Duke of Richelieu is a special title in France in the rank of peerage. It was created in 1629 especially for Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu. He was a clergyman, so he had no heirs to whom he could pass on this title. As a result, it went to his great-nephew.
First Richelieu
The first Duke of Richelieu was born in 1585. He also remained in history under the nickname In 1616, he received the post of Secretary of State, and was the head of the French government from 1624 until his death in 1642.
The future Duke Armand de Richelieu was born in Paris, his father was one of the organizers of the flight of Henry III from the rebellious French capital. When his family managed to return to Paris, he studied at the College of Navarre with the future king.
He was a prominent figure during the regency. After Louis XIII took power, he was sent into exile. He returned to court only in 1622, becoming a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Two years later, he appoints him as his first minister in order to save the country, which finds itself in a deplorable situation.
Richelieu manages to uncover a conspiracy against the king aimed at his murder, he conducts a balanced foreign policy. In an effort to create a centralized state, the Duke de Richelieu fought with the aristocracy, developed trade, navy, finance and foreign economic relations. In history and literature he remained one of the most influential ministers in the history of France.
Marshal of France
The second Duke de Richelieu was the great-nephew of Armand du Plessis - Armand Jean de Vignereau du Plessis, who was not remembered for anything remarkable in history. The same cannot be said about his son, the third Richelieu, Liou Francois Armand de Vignero du Plessis. He was born in 1696 and received the title of Duke of Richelieu when he was 19 years old.
Surprisingly, it was at the insistence of his father that Louis was first imprisoned in the Bastille. He spent 14 months behind bars, as his father tried to reason with him after too early and stormy love affairs. In 1716 he was imprisoned again. Now because of the murder of Count Gase in a duel.
In 1719, the Duke of Richelieu became one of the participants in the Cellamare conspiracy. Its participants tried to remove Philip II from the post of regent. But they were discovered, Louis spent several more months in the Bastille. He decided to enter into a conspiracy because of dissatisfaction with the political course of the regent. He was against the conflict with Spain and rapprochement with England. Like many French aristocrats at that time, he dreamed of a revanchist war against the British, considering Spain one of the main allies in the international arena.
In 1725 he was appointed ambassador to Vienna and then to Dresden. In this field, he showed himself to be a skilled diplomat who was able to benefit his country. For example, it was Richelieu who pointed out the strategic importance of Courland, which led to the crisis of 1726. It was from Courland that Richelieu hoped, if necessary, to threaten St. Petersburg, making Russia as cautious as possible in an alliance with Austria.
In 1733, he distinguished himself in the Rhine campaign for the Polish inheritance, and was especially successful at the siege of Philippsburg.
Military successes
Later he took part in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. In 1757, the Duke of Richelieu ended his military career by devastating Hanover. During this campaign he forced the Duke of Cumberland to sign a convention of surrender, but was recalled to France that same year.
By official version, the reason was mass robberies in which French soldiers took part; on the sidelines it was said that the Duke of Soubise and Louis XV himself were very jealous of his military successes.
The biography of the Duke of Richelieu contains many military successes and victories, while in history he is classified as a “half-forgotten” commander. Richelieu did not lose a single battle, and during the Seven Years' War, King Frederick II of Prussia did not dare to start a direct battle against him. The French army was confident that Richelieu would definitely have defeated the British if he had remained a commander.
At the same time, the Duke himself was an opponent of universal conscription, the concept of which was discussed in the middle of the 18th century. He believed that artillery was capable of destroying a clumsy army in a matter of hours, and tried to substantiate this thesis even with the help of mathematical calculations. The talent of the Duke de Richelieu du Plessis was highly appreciated by Suvorov.
Mayor of Odessa
The son of Louis Francois (Louis Antoine) was not remembered for anything remarkable, but his grandson played an important role in the fate of one of the cities of modern Ukraine - Odessa. In 1766, Armand-Emmanuaël Richelieu was born.
He became the fifth Duke of Richelieu, great-great-great-nephew of the famous Cardinal Richelieu. In 1783, he became chamberlain under King Louis XVI, having received this court position, he began to build a successful career.
Perhaps he could have achieved a lot in France, but in 1789 the Great French revolution. Richelieu is forced to emigrate. He leaves first for Austria, and then goes to Russia, where he enters military service.
