Martinet

   Jean Martinet (?-1672) was a lieutenant colonel of Louis XIV's regiment of foot and inspector general of infantry. He was an autocratic drill master, known for sharp military efficiency and his insistence that his orders be carried out exactly to the last detail. He drove his men to their limits, demanding maximum effort, and accepted nothing less than instant obedience and a polished performance. His men were taught to ask no questions. The king was so impressed by Martinet's regimental organization that he required all noblemen to command a platoon in Martinet's regiment before purchasing their own command in an infantry regiment.

   Because of Martinet's disciplined training program, France was the first to have a professional national army on the continent. Previously, French soldiers, as well as those from other lands, were a hodgepodge of free-lance mercenaries. Martinet insisted that his men obey standardized methods of drill. He taught them how to advance when under fire, and he introduced the bayonet as a combat weapon. But the demands made upon the soldiers — order, precision, rigid drill — did not endear Martinet to them.

   During the siege of Duisberg in 1672, Martinet was killed by a shot from French artillery while leading an assault. Whether the shot was fired accidentally or intentionally has never been established.