"My first goal was the greatness of the king, my second goal was the power of the kingdom" - this is how one of the most famous people in the history of France, who for 18 years led the entire policy of the state, the omnipotent Cardinal Richelieu, described his activities.
His activities were assessed differently by contemporaries and descendants, and to this day is the subject of heated discussions. The aristocrats accused him of undermining the feudal foundations, and the “lower classes” considered him the culprit of their plight. Most of us know the activities of the cardinal from the novels of A. Dumas, where he is represented as an intriguer plotting the unfortunate queen, a powerful enemy of the brave royal musketeers - a clearly not attractive person.
But be that as it may, how statesman Cardinal Richelieu determined the direction of France's development for 150 years, and the system he created collapsed only during the French Revolution. The revolutionary-minded French, not without reason, saw in him one of the symbols, pillars of the old regime, and in order to please the raging crowd in 1793, they threw the remains of the first minister, Louis XIII, under her feet.
Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu was born in Paris on September 9, 1585. His paternal ancestors have been known since the 14th century. They came from the noble nobility of the French province of Poitou. Being well-born does not mean being rich, and, according to available information, this family was not rich. The father of the future cardinal, Francois du Plessis, was a member of the inner circle of two kings, Henry III and Henry IV. With the first, he was next to 1573, when he was not yet the king of France. It was Francois who informed Henry of Valois about the death of his brother, King Charles IX of France, and in May 1574 returned with him from Poland to Paris. As a reward for his faithful service, the new king of France made François du Plessis prevost of the royal house, with the responsibility of maintaining law and order at court. Two years later Francois was awarded the order Holy Spirit and the bishopric of Luzon, in the province of Poitou, was transferred to hereditary possession. Subsequently, he served as supreme judge, minister of justice of France and head of the secret service of Henry III. On the day of the assassination of the king, François was by his side. The new king of France, Henry IV of Bourbon, left du Plessis in the service, and Francois served this king faithfully. He managed to distinguish himself several times in battles and become the captain of the royal bodyguards. The career of François du Plessis was interrupted by his death on July 19, 1590.
Richelieu's mother was Suzanne de la Porte, the daughter of Francois de la Porte, a successful figure in the Parisian parliament who received the nobility. After the death of her husband, five minor children remained in her arms - three sons, Heinrich, Alphonse and Armand, and two daughters, Francoise and Nicole. She was given a modest pension for their maintenance. Francois du Plessis left everything in such a mess that it was more profitable for the family to refuse the inheritance than to accept it. Susanna's relationship with her mother-in-law was very difficult, and the family experienced serious financial difficulties. In order to somehow exist, Suzanne even had to sell her husband's order chain.
Arman spent the first years of his life in the family castle, where he received his primary education at home. When his father died, the boy was only five years old, and soon the castle was given to creditors and the family moved to Paris. In 1594 he was appointed to the privileged College of Navarre. Even as a child, Armand du Plessis dreamed of a military career, and after graduating from college, he entered the Pluvinel Academy, which trained officers for the royal cavalry. He was not distinguished by good health, but nevertheless decided to choose the service traditional for the male line of the clan.
But family circumstances forced him to bury the dream of military exploits and put on the cassock of a priest. His brother Alphonse unexpectedly renounced the bishopric in Luzon, therefore, in order to save the family inheritance, Arman enters the theological faculty of the Sorbonne in 1602, which he graduates in four years, having received degree Master of Canon Law and a chair at Luzon. And although he was only 20 years old, and a person no younger than 23 had the right to head the bishopric, the king approved the young Abbé de Richelieu as Bishop of Luson. For consecration to the dignity of bishop, Richelieu himself went to Rome. He made a favorable impression on Pope Paul I with his deep knowledge and thus obtained permission from the Holy See for ordination. Richelieu became bishop on April 17, 1607.
Upon his return to Paris in the autumn of the same year, Richelieu defended his dissertation at the Sorbonne for a doctorate in theology. He is well received at court, the king calls him only "my bishop", and in the light of Richelieu becomes the most fashionable preacher. Mind, erudition and eloquence - all this allowed young man hope for a career as a statesman. But as often happens in the courts of monarchs, if you have friends, you are bound to have enemies. At the court of Henry IV there was a group of people dissatisfied with the policy of the king. It was led by Queen Marie de Medici and her favourite, the Duke de Sully. Richelieu soon felt the ambiguity and insecurity of his position at the court of the monarch, and in order not to tempt fate, he retires to his diocese. Here the bishop plunges headlong into business, showing himself not only as a zealous defender of the church, but also as a reasonable administrator, preventing many conflicts with both decisive and flexible measures. He does not cease to engage in theological research, expressed in a number of his writings. He maintains contact with Paris through extensive correspondence with friends who have remained in the capital. From a letter from one of them, he learns about the assassination of Henry IV. This news stunned him, because he had high hopes for his career with the king. Richelieu was very sorry that he did not have a relationship with Maria Medici, who was proclaimed regent for her young son, the new King of France, Louis XIII. He returns to Paris, but realizes that he was in a hurry - the new court was not up to him. But even the short time that Richelieu spent in Paris allowed him to determine exactly who would soon rule the eccentric queen regent. It was an Italian from the retinue of Queen Concino Concini, who had kept a low profile for the time being. And Richelieu was not mistaken - Concini soon became Marshal d'Ancre and head of the queen's council.
There was nothing to do in Paris, and the bishop returned to Lucon again, devoting himself entirely to the affairs of the diocese. Correspondence began again with Paris. But in Luzon, Richelieu meets the man who launched Richelieu's political career. This is Father Joseph, in the world - Francois Leclerc du Tremblay, and contemporaries will call him "gray eminence." Father Joseph was a prominent figure in the Capuchin order and enjoyed great influence in both religious and political circles. He saw a high purpose in the young bishop and began to patronize him. It was Father Joseph who recommended Richelieu to Marie Medici and her favorite, Marshal d'Ancre, who invited the bishop to Paris to deliver sermons. At the same time, Richelieu managed to establish a good relationship with the marshal, and the queen and the young Louis XIII began to attend his sermons.
