Guise (b. 1571) was born in Joinville in northeastern France. Originally styled the chevalier de Guise, he succeeded as duc de Chevreuse upon the death of his great-uncle Charles de Guise, Cardinal of Lorraine, a title he later resigned to his brother …
Rohan (b. 1579) inherited the title of vicomte de Rohan after his older brother died in childhood. At the age of sixteen Rohan moved to court and served as a soldier in the brief war against Spain; he was a favorite of King Henri IV. After the war ended, …
Gondi (b. 1581) commands the small fleet of [[Royal Navy | royal galleys]] of France. He is a patron of [[:vincent_de_paul | Vincent de Paul]], originally hiring the priest to serve as tutor to his children, then recommending him to the king for the …
As Constable of France, Lesdiguières (b. 1543) commands France's army in the name of the King. Lesdiguières' career as a soldier began during the Wars of Religion, during which he served as commandant general of the [[Huguenot]] forces in Dauphiné. …
D'Estrees (b. 1573) is the brother one King Henri IV's mistress Gabrielle d'Estrées. He is a lieutenant-general of the [[Royal Army | royal army]], presently commanding an expedition to the Valtelline in the Italian Alps on behalf of France's allies, the …
Aramis is the _nom de guerre_ of a member of the [[King's Musketeers]], one of a trio of noteworthy swordsmen in the company. Aramis claims to be serving in the musketeers only until such time as he takes vows to become a priest, However, he is …
Athos is the _nom de guerre_ of one of the [[King's Musketeers]], a brooding, cultured soldier with an affinity for strong drink in large quantities. He is one of three comrades regarded as the best swordsmen in the company. The oldest of the trio, he …
Porthos is one of a trio of soldiers in the [[King's Musketeers | King's Musketeer]] company known of his dueling skill, or at least for dueling. Porthos dresses the part of a courtier, subject to the fiscal limitations of both his vocation as a …
The eldest surviving son of François II de Lorraine, comte de Vaudémont, Charles (b. 1604) grew up at the court of France as a playmate of the future [[:louis_xiii | Louis XIII]], his senior by three years. François was considered as a possible husband …
Descended from a former provost of [[Paris and environs | Paris]], Achille de Châteaupers (b. 1601) first served as a member of the [[Gardes du Corps | French Guards]], participating in the battle of Ponts-de-Cé in [[1620]], the sieges of Saint-Jean-d'Ang …
Rudolf Razmann is a German mercenary from the city of Mainz. Rudolf (b. 1588) and his twin brother Friedrich are both soldiers; their father decided that one would serve in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and the other would serve in the army of France, …
Schomberg (b. 1573), of German descent, is a soldier and statesman. In [[1619]] he is named minister of finance and grand master of artillery, serving in the campaigns against the [[Huguenot | Huguenots]] in the early 1620s. He proves to be less than able …
Charles (b. 1600) is the son of [[:schomberg | Henri de Schomberg]]. A soldier like his father, he gained the title of duc d'Halluin by marriage to Anne d'Halluin-Piennes in 1620. He presently serves as the regimental colonel of the [[French Guards]], an …
Córdoba (b. 1585) is [[:felipe_iv | King Phillip]]'s man in Milan, the governor of the dukeless duchy. Córdoba is a tough veteran soldier, most recently commanding the _tercios_ in the Palatinate. Now he serves as the duke of Alba's right-hand in dealing …
At the age of fourteen, Toiras (b. 1585) was sent to serve at the court of King Henri IV. After Henri's death, Toiras continued to serve his son, [[:louis_xiii | Louis XIII]] as a royal huntsman and a captain of the company in the [[French Guards | French …
Scion of an old but impoverished [[Noblesse d'epee | sword noble]] family of knights and prelates, Urbain de Maillé-Brezé (b. 1598) is born the seigneur de Thévalles and follows a long family tradition of joining a guards company. In [[1615 | 1615]], in …
Racan (b. 1589) is the scion of a [[Noblesse d'epee | sword noble]] family from the Tours region. His father and uncle, soldiers in the family tradition, both died before Racan turned thirteen years old; the young man's guardian, the [[:bellegarde | duc …
The son of one of Spain's greatest admirals, the second marquis of Santa Cruz (b. 1571) follows in his father's footsteps by serving Spain upon the sea. Santa Cruz participated in the defense of Cadiz against the English in 1596, and by 1603 he was …
The Cardinal de la Valette is the youngest of the sons of the [[:epernon | duc d'Épernon]]. Chosen for a clerical career, the cardinal (b. 1593) was named Archbishop of [[Toulouse | Toulouse]] in 1613 and received a number of abbeys as sinecures. La …
Henri (b. 1591) is the eldest son and heir of the [[:epernon | duc d'Épernon]] and his first wife, Marguerite de Foix, comtesse de Candale (d. 1593). From his mother Henri inherited the title of comte de Candale, which was elevated to a dukedom by the …
Bernard (b. 1592) is the second son of the [[:epernon | duc d'Épernon]] and his first wife, Marguerite de Foix, comtesse de Candale (d. 1593). In [[1622]], Bernard married Gabrielle-Angélique de Verneuil, a legitimised daughter of King Henri IV, with whom …
Sone of the duc d'Elbeuf and a member of the powerful Lorraine-Guise clan, Henri (b. 1601) served an apprenticeship with the Imperial Army in Prague in [[1620]], where he earned the recognition of his peers for his courage and martial skill as well as the …
A member of a prominent [[Huguenot]] family, Souches (b. 1608) is an officer of the militia of [[La Rochelle]], participating in the defense of the city against royal encroachment.