He turned out to be very useful in the military field. In 1790 he took part in the assault on Izmail, the next year he was even awarded the Order of St. George, fourth class, with the wording “For excellent courage.” His contribution to the capture of Ishmael was so highly appreciated. He also receives a personalized weapon for his bravery.
Resettlement Project
In 1792 Richelieu proposes Russian Empress Catherine II project of mass resettlement of migrants from France to the Azov region. But this idea did not receive support. The aristocrats who fled the French Revolution themselves refused to settle in lands unknown to them without any tangible prospects. For them, it was too far from the already familiar Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
After his project was not approved, Richelieu held the post of governor of Volyn for some time, and after the accession of Emperor Paul I in 1796, who took the throne after the death of Catherine II, he left for Vienna.
In 1797, Paul appointed Richelieu commander of His Majesty's regiment. The hero of our article leads the cuirassiers. He held this position until the end of 1800.
At the head of Odessa
In 1803, Richelieu returned to Russia after Alexander I, with whom they had friendly and warm relations, became emperor. The head of state appoints him mayor of Odessa. This becomes a decisive decision both in the life of Richelieu and in the history of the city itself.
Under Duke Richelieu, Odessa simply flourished. In 1804, the emperor approved his proposal to temporarily remove tax time from the city. Richelieu manages to achieve this by proving the feasibility of free transit of any goods that are brought to Odessa by sea and even then sent to Europe. Under Duke Richelieu in the 19th century, Odessa became a major sea and commercial port.
Economic recovery of the city
The hero of our article is seeking the opening of a commercial school and gymnasium, private boarding schools, in order to locally train specialists for the development and prosperity of the city. From a provincial town, Odessa is turning into one of the key cities in southern Russia.
Richelieu's efforts are noted in the imperial entourage; in 1805 he was appointed governor-general of the entire Novorossiysk region. Under him, a noble institute was founded, which in the future would serve to open the Richelieu Lyceum. This event takes place in 1817. Richelieu ordered the design of the theater building from the famous architect de Thomon, its construction was completed in 1809.
In 1806, Richelieu commanded Russian troops in the war with the Turks, he was sent to capture Izmail. But the assault ends in failure.
Return to France
In 1814, Richelieu returned to France, where he took the post of prime minister in the government of Louis XVIII.
It is noteworthy that he occupied this post on the initiative of the Russian monarch Alexander I. Richelieu remained Prime Minister until 1818, and in 1820 he returned to this position again, only to finally leave it another year.
At the French Academy, Richelieu takes the place of Napoleon Bonaparte's supporter Antoine Arnault, who was expelled after the defeat of his leader.
Personal life of Richelieu
At the age of 15, Richelieu married the 13-year-old daughter of the Duke de Rochechouart named Rosalie. The relationship between the newlyweds in this marriage was very peculiar. For example, immediately after the ceremony, Richelieu went on his honeymoon alone (accompanied by one tutor).
He spent a year and a half traveling, and when he returned, he visited his wife once and left again. This went on for almost their entire married life. Finally, the forced emigration of the Duke separated them for many years. According to close friends and relatives, the husband and wife respected each other, but there were no other feelings between them.
In 1818, Richelieu died childless. He was buried in Paris in the Sorbonne Church, which was built by his ancestor, the famous cardinal. The remains still rest in a sealed crypt today. After his death, the title of Duke passed to his nephew.
Monument in Odessa
In Odessa they were so grateful to their mayor that they immortalized his image. The monument to the Duke de Richelieu in Odessa was inaugurated in 1828.
As soon as news of his death became known, Count Langeron called on residents to raise money for the construction of the monument. The monument was ordered in 1823. The sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos worked on it. This was one of the last creations of this master.
The monument itself is a bronze statue, which depicts Richelieu in a Roman toga and holding a scroll in his hands. On the sides there are three high reliefs made of brass, which symbolize trade, agriculture and justice. The monument to Duke Richelieu in Odessa was founded in the summer of 1827.
The high reliefs and the sculpture itself were cast in St. Petersburg. The massive pedestal is the work of architects Boffo and Melnikov. The monument is made in the style of classicism.
The height of the sculpture is slightly higher than human height. On April 22, 1828, the monument was inaugurated.