In 1614, Richelieu was elected to represent the interests of the clergy of the province of Poitou in the Estates General. He immediately attracted attention with the maturity of his judgments, the fundamental nature of knowledge and initiative. He was entrusted with representing the interests of the first estate (clergy) in other chambers, and in February 1615 he delivered a report, outlining the opinion of the entire clergy on the problems of the state. In it, Richelieu managed to please everyone, not forgetting to create a springboard for himself. He recalled that thirty-five French chancellors were clergy, and suggested that priests be more actively involved in the affairs of government. Concerned about the nobility, he spoke about the prohibition of duels, since duels "exterminate the nobility." He demanded cuts in government spending and a fight against corrupt officials who "oppress the people." Richelieu said laudatory words to the queen regent, which melted her heart. Richelieu was well aware that Maria Medici did not have a "state mind", but he needed to win her trust, and he succeeded. The Queen Regent appoints the bishop as confessor to the young Queen Anne of Austria, and the following year he becomes secretary of state, member of the Royal Council and personal adviser to Marie de Medici. During this period, Richelieu managed to achieve some stabilization in the country, begin the reorganization of the army, restore complete order in office work and significantly upgrade the diplomatic corps. In area foreign policy the new secretary of state failed to achieve good results, although he was not to blame for this. Having come to power, the new government of Marie Medici reoriented foreign policy towards rapprochement with Spain, which crossed out everything that Henry IV managed to do for France. Richelieu had to support this line, although he was closer to the diplomacy of the former king. He quickly went up the career ladder, but this path took only five months. The young king, to whom Richelieu did not pay enough attention, which was his mistake, grew up and wished to rule himself. In April 1617, as a result of a coup carried out with the consent of the king, Marshal d "Ancre was killed, and the Royal Council was dispersed - empty seats were given to the former associates of Henry IV. Maria Medici went into exile, and her secretary of state was sent along with her Richelieu.
Opala, exile, years of wandering - but the Bishop of Luson was not going to give up. At this time, he finally becomes convinced of the perniciousness of the policy pursued by both Maria Medici and the new favorites of Louis XIII. Richelieu wants to see France as a strong state, taking pride of place among European countries. He believes that he is able to rally the state, but for this you need to come back to power and subordinate the king to your influence.
To achieve his goals, Richelieu decided to play on the reconciliation of mother and son. The opportunity for this came in 1622, when the favorite of the king, Albert de Luyne, the sworn enemy of Marie de Medici, died. With his death, the queen and Richelieu return to Paris, and Louis immediately introduces his mother to the Royal Council. The position of the bishop at the king's court improved markedly, and in December 1622 he received the cardinal mantle. Gradually, the cardinal managed to prove his indispensability to Louis XIII and the court. He knew well that for the king, the image of his father - Henry IV - was the ideal that the young king wanted to be like. The cardinal used this convenient occasion always appealed to the memory of Heinrich. He began to spend a lot of time with the king, unobtrusively directing his actions. The ability to maneuver and use the differences between mother and son attracted to him everyone's attention. And in terms of intrigue, the cardinal had no equal. He managed to discredit the policy pursued by de Sillery, and then de La Vivielle, and came closer and closer to the cherished goal. In 1624, Richelieu was appointed the first minister of France and managed to retain power until the end of his life.
It is difficult to enumerate all the conspiracies that were staged against the first minister during the 18 years of his reign by those who were dissatisfied with his policies. Attempts were made on his life, which made it necessary to create a personal guard for the cardinal. It was made up of musketeers, who wore red cloaks, in contrast to the king's musketeers, who wore blue cloaks.
By the time he was appointed to the post of First Minister, Richelieu was already a man with established convictions and firm political principles, which he would consistently and persistently put into practice. A contemporary of the cardinal, the poet de Malherbe, wrote about him: “... there is something in this cardinal that goes beyond the generally accepted framework, and if our ship nevertheless copes with the storm, this will happen only when his valiant hand holds the reins ".
Richelieu saw the meaning of his activity in the assertion of a strong, centralized state (royal) power and in strengthening the international positions of France. To strengthen the power of the king, it was necessary to start with the establishment of peace within the state. In order to bring the “front of princes” who are trying to wrest privileges and money from the king into submission, Richelieu advised the king to stop making concessions to the aristocrats and pursue a tougher domestic policy. The cardinal did not hesitate to shed the blood of the rebels, and the execution of the Duke of Montmorency - one of the first persons of the country - shocked the aristocracy and forced them to humble their pride.
The next were the Huguenots, who received great rights during the reign of Henry IV. They created their own small state in Languedoc with a center in La Rochelle and at any moment could get out of obedience. To put an end to the Huguenot freemen, a pretext was needed. And he did not keep himself waiting. In 1627, due to the construction of the fleet, begun by Richelieu, relations between France and England escalated. The British sent troops to the French lands and provoked the Huguenots to revolt. La Rochelle has risen. The French army quickly coped with the English landing and laid siege to the fortress. Only hunger and the loss of hope for outside help forced the defenders of La Rochelle to lay down their arms. On the advice of the cardinal, Louis XIII granted forgiveness to the defenders of the fortress and confirmed freedom of religion, but deprived the Huguenots of their former privileges. Richelieu understood that it was a utopia to impose religious homogeneity on the country. In the interests of the state, questions of faith receded into the background, no further persecution ensued. The cardinal said: "Both the Huguenots and the Catholics were in my eyes equally French." Thus, the religious wars that had torn the country apart for more than seventy years ended, but such a policy added Richelieu enemies among the ministers of the church.
After bringing the aristocrats into submission and solving the problem with the Huguenots, Richelieu turned to parliaments that wanted to limit royalty. Parliaments - judicial and administrative institutions - were in ten major cities, and the most influential of these was the Parlement of Paris. He had the right to register all royal edicts, after which they received the force of law. Having rights, parliaments used them and constantly sought their greater expansion. The activities of Richelieu put an end to the intervention of parliaments in government. He also curtailed the rights of the provincial states - estate assemblies. Local government the first minister replaced the power of officials subordinate to the central government. In 1637, at his suggestion, the provincial administration was unified, which was replaced by commissaries of police, justice and finance, appointed from the center to each province. In addition to strengthening royal power, this provided an effective counterbalance to the power of provincial governors, who often abused this power for personal gain.
With the arrival of Richelieu to power, there were also serious changes in the field of foreign policy. He gradually returned the country to the policy pursued by Henry IV, moving further and further away from the focus on Spain and Austria. Richelieu managed to restore ties with the old allies of France and inspire Louis XIII with the idea of the need to take decisive action against the claims of Spain and Austria. He defended the idea of "European balance", opposing it to the policies of the Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs. During the Thirty Years' War, Richelieu's goal was to crush the power of the Habsburgs and secure France's "natural" frontiers. These goals were achieved, but after his death, the Pyrenees became the southwestern border of the country, the sea coast was from the south and northwest, and the eastern border ran along the left bank of the Rhine.
A zealous Catholic, Richelieu earned the epithet "cardinal of the heretics." For him, in politics, faith gave way to state interests. The Habsburg dynasty slowly but steadily took over Europe, pushing France out of Italy and almost subjugating Germany. The Protestant princes could not resist the power of the Habsburgs on their own, and Richelieu decides to intervene. He began to subsidize the princes and make alliances with them. Ready to capitulate to the Habsburgs, the German principalities, thanks to the support of the cardinal and the French pistoles, continued to resist. The diplomatic and military intervention of France in the course of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) made it possible not only to continue hostilities, but also to end them with the complete collapse of the imperial designs of Austria and Spain. Back in 1642, shortly before his death, Richelieu said to his king: “Now the song of Spain is sung,” and he was again right. During the war, all historical territories were united - Lorraine, Alsace and Roussillon, after many years of struggle, became part of the French kingdom. The "Spanish Party" could not forgive the cardinal for a change in political course and continued to plot against the first minister. His life often hung in the balance. Richelieu's enemy was Maria Medici, who, after a series of attempts to destroy the one who took her place next to the king, and realizing that she could not overthrow her former favorite, simply fled the country and never returned to France. In addition to her, the brother of the king, Gaston of Orleans, who dreamed of taking the throne himself and for this he was ready to collude with the enemies of the state, and Anna of Austria, a Spaniard who became the French queen, but never accepted a new homeland, became the enemies of the cardinal.
