Henry III, and (3) continuing the story of Diana (a principal character in the previous book). - Summary by jvanstan


Listen next episodes of The Forty-Five Guardsmen:
Brother Borromee , Bel-Esbat , Brother Borromee , Certainty , Chicot, Latinist , Chicot's astonishment at finding himself so popular in Nerac , Chicot's purse , De Loignac's interview with the forty-five , Doubt , Ernanton de Carmainges , Explanation , Fatality , Flight , French and Flemings , His Highness Monseigneur le Duc de Guise , How a great lady loved in the year 1586 , How, after receiving news from the south, Henri received news from the north , How Aurilly executed the commission of the Duc d'Anjou , How Chicot blessed King Louis II. for having invented posting, and resolved to profit by it , How Chicot continued his journey, and what happened to him , How Dom Gorenflot blessed the king as he passed before the priory of the Jacobins , How Henri of Navarre behaved in battle , How King Henri III. did not invite Grillon to breakfast, and how Chicot invited himself , How St. Maline entered into the Turret and what followed , How the hunted the wolf in Navarre , How the King of Navarre guesses that ''Turennius'' means Turenne, and ''Margot'' Margot , Le Cardinal de Joyeuse , Les hospitalieres , M. Loignac , Marguerite's room , Monseigneur , Monseigneur (continued) , News from Aurilly , One of the souvenirs of the Duc d'Anjou , Paul-Emile , Postscript , Preparations for battle , Red plume and white plume , Showing how Chicot began to understand the purport of M. de Guise's letter , St. Maline , Still the League , The ambush , The Avenue 3000 Feet Long , The Bourgeois of Paris , The breakfast , The Brothers , The chamber of his majesty Henri III , The Corne d'Abondance , The difficulty of finding a good ambassador , The door opens , The dormitory , The expedition , The explanation , The four winds , The gascon , The Guises , The husband and the lover , The journey , The laboratory , The lesson , The letter of M. de Mayenne , The Louvre , The penitent , The poor of Henri of Navarre , The priory of the Jacobins , The purchase of cuirasses , The revelation , The serenade , The seven sins of Magdalen , The shade of Chicot , The Spanish Ambassador , The stable-yard , The sword of the brave chevalier , The third day of the Journey , The travelers , The true mistress of the King of Navarre , The two brothers , The two companions , The two friends , The water , Transfiguration , Two friends , What happened in the little room , What M. Francois, Duc d'Anjou, Duc de Brabant and Comte de Flanders was doing in Flanders , What was passing at the Louvre about the time Chicot entered Nerac , What was passing in the mysterious house