The fate of the monument
The Richelieu monument was damaged during the Crimean War. A joint squadron of the French and British shelled both the port and the city itself. As a result, one of the cannonballs exploded in the immediate vicinity of the monument on the square itself. The pedestal was damaged by a shell fragment.
When the war ended, a cast iron patch was installed in the damaged area, which was stylized to look like a cannonball.
You can still visit the monument at Primorsky Boulevard, building 9. It faces the sea, in front of it is the Potemkin Stairs, which leads to the Marine Station building. Behind the sculpture are government buildings, which form a semicircular square, followed by Catherine Square. Many experts note that the monument fits very organically into environment, is combined with both the buildings and the Potemkin Stairs.
Odessa residents are famous for their humor, and they did not ignore the Richelieu sculpture. They advise visitors to look at Duke from the hatch. Indeed, if we view the monument from the water supply hatch located to the left of the monument, the folds of clothing resemble male genitalia.
Nowadays, this particular monument remains one of the most famous and significant symbols of Odessa, which many local residents are still proud of.
Richelieu in the 19th and 20th centuries
After the Odessa mayor, none of the Dukes of Richelieu left a significant mark in either French or Russian history. In 1822, the title went to Armand Emmanuel's nephew Armand François Audet de La Chapelle de Saint-Jean de Jumillhac.
In 1879, it passed to his nephew, whose name was Marie Odette Richard; he died a year later. The last Duke of Richelieu was his son Marie Audette Jean Armand, who died in 1952.
Odessa. Duke Richelieu. Armand Emmanuel du Plessis.
Legendary character from the history of Odessa. Full name- Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, also called simply Duke, (25.9.1766 - 17.5.1822), great-great-grandson of the famous cardinal. The last representative of this genus. After the French Revolution he emigrated from the country. In 1802 he became the mayor of Odessa.
Odessa. Duke Richelieu.
During the time of Richelieu, Odessa was formed as a city of European style. It acquired the layout that to this day defines the face of the city - three axial highways leading to Primorsky Boulevard.
In 1802, Odessa had 9 thousand inhabitants, 39 industrial establishments, 1564 houses, and in 1813 - 35 thousand inhabitants and 2600 houses; income from commercial and industrial turnover increased tenfold or more, although the city at that time suffered a lot from the Russian-Turkish War (1806 - 1812), from the war with Napoleon and from the plague of 1812 - 1814. Memories of the Duke’s activities are still preserved, “characterizing both a not entirely clear (especially at the beginning) idea of the region entrusted to him, as well as his humanity and culture, which were very rare in those days at the highest administrative posts in Russia.”
Odessa. Duke Richelieu.
After the defeat of Napoleon (in 1814) and the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, Richelieu returned to Paris, where he became Minister of Foreign Affairs, and later twice Prime Minister of France (1815-18 and 1820-21).
Leaving public service, in January 1822, in a letter, he said that he intended to return to Odessa in the summer. But on May 16, 1822, at the age of 56, Armand Emmanuel Richelieu died of a cerebral hemorrhage.
The Duke monument was unveiled on April 22, 1828. This is one of best works great Russian sculptor Ukrainian origin Ivan Martos.
Armand-Emmanuel de Vignereau du Plessis de Richelieu - the first mayor of Odessa.
Born on September 25, 1766 in the French port city of Bordeaux. Armand-Emmanuel receives an excellent education - first at home under the guidance of Abbe de Labdan, then at the College du Plessis, founded by Cardinal Richelieu.
When the Great French Revolution broke out, Richelieu left France. In Vienna he meets the Count de Langeron and the Prince de Line. Together they arrive in Bendery, where Prince Potemkin’s headquarters was located. The prince grants their request and sends them to Izmail.
During the assault on Ishmael, Richelieu was wounded. The golden sword and the Order of St. George, IV degree, were the first awards of young Richelieu. Begins military service in Gatchina. It was here that he met, which later grew into friendship, with the grandson of the empress, the future emperor Alexander.
Richelieu agrees to serve in Odessa, where he arrives without any incident on March 9, 1803. (Two years will pass, and the monarch will sign a decree according to which the duke, while retaining the position of mayor, becomes the Kherson military governor with the Tauride and Ekaterinoslav provinces, as well as the troops of the Crimean inspection, subordinate to him.) The newly arrived mayor is accommodated in a small house consisting of five rooms, where Rishelievskaya and Lanzheronovskaya streets intersect today. This house serves him both as a home and as an “office”.