Richelieu saw before him the only goal of life - the good of France, and went towards it, overcoming the resistance of opponents and despite almost universal misunderstanding. Few of the statesmen can boast that he managed to carry out all his plans. “I promised the king that I would use all my abilities and all the means that he would like to put at my disposal to destroy the Huguenots as a political party, weaken the illegal power of the aristocracy, establish obedience to royal power everywhere in France and glorify France among foreign powers” - such tasks were set by the first minister, Cardinal Richelieu. And all these tasks were completed by him by the end of his life.
He carried out tax and financial reforms, taking into account the interests of the state. He gave great importance to the ideological support of the existing system, attracting the church and the best intellectual forces for this. Thanks to his efforts, the French Academy was opened in 1635, which still exists today. With him in French literature and art, classicism was established, singing the greatness of the state and the ideas of civic duty. Peru Richelieu owns several plays that were even staged in the theater and were successful. During his reign, the reconstruction of the capital began. It began with the Sorbonne, where, in addition to the building of the oldest European University it was decided to carry out an internal reorganization, opening new faculties and a college, which later bore the name of Richelieu. The cardinal allocated more than 50,000 livres from his personal funds for the construction and donated part of the library to the university. After his death, at the behest of Cardinal Sorbonne, the entire book collection of Richelieu was transferred.
Cardinal Richelieu had another enemy all his life - congenital weakness. He was constantly tormented by bouts of fever, chronic inflammation, insomnia and migraines. Diseases were aggravated by constant nervous tension and continuous work. At the end of his life, he wrote a "Political Testament" for Louis XIII, in which he gave the king instructions on all issues of foreign and domestic policy, and also outlined the main directions of his activities.
Cardinal Richelieu died on December 4, 1642 from purulent pleurisy in his palace in Paris, which he left to the king. Since that time, the palace has been called the Royal - Palais Royal. According to his last will, he was buried in the church of the University of Paris, the foundation of which he personally laid the first stone in May 1635.
RICHELIE(in full Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu; Du Plessis, Richelieu) (September 5, 1585, Paris - December 4, 1642, ibid.), French statesman, cardinal from 1622, first minister, head of the royal council from 1624, duke-peer from 1631. In order to strengthen absolutism, Richelieu defeated the political organization of the Huguenots; carried out administrative, financial, military reforms; suppressed feudal revolts, popular uprisings. In foreign policy, he considered the struggle against the Habsburgs to be the main thing. Richelieu brought France into Thirty Years' War 1618-1648, contributed to the reorganization of the French army and the creation of a navy. He pursued a policy of mercantilism, promoted the activities of French trading companies. Under Richelieu, the French Academy was founded, a number of lyceums were founded.
The youngest son of the Chief Prevot of France Francois du Plessis and Suzanne de la Porte, the daughter of a lawyer of the Parlement of Paris, Armand was educated at the Navarre College in Paris and was preparing for the military career, inheriting the title of Marquis du Chill. The refusal of the middle brother from the church career allowed the young marquis in 1608 to take the name of Richelieu and the rank of Bishop of Luson. Elected as a deputy from the clergy to the States General (1614), he attracted the attention of the regent Maria Medici, became her adviser and confessor to Anna of Austria, the wife of the young King Louis XIII of Bourbon. Later, the Bishop of Luson became Secretary of State for Foreign and Military Affairs, but soon fell into disgrace and was exiled to Avignon. Having successfully contributed to the reconciliation of Louis XIII with his mother, Richelieu managed to continue his career at court. In 1622 he received the rank of cardinal, and in 1624 he became a member of the royal council, became the first minister and remained the de facto ruler of France until the end of his life.
The basic principles of their state activities Richelieu later formulated in the "Political Testament". The priority of domestic policy for him was the fight against the Protestant opposition and the strengthening of royal power, the main foreign policy task was to increase the prestige of France and the fight against the hegemony of the Habsburgs in Europe.
The numerical superiority of the Protestants in a number of provinces, their military power and separatist aspirations threatened the integrity of France and undermined the prestige of the monarchy. In fact, the Huguenots created a state within a state. Richelieu at all costs sought to crush the "party of the Huguenots", even at the cost of civil war. Under the onslaught of the royal troops in 1628, La Rochelle, cut off from the help of the British, fell - the main stronghold of the Protestants on the Atlantic coast of France. A year later, the Huguenot forces in Languedoc were defeated and the southern fortresses were occupied. In 1629, Louis XIII signed the Edict of Mercy, revising the Edict of Nantes: the Huguenots were deprived of political and military privileges. But their freedom of worship and judicial guarantees put an end to the wars of religion in France and left no room for contention with Protestant allies outside the country.
Overcoming the opposition of the pro-Spanish "party of saints", Richelieu stubbornly pursued an anti-Habsburg policy. Counting on an alliance with England, he arranged the marriage of Charles I Stuart to Princess Henrietta of France. Richelieu sought to increase French influence in northern Italy (by undertaking an expedition to Valtelina) and in Germany (by supporting a league of Protestant princes). Having defeated the Huguenots inside France, Cardinal Richelieu did not hesitate to make an alliance with the Protestant countries - Holland, Denmark, Sweden. Richelieu persistently waged a covert war against the Habsburgs, but for a long time kept France from direct participation in the Thirty Years' War. However, in 1630 French troops occupied Savoy, and in 1634 - Lorraine. In 1635, France joined fighting in Alsace and in Italy. At first French army pursued failures, the Spanish troops even threatened Paris. But gradually the situation changed in favor of France, although Richelieu did not live several months before the decisive victory at Rocroix (1643). The French victories were facilitated by the creation of a navy under Richelieu and the reorganization of the army.
In an effort to strengthen the sovereignty of royal power in the field of domestic and foreign policy and finance, Richelieu initiated the codification of French laws (the Michaud Code, 1629), carried out a number of administrative reforms (the establishment of commissary posts in the provinces appointed by the king). In 1632, Richelieu crushed a feudal rebellion in Languedoc and executed the governor, the Duke of Montmorency. By order of the first minister, noble castles (except for border ones) were demolished. He strengthened control over provincial governors and severely limited the rights of the provincial states, parliaments, and counting chambers, transferring control to the commissaries of the provinces. One of the measures to combat the privileges of the nobility was the prohibition of duels.
