In 1668 six companies of _canoniers_ were created, and soon after two companies of _bombardiers_.

In 1693 the first regiment of fusiliers was changed into a _royal regiment of artillery_, and both the canoniers and bombardiers were eventually incorporated with it.

The staff of artillery, towards the close of this reign, was composed of one grand-master, sixty lieutenants, sixty commissaries, and eighty _officiers-pointeurs_.

In 1721 the artillery was divided into five battalions and stationed at Metz, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Perpignan, and La Fere, where they established schools of theory and practice.

In 1756 the artillery was organized into seven regiments, each regiment having its own separate school.