Odessa, Rishelievskaya street. On the right is the Lyon Credit Bank, on the left is the Richelieu Hotel.
On the site of this hotel there was previously a house in which Richelieu lived. Then the house was demolished and the mayor's office was built, which was later converted into a hotel.
Both buildings, both the left and the right, were destroyed during the Great Patriotic War and in their place, public gardens were laid out.
The new mayor devotes himself entirely to work. His accessibility and democratic character amazed those around him. The famous Odessa businessman and homeowner Sicard wrote: “He was often seen standing on the street with peasants and people of the lower classes, talking about their situation, giving them advice and help.”
The Duke (in French - “duke”, as the townspeople called him) begins to reconstruct the former port facilities to expand their throughput. F. de Saint-Prix will write about this time: “Of the 900 merchant ships that plied the Black Sea, more than 500 dropped anchor in the Odessa port, which had just been born. This first success forced Emperor Alexander to reduce, as an incentive, import duties in all ports of the Black and Azov Seas by a quarter...” This immediately increased the influx of foreign ships. Subsequently, the Duke sought the deduction to the city budget of not 1/10 of the share of customs duties, as was previously the case, but 1/5, and the city immediately began to receive additional substantial amounts.
City Theater
Livestock farming began to develop, and winemaking enterprises appeared for the first time. Odessa is being built up with beautiful buildings. The architecture of each house was consistent with Richelieu. The first theater, the first city hospital, a cathedral, and a Catholic church are being built, and construction of a quarantine facility begins. Let us note the craving of our ancestors for beauty: before the opening of the City Theater (this happened in 1809), a huge store (warehouse) on Richelieuskaya was used for staging performances!..
Wheat trade was developing rapidly - in 1804, 449 ships with this precious cargo sailed from Odessa (compare: in 1802 there were just over 100) worth 3,367,500 rubles. At the same time, the profit of Odessa merchants amounted to almost 80%!
Portrait of the artist's work
T. Lawrence. 1818
The next war with Turkey that began in 1806 forced Richelieu to temporarily leave Odessa. Showing ingenuity while commanding a division, he bloodlessly conquers Ackerman and then enters Kiliya.
In 1808, Odessa sold goods worth 6 million rubles abroad, and the transit of eastern goods to France alone reached 11 million rubles; Odessa's net profit amounted to 2 million rubles. Let us note the main principle of Richelieu in relations with Odessa entrepreneurs - not to create obstacles in their activities. “Let’s not regulate too much,” he liked to say.
The population of Odessa is also rapidly increasing, and through the efforts of the mayor, the number of artisans, among whom Germans predominate, is sharply increasing. In 1812, the city already had over 20 thousand inhabitants. Odessa is not only being built - it is being landscaped, decorated, acquiring the appearance of a European city. Successes were also noted cultural life: performances are constantly taking place in the newly built theater, and Richelieu monitors the updating of the repertoire; the “lower” and “middle” departments of the Commercial Gymnasium were opened; The Noble Institute, which also has a women's department, opens for nobles. Subsequently, the reading public will be able to use Richelieu’s personal library, which the Duke will send to Odessa from France for the newly opened lyceum named after him. Along with the library, the lyceum will also receive 13,000 francs for its renovation - Richelieu did not have much money.
The year 1812 turned out to be one of the most tragic years in the history of our city. First - Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Richelieu addresses the city residents with a speech, calling for a worthy rebuff to the invaders. He donates 40 thousand rubles. Mass donations began, in total about 2 million rubles were collected throughout Odessa, a large number of horses and food. A people's militia was formed, which Richelieu himself decided to lead. But Odessa, like the entire Novorossiysk region, was hit by a terrible plague epidemic. The Duke remains and leads the fight against this disaster. He appeared in the most dangerous places, personally participating in the localization of contaminated areas. They have been declared a general quarantine.
And the plague began to recede under the efforts of Richelieu and his selfless assistants. On January 7, 1813, the quarantine was lifted, and on February 16, Odessa was declared a “prosperous” city. According to Dr. Grebbe, 2,656 people died from the plague in Odessa (over 10% of the city’s total population). The most important thing is that the plague was localized at the site of the outbreak. “Not only Odessa, but all of Russia should see Richelieu as a deliverer from terrible disasters,” says the Vek almanac.