In the field of economics, Richelieu pursued a policy of mercantilism, expanded the French colonization of Canada, and intensified the activities of French trading companies in the Antilles, Saint-Domingue, Senegal, and Madagascar. During his reign, the postal service was reorganized. In order to strengthen absolutism and solve ambitious foreign policy tasks, Richelieu increased the tax burden and brutally suppressed the taxation caused by it. popular movements(numerous urban uprisings 1620-1640s, Crocan uprisings 1624, 1636-1637, barefoot uprising 1639).
Richelieu contributed to the development of culture, seeking to put it at the service of French absolutism. With his support, the French Academy was founded, and an official propaganda organ, Theophrastus Renaudeau's Gazette, was created. At the initiative of the cardinal, the Sorbonne was reconstructed (according to the will of Richelieu, he left her his richest library). In the center of Paris, a palace grew up - the Palais Cardinal (later it was presented to Louis XIII and has since been called the Palais Royal). Richelieu patronized artists and writers, in particular Corneille, encouraged talents, contributing to the flourishing of French classicism.
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Biography
Born in Paris, in the parish of Saint-Eustache, on the Rue Boulois (or Bouloir). He was baptized only on May 5, 1586, six months after birth, due to "frail, sickly" health. The du Plessis de Richelieu family belonged to the noble nobility of Poitou. Father - Francois du Plessis de Richelieu - a prominent statesman during the reign of Henry III, on December 31, 1585, who became a knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit. In France, there were only 140 knights of this order, representing 90 families. Mother - Suzanne de La Porte. Richelieu's godfathers were two marshals of France - Armand de Gonto-Biron and Jean d'Aumont, who gave him their names. The godmother is his grandmother Françoise de Richelieu, née Rochechouart.
Graduated from Navarre College. He was consecrated Bishop of Luson on April 17, 1607. He defended his dissertation at the Sorbonne for a doctorate in theology on October 29, 1607. On December 21, 1608, he took possession of the Luzon episcopate. Member of the Estates General in 1614 for the clergy. He advocated the strengthening of royal power. He was seen at court and in 1615, after the marriage of Louis XIII to Anna of Austria, he was appointed confessor to the young queen.
After successfully negotiating with the rebellious Prince, Conde entered the narrow circle of personal advisers to the Queen Regent, Marie de Medici. In November 1616 he was appointed Secretary of State. May 19, 1617. Richelieu becomes head of the Queen Mother's council. On April 7, 1618, due to the intrigues of the Duke of Luyne, he was exiled to Avignon, but after the fall of the temporary worker, he returned to court.
Head of the French government under Louis XIII (from 1624 until the end of his life). On December 29, 1629, the cardinal, having received the title of lieutenant general of His Majesty, went to command the army in Italy, where he confirmed his military talents and met Giulio Mazarin. On December 5, 1642, King Louis XIII appointed Giulio Mazarin as chief minister. About this man, who was called in an intimate circle “Brother Broadsword (Colmardo)” [source not specified 444 days], Richelieu himself said this: I know only one person who can become my successor, although he is a foreigner.
Historian François Bluche states:
The two most famous deeds of Minister Richelieu are the capture of La Rochelle (1628) and the "Day of the Fools" (1630).
So, after the future academician, wit Guillaume Botryu, Comte de Serran, they began to call Monday November 11, 1630. On this day, Richelieu was preparing his resignation; the queen mother Marie de Medici and the keeper of the seal, Louis de Marillac, were sure of their victory, but in the evening at Versailles, the cardinal learned from the king that the pro-Spanish "party of saints" was in disgrace.
Richelieu based his policy on the implementation of the program of Henry IV: strengthening the state, its centralization, ensuring supremacy secular power over the church and the center over the provinces, the elimination of aristocratic opposition, opposition to the Spanish-Austrian hegemony in Europe. The main result of Richelieu's state activity is the establishment of absolutism in France. Cold, prudent, very often severe to the point of cruelty, subordinating the sense of reason, Cardinal Richelieu firmly held the reins of government in his hands and, with remarkable vigilance and foresight, noticing the impending danger, warned her at the very appearance.
Facts and memory
The cardinal, with his letter of commendation dated January 29, 1635, founded the famous French Academy, which still exists and has 40 members - “immortals”. As stated in the letter, the Academy was created "to make French not only elegant, but also capable of interpreting all the arts and sciences.
- Cardinal Richelieu founded a city named after himself. Now this city is called - Richelieu (en: Richelieu, Indre-et-Loire). The city is located in the Center region, in the department of Indre-et-Loire.
- In France, there was a type of battleship Richelieu, named after the cardinal.
Compositions of Richelieu
Le testament politique ou les maximes d'etat.
- Rus. trans.: Richelieu A.-J. du Plessis. Political testament. Principles of state administration. - M.: Ladomir, 2008. - 500 p. - ISBN 978-5-86218-434-1.
- Memoires (ed. 1723).
- Rus. trans.: Richelieu. Memoirs.
- - M .: AST, Lux, Our house - L'Age d'Homme, 2005. - 464 p. - Series "Historical Library". - ISBN 5-17-029090-X, ISBN 5-9660-1434-5, ISBN 5-89136-004-7.
- - M.: AST, AST Moscow, Our house - L'Age d'Homme, 2008. - 464 p. - Series "Historical Library". - ISBN 978-5-17-051468-7, ISBN 978-5-9713-8064-1, ISBN 978-5-89136-004-4.
Richelieu in art
Fiction
Cardinal is one of the heroes popular novel Alexandre Dumas "Three Musketeers" At the same time, the image of both the cardinal himself and the political situation around him (a kind of “competition” between the king and the cardinal and people loyal to them) does not correspond much to historical truth. Indirect mention - the novel Club Dumas, or the Shadow of Richelieu
Cinema
The cardinal is depicted in the film adaptations of the novel The Three Musketeers.
- In France, in 1977, a six-episode biographical television film about the cardinal was filmed.
Literature
Blush F. Richelieu / ZhZL series. - M .: Young Guard, 2006. - ISBN 5-235-02904-6.
- Cherkasov P.P. Cardinal Richelieu. Portrait of a statesman. - M.: Olma-press, 2002. - ISBN 5-224-03376-6.
- Cherkasov P.P. Cardinal Richelieu. - M.: International relationships, 1990. - 384 p. - ISBN 5-7133-0206-7.
- Knecht R. J. Richelieu. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix Publishing House, 1997. - 384 p. - ISBN 5-85880-456-X.