The son of Antoine de Buade, a court minister to King Henri IV, Frontenac grew up as a playmate of the Dauphin, the present King [[:louis_xiii | Louis XIII]]. Born to a distinguished Bearnais family, Frontenac pursued a military career in which he served …
Born and raised on his family estate near Benon in [[Aunis]], Jean de la Coste (b. 1601) is the youngest son of a family of eight. With little to inherit, the cadet La Coste elected to serve in the [[Royal Army | military]], earning a billet in the ranks …
The youngest son of the baron de Busigny, Charles de la Mer (b. 1594) opted for a military career, serving first as a cadet in Austria battling the Turks for two years and, on returning to France, as a member of the king's company of [[Chevaux-légers | …
Gaspard de Bléneau (b. 1603) is a member of the once-illustrious Courtenay family. Descended from King Louis VI Capet of France, the Courtenays included emperors of Constantinople and counts of Edessa during the Crusades, but the family's fortunes …
Possessor of a proud name, the descendent of a crusader who fought with the [[Holy Order of Saint John of Jerusalem | Knights of St John]] at Rhodes and against the Turks at the siege of Vienna, Gustav von Kalmbach (b. 1599) was born without fortune or …
Scion of a cadet branch of the powerful Gramont family, François-Louis's upbringing was modest, but the family name provided him with the leverage to enter the [[Order of Saint Jacques du Hault Pas | Order of Saint James of the High Pass]], taking the …
Son of a Bourguignon magistrate, Barthélemy de Courtivron is the youngest of three brothers and the sixth of seven children. With the eldest son inheriting the father's office and title, Barthélemy (b. 1601) was expected to join the Church, like his older …
Born to a poor Gascon family, Arnaud de Ferusac (b. 1593) pursued a [[Royal Army | military]] career, joining King Henri IV's personal company of [[chevaux-légers]] in 1610. Ferusac served through the regency of the [[:marie_de_medici | Queen-Mother]], …
Riordan O'Neill is the a son of an Irish minor nobleman and a well-born Frenchwoman. Exiled from [[Paris and environs | Paris]] following a duel, O'Neill was seconded to the "Chevau-légers de Challons":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/le-ballet- …
Born in [[Paris and environs | Paris]] to an old but otherwise undistinguished [[Noblesse d'epee | sword noble]] family, César-Auguste de Boisrenard (b. 1599) joined the [[Paris Archers]], serving the provost-martial of Paris. He is a dilligent, stolid …
Baldissere Sanguinetti, known by his _nom de guerre_ of Fortunio, is a Venetian mercenary who joined the household of the marquis de Condillac as captain of the guard for Château de Condillac. After [[1614]], he became a fencing instructor to many of the …
A [[Duchy of Savoy | Savoyard]] nobleman, Gaston de Montchèvre grew up on his family's alpine estate in the province of [[Ducato di Chiablese | Chiablese]]. The visconti di Prato-di-Giglio - the family's Italian title - traditionally serve as soldiers in …
Born to an old Neapolitan noble family, della Torre has been in Spanish and Imperial service as a cuirassier for many years, fighting in the Spanish Netherlands, the Empire, and most recently in Lombardy. He is a master swordsman and fought alongside …
The Mageron famiy loyally served the [[Huguenot]] cause in [[Dauphiné]] through the Wars of Religion as soldiers and provincial officals. Salomon Bergeron purchased a subaltern's commission in the provincial regiment in 1604; as a captain in [[1617]], he …
A law student at the University of Geneva, and the son of a magistrate, Pierre Gaignaire served in his town militia but wanted more experience in the ways of war. Learning that the [[:challons | comte de Challons]], a respected [[Huguenot]] soldier, was …
Through the Wars of Religion the barons de Challons were loyal allies of the princes de Condé and supporters of Henri de Navarre, later King Henri IV _le Grand_. The sixth baron, Salomon de Challons, elevated to count in 1594, was killed by an exploding …
Adrian Sannom serves as an ensign of a company of pikemen in the [[Picardy Regiment]]. He borrowed from a moneylender to purchase his rank, and now he waits to see if he can recoup his investment on campaign.