11 years of the rule of Odessa by the Duke of Richelieu have passed, and September 27, 1814 comes the day of farewell to the Odessa residents with their beloved Duke. This amazingly modest man, in his report to the emperor, cannot resist the words full of undisguised pride: “At the moment, its (Odessa - A.G.) population reaches 35,000 people. (within 10 years it increased 5 times). The number of houses in the city now reaches 2,600; New buildings are constantly being erected, competing with each other in strength and beauty... About 25 million (out of a total of 45 million of trade turnover of all ports of the Black Sea and Azov Seas) falls on the share of Odessa...”
Duke de Richelieu, peer of France. Copper medal. Front side.
On the instructions of Alexander I, Richelieu went to the Congress of Vienna, which took place after the signing of the Peace of Paris in connection with the fall of Napoleon and the restoration of royal power in France. At the suggestion of Louis XVIII and the personal request of Alexander I, the first mayor of Odessa becomes the head of the government of France! Richelieu held this post for two periods: in 1815-1818 and in 1820-1821.
Almost four years after Richelieu left Odessa, Alexander I visited Odessa, where he said the following: “We have heard a lot about the successes of Our friend (Richelieu - A.G.), but what appeared before Our eyes plunges us into indescribable delight.” In two months, Richelieu will receive from the hands of the Russian envoy the highest Russian award - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Duke Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis de Richelieu and de Fronsac died suddenly on the night of May 17, 1822 from a cerebral hemorrhage. He was only 55 years old. He was buried in the Sorbonne Church in Paris.
In April 1828, the opening of the Richelieu monument took place in Odessa. Odessa residents of all generations love this magnificent creation of Martos. “Meet me at Duke,” they say. Or: “Ask Duke” - this is when a very difficult or tricky question is asked. And the bronze Richelieu meets and sees off ships from all over the world visiting the Odessa port... It is a permanent symbol of Odessa.
Anatoly Gorbatyuk, journalist
* On April 18, 2018, a memorial plaque was unveiled on the facade of the Mozart Hotel building (Lanzheronovskaya St., 13/1), informing that at this place (corner of Lanzheronovskaya and Richelievskaya streets) the office of the first city governor of Odessa was previously located and Governor of the Novorossiysk Territory, Duke de Richelieu.
Written specifically for the forum “In Richelieu’s living room” www.richelieu .forum 24.ru
The author was prompted to write this article by the very sad fact that, oddly enough, there is very little publicly available information about the life of the Duke de Richelieu - Duke of Odessa, Governor-General of Novorossiysk and Prime Minister of France. As a result of this situation, his figure inevitably became overgrown with a number of myths, legends and simply tales. Some of them are quite similar to the one that Odessa residents once told Mark Twain: about the death of the forgotten and impoverished Richelieu in Sevastopol - and the gullible writer included the duke’s story in a similar form in his own book “Simps Abroad”. When writing this article, the author relies on the biography of E. de Varesquiel “The Duke of Richelieu”, on the “Diary of my trip to Germany” by the Duke himself, the memoirs of his wife and other sources, one listing of which would constitute a separate article. While working on his book, Vareskiel himself also studied 40 boxes of archives relating to the Duke, which have been in the Richelieu Foundation in the Sorbonne Library since 1932 - and which, surprisingly, no one had systematically used before Vareskiel. Meanwhile, these documents shed new light not only on the life of Armand-Emmanuel, but also on the history of the Restoration before the arrival of Villele.
Myth:
Duke Richelieu is a native of Bordeaux.
Reality:
Armand-Emmanuel was born on September 24, 1766 in Paris, in the house of Marshal de Richelieu "Hotel d'Antin", on the Rue Neuve-Saint-Augustin. In the parish of Saint-Roc there is a record of his baptism, dated September 25, 1766.
The Duke also had an older brother, Camille, Marquis de Pontcourlet, who was born on 27 February 1765 and died in June 1767. After his death, Armand-Emmanuel, Comte de Chinon became sole heir.
Fact not fully clarified:
Duke Richelieu studied at the Du Plessis College.
Reality:
Usually they forget to add that this is the Sorbonne. The Comte de Chinon studied there from 1774 to 1782. He was 15 years old when he left college.