Biography
Richelieu, Armand Jean du Plessis (1585–1642), French statesman. Full name and the title - Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal, Duke de Richelieu, nicknamed the "Red Cardinal" (l "Eminence Rouge). The son of Francois du Plessis, seigneur de Richelieu (who, however, did not belong to the highest nobility), who advanced under Henry III and became Grand Prevost, and Suzanne de la Porte, daughter of a member of the Parisian Palament (highest judicial council).Born September 9, 1585 in Paris or in the castle of Richelieu in the province of Poitou.Until the age of 21, it was assumed that Armand, the youngest of three brothers, would follow in the footsteps of his father and become a military and courtier.But in 1606 the middle brother went to the monastery, renouncing the bishopric in Lucon (30 km north of La Rochelle), which was usually inherited by members of the Richelieu family.The only thing that could keep the family control of the diocese , this is the entry of young Arman into a spiritual rank, which happened on April 17, 1607.
States General 1614–1615. Richelieu spent several years in Luzon. The opportunity to attract attention presented itself in 1614, when the States General were convened in Paris - an assembly of estates established in the Middle Ages and still occasionally meeting by the king on one occasion or another. The delegates were divided into the first estate (clergy), the second estate (secular aristocracy) and the third estate (bourgeois). The young Bishop of Luzon was supposed to represent the clergy of his native province of Poitou. Already soon Richelieu was noticed thanks to the dexterity and cunning shown by him in establishing compromises with other groups and eloquent defense of church privileges from the encroachments of secular authorities. In February 1615, he was even instructed to deliver a ceremonial speech on behalf of the first estate at the final session. The next time the Estates-General would convene was 175 years later, on the eve of the French Revolution.
Elevation.
At the court of the young Louis XIII, they noticed the 29-year-old prelate. Greatest Impression Richelieu's talents produced the queen mother Marie de Medici, who still actually ruled France, although in 1614 her son had already come of age. Appointed as the confessor of Queen Anne of Austria, Richelieu soon achieved the location of the closest adviser to Maria Concino Concini (also known as Marshal d'Ancre). In 1616, Richelieu joined the royal council and took the post of state secretary for military affairs and foreign policy.
However, in 1617 Conchini was killed by a group of "friends of the king". The instigator of this action, the Duc de Luyne, now began to play a leading role at court. Luyne suggested that Richelieu remain at his post, but he decided to follow the Queen Mother to Blois, seeing in her position the best guarantees for the future. For seven years, part of which had to be spent in exile, Richelieu was in active correspondence with Maria Medici and Louis. During this time, he wrote two theological works - Defense of the Fundamentals of the Catholic Faith and Instructions for Christians. In 1619, the king allowed Richelieu to join the queen mother in the hope that he would have a pacifying effect on her. In 1622, as part of the king's compromise with Mary, Richelieu was granted the dignity of cardinal. Finally, in 1624, the king allowed his mother to return to Paris; Richelieu also arrived there, to whom Louis continued to treat with distrust. A few months later, in August, the current government collapsed and, at the urging of the Queen Mother, Richelieu became the King's "First Minister", a post he was destined to hold for 18 years.
First Minister.
Despite his fragile health, the new minister achieved his position through a combination of patience, cunning and an uncompromising will to power. Richelieu never ceased to use these qualities for his own advancement: in 1622 he became a cardinal, in 1631 a duke, all the while continuing to increase his personal fortune.
From the very beginning, Richelieu had to deal with many enemies and unreliable friends. At first, Louis himself was among the latter. As far as one can judge, the king never found sympathy for Richelieu, and yet, with each new turn of events, Louis became increasingly dependent on his brilliant servant. The rest of the royal family remained hostile to Richelieu. Anna of Austria could not stand the ironic minister, who deprived her of any influence on state affairs. The Duke of Orleans Gaston, the king's only brother, wove countless plots to increase his influence. Even the queen mother, always ambitious, felt that her former assistant stood in her way, and soon became his most serious opponent.
The curbing of knowledge.
Various factions of rebellious courtiers crystallized around these figures. Richelieu responded to all challenges thrown to him with the greatest political skill and brutally suppressed them. In 1626, the young Marquis de Chalet became the central figure in the intrigue against the cardinal, who paid for it with his life. Just a few weeks before his death in 1642, Richelieu revealed last conspiracy, whose central figures were the Marquis de San Mar and Gaston of Orleans. The latter, as always, was saved from punishment by royal blood, but San Mar was beheaded. In the period between these two conspiracies, the most dramatic test of the strength of Richelieu's position was the famous "day of the fools" - November 10, 1631. On this day, King Louis XIII promised to dismiss his minister for the last time, and rumors spread throughout Paris that the Queen Mother defeated her enemy. However, Richelieu managed to obtain an audience with the king, and by nightfall all his powers were confirmed and his actions were sanctioned. The “fooled” were those who believed false rumors, for which they paid with death or exile.
Resistance, which manifested itself in other forms, met with no less resolute rebuff. Despite his aristocratic predilections, Richelieu crushed the rebellious provincial nobility, insisting on their obedience to the royal officials. In 1632, he achieved the death sentence for participation in the rebellion of the Duke de Montmorency, Governor-General of Languedoc and one of the most brilliant aristocrats. Richelieu forbade parliaments (the highest judicial bodies in cities) from questioning the constitutionality of royal legislation. In words, he glorified the papacy and the Catholic clergy, but by his deeds it was clear that the head of the church in France was the king.
Suppression of Protestants.
Other important source opposition, crushed by Richelieu with his characteristic decisiveness, was the Huguenot (Protestant) minority. The conciliatory Edict of Nantes by Henry IV of 1598 guaranteed the Huguenots complete freedom of conscience and relative freedom of worship. He left behind them a large number of fortified cities - mainly in the south and south-west of France. Richelieu saw this semi-independence as a threat to the state, especially in times of war. The participation taken by the Huguenots in 1627 in the attack of the British from the sea on the coast of France served as a signal for the government to take action. By January 1628, the fortress of La Rochelle, a stronghold of the Protestants on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, was besieged. Richelieu took personal leadership of the campaign, and in October the recalcitrant city capitulated after c. 15 thousand of its inhabitants died of starvation. In 1629, Richelieu ended the religious war with a generous reconciliation - a peace agreement in Ala, according to which the king recognized for his Protestant subjects all the rights guaranteed to him in 1598, with the exception of the right to have fortresses. The Huguenots lived in France as an officially recognized minority until 1685, but after the capture of La Rochelle, their ability to resist the crown was undermined. See also HUGUGENOTS.
Thirty Years' War.
By the end of the 1620s, the French government was able to accept more Active participation in international affairs, prompting Richelieu to take action. By the time Richelieu came to power, the grandiose (called the Thirty Years) War in Germany between the Catholic sovereigns, led by the Holy Roman Emperor and the union of Protestant princes and cities, was already in full swing. The House of Habsburg, including the ruling families in Spain and Austria, was the main enemy of the French monarchy for more than a century, but at first Richelieu refrained from interfering in the conflict. Firstly, in this case, the Protestant powers were to become France's allies, so the cardinal and his chief adviser, the monk of the Capuchin order, Father Joseph (nicknamed, in contrast to his boss, l "Eminence grise, that is," Cardinal Gray ") understood that it is necessary to have a clear and legal justification for such a step.Secondly, the freedom of action outside the country was long held back by the turbulent situation inside France itself.Thirdly, the main threat to French interests did not come from the Austrian Habsburgs, but from the even more powerful Spanish branches, prompting the French to focus on the Pyrenees and Spanish possessions in Italy rather than Germany.