Claude de Gercourt was raised on his family's estate along the Meuse River. Longtime allies of the Guise family, Gercourt (b. 1579) fought for …
The eldest son of Filiberto Gherardo Scaglia, conte di Verrua, the famous [[Duchy of Savoy | Savoyard]] diplomat and courtier, Augusto Manfredo Scaglia (b. 1587) was raised in court of the [[:carlo_emanuele | duca di Savoia]], a close companion of the …
Born into a [[Huguenot]] family, Gabriel II de Foucault de Saint-Germain Beaupré served Henri of Navarre during the Wars of Religion but abjured the Reformed faith at the same time as the new king. Foucault (b. 1564) commanded a company of [[Gendarmerie | …
A Gascon born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, the son of an old military family but one ennobled only in 1607 by the purchase of a seignurie, the comte de Troisvilles (b. 1598) entered the royal army as a young cadet, and by dint of his great skill as a soldier, …
Raised on his family's estate in Bretagne, Laurent du Grenniers (b. 1596) captained a company of musketeers in the [[Normandy Regiment]] during the campaigns against the [[Huguenot | Huguenots]] in [[1621]] and [[1622]]. Lamoye accepted a commission in …
A [[Bretagne | Breton]], Pierres de La Corbière is a cadet, a young nobleman serving as an ensign to a musketeer company in the [[Normandy Regiment]] since [[1623]]. Saint-Alar (b. 1604) saw action in the campaign against Genoa in [[1625]]. Saint-Alar' …
Bernardo Brandi inherited the contea di Valbrandi near [[Nizza]] in [[1612]], at the age of fifteen, while serving as a cadet in a _[[Tercio | tercio]]_ in Flanders. Brandi maintained his family's close ties to Spain, and he is an outspoken opponent of …
The eldest son of Antoine de Blanchefort, Charles de Blanchefort (b. 1578) followed a career as a soldier, seeing his first action at the age of sixteen. In [[1620]] he captured the seigneur de Saint-Aignan at the battle of Ponts-de-Cé , whom he defended …
Catelano Valdimontone was raised on his family's small estate near Ghigo, in the Valle Germanesca of the Cottian Alps between [[Dauphiné]] and [[Duchy of Savoy | Piedmont]]. Valdimontone (b. 1601) did not fancy overseeing the family's orchards or talc …
A venerable [[Normandie | Norman]] [[Noblesse d'epee | sword noble]] family, the seigneurs de Vaile distinguished themselves in the Crusades. Raynald de Vaile served in the crusade of Louis VII, remaining in the Holy Land after the crusaders retreated …
The youngest son of a Piedmontese family, Virgilio di Falisci grew up on his family's small estate near Cherasco. From an early age he was destined for the [[Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]]. Virgilio (b. 1597) was accepted as an aspirant in [[1622 …
The younger son of a Ruthenian nobleman, Iwan Bodnar joined the _Lisowczycy_ in 1619, when the light cavalry was sent by King Sigismund III to aid Emperor Ferdinand II in the fight against the Protestants. He served in the battle of Humenné that year. …
Amedeo Dal Pozzo (b. 1579) inherited the family _contea_ (county) at the age of three, following the deaths of both his father and mother. Dal Pozzo's father, Ludovico, served as president of the Senato in [[Torino]], and the son followed into the service …
A Cossack in the service of the Bodnar family, Lukaska joined [[:iwan-bodnar | Iwan Bodnar]], a captain of the _[[Lisowyzcy]]_, in the Empire. A cunning brute and a master horseman with long experience fighting and raiding Poles, Ruthenians, and Tatars …
A member of the [[Noblesse d'epee | sword noble]] Castellane family of [[Provence]], Cyprien de Castellane (b. 1595) first served as a cadet in [[Duchy of Savoy | Savoy]] under the [[:lesdiguieres | duc de Lesdiguières]] in [[1617]], and later saw action …
Alvaro de Salamanca's career as a soldier seemed destined for mediocrity when he was posted to Mazalquivir on the Barbary Coast in [[1607]], but he devoted himself to his duties, keeping the local Berber tribes in order and conducting profitable …
Eldest son of the Marquess of Huntly, George Gordon early began a career as a soldier and magistrate under [[:james_i | King James]]. In 1609 Lord Gordon (b. 1592) was commissioned to suppress the "Knights of the Morter," also known as "The Society of the …
Son of a notary in the service of the Colonna family of Naples, Giulio Mazarini attended the Jesuit College in Rome. In [[1619]], Mazarini (b. 1602) travelled to Spain as the chamberlain to Girolamo Colonna, principe di Paliano and heir of the Colonna …
Son of an soldier, Thomas Blake, in Sir William Stanley's regiment of Irish and Old English Catholics fighting for Spain in Flanders, Francis Blake (b. 1594) grew up in Antwerp and served in a Spanish _[[Tercio | tercio]]_ for a number of years. He soon …
Arlesdale is presently serving abroad in the [[Gardes du Corps | Scots Guards]]. He is an ardent Catholic with an intense dislike of Puritans.
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The seventh of fourteen children and a member of the illustrious sword noble family of Rohan, Hercule de Rohan-Montbazon, comte de Rocherfort, would serve three kings - Henri III, Henri IV, and the present king, [[:louis_xiii | Louis XIII]] - as a soldier …