Fact not fully clarified:
The reasons for the strange marriage with Rosalia Rochechouart.
Reality:
An absolutely typical marriage in this era. Alliances were concluded by families without the participation of children in the negotiations, while the children were often at a very young age and immediately after marriage they found themselves either in a monastery or abroad for several years. The organization of the Comte de Chinon's marriage was carried out by the head of the family, Marshal de Richelieu, who was guided by the cardinal's ban on entering into alliances with families that were not sufficiently noble. Regarding this alliance, the marshal thought through everything to the smallest detail. Richelieu's fortune was still enormous, but burdened with incredible debts, which no one paid attention to and which no one had seriously addressed before Armand-Emmanuel. The debts only accumulated - the men of the Richelieu family loved to throw money down the drain. In this regard, the dowry of a rich bride looked much more reliable. Of great importance was the position of the Rochechouard family in society and the fact that the cardinal’s grandmother was from the Rochechouard family. The Marshal, apparently, had a fixed idea about the appearance of a new cardinal in the family: even having married for the third time at the age of 84, he dreamed of the birth of a son whom he could make a cardinal - more talented than his unloved son, Duke de Fronsac ( Duke's father). In the absence of one, all hopes for reviving the family's glory were placed on the shoulders of Armand-Emmanuel, the beloved grandson, whose talents delighted the marshal, and whose lack of family vices was rather disappointing.
Immediately after the marriage, Armand-Emmanuel went abroad.
Reality:
The marriage contract of the future spouses was signed by the king at Versailles on April 14, 1782. The religious ceremony took place on Saturday 4 May in the salons and chapel of the Hotel d'Antin. After her, the newly-made wife Adelaide-Rosalia wisely returned to her parents on Grenelle Street. Armand-Emmanuel left only in August, after 4 months.
Details of the foreign voyage:
Foreign travel was then big fashion, and young French people usually used them to ridicule and joke about other countries and customs, and to shock others with their incredible self-importance. For Count de Chinon, they were a source of new knowledge; he continued his self-education, visiting statesmen, writers, etc. At the age of 15, Armand-Emmanuel made a stunning impression on those around him. Wherever he went, he aroused admiration everywhere. According to Abbot Gaudin, the residents of Bordeaux, who were negatively disposed towards the marshal and his luxuries, were amazed that a 15-year-old youth behaved like a 40-year-old man, wise, educated and virtuous, fluent in foreign languages and easily talks about war and trade. The experience of conversations with foreign traders that took place in Bordeaux would later be very useful to Armand-Emmanuel in his service in Russia. In Geneva he takes lessons Italian language. In Florence he meets the last Prince Stuart, in Rome he communicates with King Gustave III of Sweden, who previously lived in Paris under the name of Count of the Hague, and with Cardinal Bernie. Of particular note is the fact that in Italy, Armand-Emmanuel was introduced to the Austrian Emperor Joseph II. He hated the French for their arrogance and bragging, however, he highly appreciated the good manners and education of the young Count de Chinon and communicated with him with great pleasure both in Italy and in Vienna. Later, Richelieu in his “Diary” will leave a very detailed portrait of Emperor Joseph and a critical assessment of him government activities- the rank of the interlocutor never overshadowed the duke’s cold mind. From his youth, Armand-Emmanuel showed those traits that characterize a future statesman: political caution, pragmatism, respect for the differences and characteristics of other countries and nations. In Vienna, Count de Chinon was received in the best society: Prince de Ligne, Prince Kaunitz, Marshal Lassi, etc. Everyone was amazed that the young Frenchman was so modest, pure, restrained and balanced, which was completely inconsistent with his 15-year-old age - examples The French had never given such behavior before. The Duke will always love Viennese society more than all others for its hospitality and courtesy, and prefer the unbridledness of Paris. The respectable society and the coldly moralizing tone of the Germans were consistent with his character. But the meeting in Berlin with Frederick the Great, seventy-two years old, deaf and contemptuously considering the marshal “the Marquis of Comedy” (which the marshal himself will never know), will not go so smoothly.
Fact not fully clarified:
The number of languages that this polyglot spoke.
Reality:
Two dead ones - Latin and ancient Greek. Live (except, of course, French): German, English, Spanish, Italian, later Russian and a little Turkish. Comte de Langeron noted in his memoirs the ease with which Richelieu mastered languages. He owed this ease to his excellent memory and hard work - it served as an excellent means for him to understand the world, and everywhere he was wonderfully received.