Nevertheless, France was still involved in the war. By the end of the 1620s, the Catholics had achieved such impressive victories within the Empire that it seemed that the Austrian Habsburgs would become complete masters of Germany. In the face of the threat of Habsburg dominance in Europe, Richelieu and Father Joseph argued that for the good of the papacy and the spiritual well-being of the church itself, France should oppose Spain and Austria. The opportunity to take part in German affairs was provided immediately after the suppression of the nobility and rebellious Huguenots inside the country, since King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden was going to speak on the side of the Lutherans. When his army landed in northern Germany (July 1630), significant Spanish forces began to move into Germany - to support the Catholics.
Now Richelieu found it necessary to intervene, indirectly for the time being. On January 23, 1631, after lengthy negotiations, Richelieu's envoy signed an agreement with Gustavus Adolf in Berwald. Under this agreement, the French Catholic prelate provided the Swedish Lutheran warrior king with financial means for waging war against the Habsburgs in the amount of one million livres per year. Gustav promised France that he would not attack those states of the Catholic League ruled by the Habsburgs. Nevertheless, in the spring of 1632, he turned his troops to the east against just such a state - Bavaria. Richelieu tried in vain to keep his ally. Only with the death of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Luzen (November 16, 1632) was the cardinal's difficult dilemma resolved.
At first, Richelieu had a glimmer of hope that monetary subsidies to the allies would be enough to save his own country from the risk of an open conflict. But by the end of 1634, the Swedish forces remaining in Germany and their Protestant allies were defeated by the Spanish troops. In the spring of 1635, France formally entered the war, first against Spain and then, a year later, against the Holy Roman Empire. At first, the French suffered a series of unfortunate defeats, but by 1640, when the superiority of France began to manifest itself, she began to overcome her main enemy - Spain. Moreover, French diplomacy was successful, causing an anti-Spanish uprising in Catalonia and its fall (from 1640 to 1659 Catalonia was under French rule) and a full-scale revolution in Portugal, which ended the rule of the Habsburgs in 1640. Finally, on May 19, 1643 under Rocroix in the Ardennes the army of the Prince de Conde achieved such a crushing victory over the famous Spanish infantry that this battle is considered to be the end of Spanish dominance in Europe. Richelieu died in Paris on December 5, 1642, not having lived to see his triumph in Rocroi and broken by numerous illnesses.
Achievements.
Richelieu had the strongest influence on the course European history. In domestic politics, he eliminated any possibility of a full-scale civil war between Catholics and Protestants. He failed to put an end to the tradition of dueling and intrigue among the provincial nobility and courtiers, but through his efforts, disobedience to the crown was considered not a privilege, but a crime against the country. Richelieu did not introduce, as was customary to say, the positions of quartermasters to carry out government policy on the ground, but he significantly strengthened the position of the royal council in all areas of government. The trading companies he organized to deal with overseas territories proved to be ineffective, but the protection of strategic interests in the colonies of the West Indies and Canada opened new era in the creation of the French Empire.
LITERATURE
Cherkasov P.P. Richelieu. - Questions of History, 1989, No. 7
- Cherkasov P.P. Cardinal Richelieu. M., 1990
- Albina L.L. Books that belonged to Cardinal Richelieu. - Sat: Book. Research and materials, Sat. 4. M., 1990
Armand's mother, Suzanne de La Porte, was by no means of aristocratic origin. She was the daughter of the lawyer of the Parlement of Paris, François de La Porte, that is, in essence, the daughter of a bourgeois who was granted the nobility only for long service.
Childhood
Armand was born in Paris, in the parish of Saint-Eustache, on the Rue Boulois (or Bouloir). He was the youngest son in the family. He was baptized only on May 5, 1586, six months after his birth, due to "frail, sickly" health.
- From the baptismal certificate in the registers of the parish of Saint Eustache in Paris: “1586, the fifth day of May. Armand Jean was baptized, the son of sir François du Plessis, seigneur de Richelieu ... member of the Council of State, Prevot of the Royal House and Chief Prevot of France, and Dame Suzanne de La Porte, his wife ... The baby was born on the ninth of September 1585.
Armand's godfathers were two marshals of France - Armand de Gonto-Biron and Jean d'Aumont, who gave him their names. The godmother was his grandmother, Françoise de Richelieu, née Rochechouart.
Armand's father died of a fever on 19 July 1590 at the age of 42. Mother, left a widow with five children in her arms, soon left Paris and settled in family estate late husband in Poitou. The family experienced significant financial difficulties. Suzanne was even forced to lay the chain of the Order of the Holy Spirit, of which her late husband was a knight.
Back in Paris
A few years later, Armand returns to Paris, where he is enrolled in the College of Navarre, where both Henry III and Henry IV studied. In college, Armand studied grammar, arts, and philosophy. After graduating from college, Arman, by the decision of his family, enters military academy. But suddenly circumstances change, as Armand Richelieu must now take the place of Bishop of Luson, an ecclesiastical diocese granted to the Richelieu family by Henry III. Armand is forced to change his military uniform to a cassock, since this diocese is the only source of income for his family. At this time he is 17 years old. Armand, with his usual exuberant energy, begins to study theology.
Bishop of Luzon
Soon, Marie de Medici appointed Richelieu as the confessor of Anna of Austria. A little later, in November 1616, she appointed him to the post of Minister of War. Richelieu was resolutely against the then existing government course aimed at an unequal alliance with Spain and neglect national interests France, but then the Bishop of Luson did not dare to openly oppose the government. The finances of the state were also in a deplorable state, there was a constant threat of another rebellion and civil war.
In his Political Testament, Richelieu writes of the situation in France at that time:
“When Your Majesty deigned to call me to Your Council, I can certify that the Huguenots shared power with you in the state, the nobles behaved as if they were not your subjects, and the governors felt themselves sovereigns of their lands ... alliances with foreign states were in running state, and own self-interest was preferred to personal benefit "
Richelieu understood that the main enemies in the international arena were the Habsburg monarchies of Austria and Spain. But France was not yet ready for open conflict. Richelieu knew that the state lacked the necessary resources for this, it was necessary to solve internal problems. Meanwhile, he rejects an alliance with England and its first minister and, according to Richelieu, a great charlatan and adventurer, the Duke of Buckingham.
Inland, Richelieu successfully uncovers a plot against the king to eliminate the monarch and enthrone his younger brother Gaston. Many noble nobles and the queen herself are involved in the conspiracy. It was planned, among other things, to assassinate the cardinal. It was after this that the cardinal had personal protection, which would later become the regiment of the cardinal's guard.