Duke had a modest appearance that did not attract the attention of women.
Reality:
Everyone who knew Marshal de Richelieu in his youth - the greatest libertine and heartthrob of his era - was amazed at the external resemblance of his grandson to him. Moreover, with the flattering difference that the marshal was of average height, and at the end of his life he actually climbed onto huge heels - Duke’s testimony is one of the most different countries described as tall. According to Langeron, the young Count de Chinon was slender, with a graceful figure, with a pleasant face, the main decoration of which were huge black eyes, full of fire and giving his face an expression that was both spiritual and piquant. His skin color was very dark, his hair curled in natural curls, it was very black and turned gray early. The Prince de Ligne notes delightful beauty and ideal softness. Later, he addressed his congratulations on the success and awards for the battle of Izmail to “the bravest and most beautiful of the volunteers.” And he will note that Richelieu was created from the material to please the ladies.
Armand-Emmanuel discovers the truth about his wife:
The memory of Mademoiselle de Rochechouart did not leave the Comte de Chinon during the two years of his trip. At the castle of Verezhan, Madame de la Bouteliere noticed that during dinner, Armand-Emmanuel took a portrait of “his beautiful young wife” from his pocket, placed it on his lap and secretly looked at it with admiration.
Madame de Boigne, in the words of her father, described Armand-Emmanuel's meeting with his wife after his return from abroad. She may have over-dramatized the story, but she is definitely accurate in some details. According to her, everything happened at the foot of the stairs of the Hotel d'Antin.
“The old marshal and the Duke de Fronsac placed between them a small monster, hunchbacked in front and behind, only 4 feet tall, which they presented to the Comte de Chinon as the girlfriend of his life. He retreated three pairs of steps and fell unconscious on the stairs. He was carried to his rooms. He said he was too ill to appear at the salon, wrote to his relatives about his firm determination to never fully consummate this marriage, for which he felt a fierce disgust, already at night he demanded post horses, and they took the desperate man along the road to Germany...”
All descriptions of the Duchess that have come down to us are consistent. Madame de La Tour du Pin claims that Rosalia finally became hunchbacked at the age of 14, when she was fully formed. Count Leon de Rochechouart does not at all spare his relative, describing her as “hunchbacked in front and behind, hunchbacked like a Polichinelle, with a huge nose, huge hands and very short stature.” The less cruel Comte de Saint-Prix says the same thing. According to him, the Comte de Chinon found her in such a state that it was impossible to disguise her appearance. Any art turned out to be powerless in the face of such disfavor of nature. This tragedy will last the entire life of the Duke de Richelieu. On May 3, 1814, having seen the Duchess de Richelieu in the Elysee Palace, the amazed Alexander I wrote to one of his adjutants: “I now understand the behavior of the Duke de Richelieu towards his wife. Oh! my dear, she is ugly and terrible. I believe him that she has a lot of soul and wonderful qualities, but at the age of twenty it took inhuman courage to see such ugliness.”
At the same time, Madame de La Tour du Pin notes her talent as a musician, angelic voice, versatile education, delightful character and high spirit. A romantic nature, Adelaide Rosalia felt a deep and sincere affection for her husband, which at the end of her life would become something of a secretly revered cult. He lived most of his life away from her.
To be continued…
(and it should not be soon due to the huge volume of material being studied))))
- “the home Duke of Odessa”, as the poet Yuri Mikhailik once very aptly called him. People came and went, time broke monuments, destroyed graveyards and houses, but this monument stood against all odds. Although, it must be admitted, there was a moment when the fate of “Duke” literally hung in the balance. An ardent fighter against “rootless cosmopolitans,” then director of the public library and “local historian,” V.A. Zagoruiko worked diligently to dismantle this symbol of the city.
What is the phenomenon of Richelieu's personality?
Why did the mostly irresponsible and not overly grateful human memory make an exception for him? The answer to this question was directly and unequivocally voiced back in pre-revolutionary Russia:
“Humanity and culture - very rare in the highest administrative posts of the empire - precisely constituted the essence of Richelieu as a leader and a person.”
Nobody has done more for Odessa and Odessa residents than Duke. Even M.S. Vorontsov, who, despite all his scale, followed in line with the undertakings of his outstanding predecessor, developed and supplemented them. It was Richelieu who opened the city to Europe and the world, which says it all completely.
Taking advantage of unlimited powers, the friendly disposition of the monarch, and significant budgetary funds, Duke laid the foundations for the infrastructure of Odessa as the largest point of transit trade between East and West. It was he who established grain exports, invited and helped settle agricultural colonists from Germany, France, Switzerland and other countries, turned Odessa into a European city, freed it from exorbitant taxes, and formulated the idea of porto-franco, which was implemented under his successor, Langeron. Respecting the interests of both state and regional, Richelieu ensured that the grain trade between Russia and Turkey did not stop even when they were in a state of military conflicts! It was he who saved the city and the region from a fierce plague; Risking his life, he personally visited plague-ridden neighborhoods and houses, encouraging the townspeople and truly sharing his last piece of bread with them. It was Duke who gave all the money he earned while serving in Russia to create the most significant in the South in Odessa educational institution- Lyceum, the second in the state after Tsarskoye Selo. It was he who built the city hospital and the theater, in which the best opera troupes in the empire performed. It can be argued that on this southern outskirts of Russia, at his instigation, a truly European port city arose with all the attributes - self-government, a stock exchange, a commercial court, quarantine, transport maritime offices, insurance and banking institutions, charitable, educational, cultural institutions, etc.
Eleven years (1803 - 1814) Richelieu lived in small rooms, at the first stage “furnished” with stools and trestle beds without varnish, in an environment devoid of a hint of luxury. His working day lasted almost 17 hours. He actually carried out all the paperwork himself, and he drafted response documents in the languages in which he was addressed. Duke ate very modestly, and maintained a small office at his own expense. Walking or driving around the city every day, he delved into all the smallest matters, talking with merchants, contractors, military men, doctors, artisans, guests of the city, foreign consuls, common people, and attended all public and private balls. Seriously concerned about the problem of landscaping Odessa and the surrounding waterless territories, Richelieu personally ordered expensive seedlings from abroad and then constantly inspected literally every planted tree, strictly punishing those responsible for negligence.
All the information presented takes on a different meaning if we consider that Duke is a refined representative of an aristocratic family as noble as he is ancient, and that one of his ancestors is the famous cardinal, the all-powerful minister of Louis XIII, somewhat compromised, however, by Dumas’s father in “The Three Musketeers” " Upon the death of Cardinal de Richelieu in 1642, his family castle on the banks of the Loire and the duchy passed to his great-nephew, Armand Richelieu, who was a peer of France, commander of the fleet and troops stationed throughout the Levant. This circumstance gave rise to confusion with two different Armand de Richelieu. In any case, as you understand, our Duke simply did not physically exist in 1642, since he was born 124 years later, in 1766.
What kind of family ties, in turn, connect these two different Armans?
Everything here is quite simple. The cardinal's great-nephew transferred all his regalia and possessions to his son, Louis Francois de Richelieu, a French marshal widely known for his numerous alcove adventures. This loving marshal left the title to his son, Duke Fronsac, and he left the title to his heir, Count Chinon, our Odessa Duke. Thus, Duke Armand-Em Manuel du Plessis de Richelieu simultaneously bore the titles of Count of Chinon and Duke of Fronsac. So it turns out that Duke is the great-great-great-nephew of Cardinal Richelieu.
Such a grandiose and enviable pedigree did not prevent the Kherson military governor and the first Odessa mayor from being, perhaps, the most humane of all the administrators Odessa knew. Apparently, France did not know a better prime minister than Richelieu, and it was this primary post that he occupied after returning to Paris. When Duke died (1822), Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, who sincerely considered Richelieu a close person and confidant, said to the French ambassador:
“I mourn the Duke of Richelieu as the only friend who told me the truth. He was a model of honor and truthfulness."
At the same time, the words were heard in the French Academy: “He did not call for good, but knew how to prepare it and bring it closer.”
I would like to emphasize another extremely significant point in the biography of our city. If Duke had not chosen the then nondescript and seedy Odessa as the administrative center of a huge region - and yet it could well have settled on the then much more developed Nikolaev, Kherson or, say, on any of the ports of Crimea, its brilliant future would have been in big question...