War with England and the siege of La Rochelle
- in 1631 in France, with the support of Richelieu, the publication of the first periodical Gazette, which is published every week, begins. The newspaper becomes the official mouthpiece of the government. So Richelieu begins a powerful propaganda of his policy. Sometimes the cardinal himself writes articles for the newspaper. The literary life of France was not limited to the work of pamphleteers and newspapermen. During his reign, Richelieu did a lot for the development of literature, culture and art. Under Richelieu, the Sorbonne is reborn
- in 1635, Richelieu founded the French Academy and granted pensions to the most outstanding and talented artists, writers, and architects.
Development of the fleet, trade, foreign economic relations, finance
The navy at the time of the beginning of the reign of Richelieu was in a deplorable state: in total it numbered 10 galleys in the Mediterranean Sea, there was not a single warship in the Atlantic. By 1635, thanks to Richelieu, France already had three squadrons in the Atlantic and one - maritime trade was also developing in the Mediterranean. Here Richelieu established direct foreign economic relations, which made it possible to do without intermediaries. As a rule, Richelieu, along with political treaties, concluded trade agreements. During his reign, Richelieu concluded 74 trade agreements with various countries, including Russia. The cardinal greatly contributed to improving the financial situation of the population and the improvement of the treasury. To make life easier for the population, some indirect taxes were abolished, laws were introduced to stimulate entrepreneurship and the construction of manufactories. Under Richelieu, active development of Canada - New France began. In the field of finance and taxation, Richelieu failed to achieve such success. Even before the cardinal came to power, the financial situation of the country was deplorable. Richelieu advocated tax cuts, but his position did not find support, and after France entered the Thirty Years' War, the first minister himself was forced to raise taxes.
Embassy in Russia
In the late 1620s, a trade and embassy expedition to Moscow was equipped. Two issues were discussed: Russia's joining the anti-Habsburg coalition and granting French merchants the right to overland transit to Persia. On political issues, the parties managed to reach an agreement - Russia entered the Thirty Years' War on the side of France, though purely nominally. But no decision was made on trade issues. The French were allowed to trade in Moscow, Novgorod, Arkhangelsk, transit to Persia was not provided.
Thirty Years' War
The Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs claimed world domination. When he became first minister, Richelieu made it very clear that henceforth France would not become a victim of Spanish hegemony, but independent state with independent politics. Richelieu tried to avoid direct French involvement in the conflict as long as possible. Let others fight and die for the interests of France. Moreover, the finances and the country's army were not ready for large-scale actions. France will enter the war only in 1635. Before that, an ally of France, Sweden, actively fought, which Richelieu willingly financed. In September 1634, the Swedes suffer a crushing defeat at Nördlingen. Shortly thereafter, part of France's allies in the anti-Habsburg coalition sign peace with the Empire. Sweden was forced to retreat from Germany to Poland. In March 1635, the Spanish captured Trier and destroyed the French garrison. In April, Richelieu sends a protest to Spain demanding that Trier leave and release the Elector of Trier. Protest rejected. It was this event that became decisive - France enters the war.
- in May 1635, Europe gets the opportunity to see a forgotten ceremonial that has not been used for a couple of centuries. Heralds leave Paris in medieval attire with the coats of arms of France and Navarre. One of them hands the act of declaring war to Philip IV in Madrid.
On December 29, 1629, the cardinal, having received the title of lieutenant general of His Majesty, went to command an army in Italy, where he confirmed his military talents and met Giulio Mazarin. On December 5, 1642, King Louis XIII appointed Giulio Mazarin as chief minister. About this man, who was called in an intimate circle "Brother Broadsword (Colmardo)", Richelieu himself said this:
Richelieu based his policy on the implementation of the program of Henry IV: strengthening the state, its centralization, ensuring the supremacy of secular power over the church and the center over the provinces, eliminating the aristocratic opposition, counteracting the Spanish-Austrian hegemony in Europe. The main result of the state activity of Richelieu is the establishment of absolutism in France. Cold, prudent, often very severe to the point of cruelty, subordinating the sense of reason, Cardinal Richelieu firmly held the reins of government in his hands and, with remarkable vigilance and foresight, noticing the impending danger, warned her at the very appearance.
Facts and memory
- The cardinal, with his letter of commendation dated January 29, 1635, founded the famous French Academy, which still exists and has 40 members - “immortals”. As stated in the letter, the Academy was created "to make the French language not only elegant, but also capable of interpreting all the arts and sciences."
- Cardinal Richelieu founded the city named after himself. Now this city is called so - Richelieu. The city is located in the Center region, in the department of Indre-et-Loire.
- In France, there was a type of battleship Richelieu, named after the cardinal.
Compositions and phrases of Richelieu
- Le testament politique ou les maximes d'etat.
- Memoires (ed.).
Richelieu in art
Fiction
The cardinal is one of the heroes of the popular novel
On August 13, 1624, Armand Jean du Plessis, duc de Richelieu, became the first minister of France.
"Clone", invented by the writer
The famous trilogy of Alexandre Dumas about the musketeers once and for all changed the way people thought about France in the 17th century. Among historical figures, "suffered" by Dumas, a special place is occupied by Cardinal Richelieu. A gloomy personality, weaving intrigues, surrounded by evil henchmen, having under his command a whole division of thugs who only think how to annoy the musketeers. The real Richelieu differs very seriously from his literary "double". Wherein real story his life is no less interesting than the fictional one...
Godson of two marshals
Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, was born on September 9, 1585 in Paris. His father was François du Plessis de Richelieu, a prominent statesman who served Kings Henry III and Henry IV. If Armand's father belonged to high-born nobles, then his mother was the daughter of a lawyer, and such a marriage was not welcome among the upper class.
The position of François du Plessis de Richelieu, however, allowed him to ignore such prejudices - the mercy of the king served as a good defense.
Armand was born weak and sickly, and his parents seriously feared for his life. The boy was baptized only six months after birth, but he had two marshals of France at once as godparents - Armand de Gonto-Biron and Jean d'Aumont.
Armand de Gonto, Baron de Biron - one of the leading commanders of the Catholic Party during the Wars of Religion in France. Marshal of France from 1577.
In 1590, Armand's father died suddenly of a fever at the age of 42. The widow from her husband got only a good name and a bunch of unpaid debts. The family, who at that time lived in the Richelieu family estate in Poitou, began financial difficulties. It could have been worse, but King Henry IV paid off the debts of his deceased confidante.
Sutana instead of a sword
A few years later, Armand was sent to study in Paris - he was accepted into the prestigious Navarre College, where even future kings studied. Having successfully completed it, the young man, by decision of the family, enters the military academy.
But suddenly everything changes dramatically. The only source of income for the Richelieu family is the position of Bishop of Luson, which was granted by King Henry III. After the death of a relative, Arman was the only man in the family who could become a bishop and ensure the preservation of financial income.
17-year-old Richelieu reacted philosophically to such a drastic change in fate and began to study theology.
Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu
On April 17, 1607, he was elevated to the rank of Bishop of Luson. Given the youth of the candidate, King Henry IV personally interceded for him before the Pope. All this gave rise to a lot of gossip, to which the young bishop did not pay attention.
After receiving a doctorate in theology from the Sorbonne in the fall of 1607, Richelieu assumed the duties of a bishop. The Luson bishopric was one of the poorest in France, but under Richelieu everything began to change rapidly. The cathedral of Luzon was restored, the residence of the bishop was restored, Richelieu himself earned the respect of the flock.
Deputy Richelieu
At the same time, the bishop wrote several works on theology, some of which were addressed to theologians, and some to ordinary parishioners. In the latter, Richelieu tried to explain to the people the essence of Christian teaching in an accessible language.
The first step in political life for the bishop was the election of a deputy from the clergy to participate in the Estates General of 1614. The Estates General were the highest class-representative body of France with the right of an advisory vote under the king.
The States General of 1614 were the last before the start of the French Revolution, so that Richelieu was able to participate in a unique event.
The fact that the Estates General will not be convened for the next 175 years is also the merit of Richelieu. The bishop, having participated in the meetings, came to the conclusion that everything boils down to an empty talking shop, not connected with the solution of the complex tasks facing France.
Richelieu was a supporter of strong royal power, believing that only it would provide France with economic growth, strengthening military power and authority in the world.
Confessor of Princess Anne
The actual situation was very far from that which seemed correct to the bishop. King Louis XIII was practically removed from government, and the power belonged to his mother Marie de Medici and her favorite Concino Concini.
The economy was in crisis public administration has fallen into disrepair. Maria Medici was preparing an alliance with Spain, the pledge of which was to be two weddings - the Spanish heir and the French princess Elizabeth, as well as Louis XIII and the Spanish princess Anna.
This alliance was unprofitable for France, because it made the country dependent on Spain. However, Bishop Richelieu could not influence the policy of the state at that time.
Unexpectedly for himself, Richelieu was among the close associates of Maria Medici. The Queen Dowager took note of the Bishop's oratorical skills during the Estates General and appointed him as confessor to the princess, the future Queen Anne of Austria.
No love passion for Anna, which Dumas hinted at, Richelieu actually flared up. Firstly, the bishop had no sympathy for the Spaniard, for she was a representative of a state that he considered hostile.
Secondly, Richelieu was already about 30 years old, and Anna was 15, and their vital interests lay very far from each other.
From disgrace to mercy
Conspiracies and coups at that time in France were commonplace. In 1617, another conspiracy was headed by ... Louis XIII. Deciding to free himself from his mother's care, he made a coup, as a result of which Concino Concini was killed, and Maria Medici was sent into exile. Together with her, Richelieu was also exiled, whom the young king considered "mother's man."
The end of the disgrace, like its beginning, for Richelieu turned out to be connected with Maria Medici. Louis XIII summoned the bishop to Paris. The king was confused - he was informed that his mother was preparing a new rebellion, intending to overthrow her son. Richelieu was instructed to go to Marie Medici and seek reconciliation.
The task seemed impossible, but Richelieu did it. From that moment on, he became one of the most trusted persons of Louis XIII.
In 1622, Richelieu was elevated to the rank of cardinal. From that moment on, he occupies a strong place at the court.
Louis XIII, having achieved full power, could not improve the situation of the country. He needed a reliable, intelligent, determined person, ready to take on the whole load of problems. The king stopped at Richelieu.
First Minister bans stabbing
August 13, 1624 Armand de Richelieu became the first minister of Louis XIII, that is, the de facto head of the government of France.
The main concern of Richelieu was the strengthening of royal power, the suppression of separatism, the subordination of the French aristocracy, which, from the point of view of the cardinal, enjoyed completely excessive privileges.
The edict of 1626, which forbade duels, is seen with the light hand of Dumas as an attempt by Richelieu to deprive noble people of the opportunity to defend honor in a fair duel.
But the cardinal considered the duels to be a real street stabbing, taking hundreds of noble lives, depriving the army of the best fighters. Was it necessary to put an end to such a phenomenon? Undoubtedly.
Thanks to the book of Dumas, the siege of La Rochelle is perceived as religious war against the Huguenots. So did many of her contemporaries. However, Richelieu looked at her differently. He fought against the isolation of the territories, demanding from them unconditional submission to the king. That is why, after the surrender of La Rochelle, many Huguenots received forgiveness and were not persecuted.
The Catholic Cardinal Richelieu, far ahead of his time, opposed national unity to religious contradictions, stating that the main thing is not whether a person is a Catholic or a Huguenot, the main thing is that he is a Frenchman.
Trade, navy and propaganda
Richelieu, in order to eradicate separatism, achieved the approval of the edict, according to which the rebellious aristocrats and many nobles of the interior of France were ordered to tear down the fortifications of their castles in order to prevent the future transformation of these castles into strongholds of the opposition.
The cardinal also introduced a system of quartermasters - local officials sent from the center at the behest of the king. Quartermasters, unlike local officials who bought their positions, could be dismissed by the king at any time. This made it possible to create an effective system of provincial government.
Under Richelieu french navy grew from 10 galleys in the Mediterranean to three full-fledged squadrons in the Atlantic and one in the Mediterranean. The cardinal actively contributed to the development of trade, concluding 74 trade agreements with different countries. It was under Richelieu that the development of French Canada began.
In 1635, Richelieu founded the Académie française and granted pensions to the most outstanding and talented artists, writers, and architects. With the support of the first minister, Louis XIII, the first periodical edition of the Gazette appeared in the country.
Richelieu was the first in France to understand the importance of state propaganda, making the Gazette the mouthpiece of his politics. Sometimes the cardinal published his own notes in the publication.
The guardsmen were financed by the cardinal himself
The political line of Richelieu could not but arouse the wrath of the French aristocracy, accustomed to liberties. According to the old tradition, several conspiracies and assassination attempts were organized on the cardinal.
After one of them, at the insistence of the king, Richelieu acquired personal protection, which eventually grew to a whole regiment, which is now known to everyone as the "cardinal's guards".
Interestingly, Richelieu paid salaries to the guardsmen from his own funds, thanks to which his soldiers always received money on time, unlike the more popular musketeers, who suffered from salary delays.
The cardinal's guard also participated in hostilities, where they showed themselves very worthy.
During Cardinal Richelieu's tenure as First Minister, France went from a country that its neighbors did not take seriously into a state that decisively entered the Thirty Years' War and boldly challenged the Habsburg dynasties of Spain and Austria.
But all the real deeds of this real patriot of France were overshadowed by the adventures invented two centuries later by Alexandre Dumas.
