1585. His father was one of the closest associates of King Henry III, the chief judge of France, Francois. At nine years old, the boy was sent to Navarre College, later he studied at one of higher schools Paris. In 1606, the future Cardinal Richelieu received his first position, being appointed Bishop of Luzon. The young priest lived for several years in Poitiers, where his diocese was located. However, after the death of King Henry IV, the young man returns to Paris to join one of the political movements, whom he sympathized with. This happened in 1610.
Beginning of a political career
Very soon he made new acquaintances in the capital, which greatly contributed to his further rise. An important event was the meeting of the young bishop with Concino Concini, the favorite of the widowed queen. The Italian appreciated Richelieu’s flexibility of mind and education, becoming his protégé and inviting him to join the so-called “Spanish” party. Very soon Richelieu became one of the most important advisers to the regent.
In 1615, an important event took place in France: the young king Louis XIII was married to the Spanish princess Richelieu, and he became the confessor of the newly-minted queen. And a year later, virtually all the international affairs of the French crown were in his hands. In 1617, the matured king decides to get rid of Concino Concini. Hired killers were sent to the latter with this task. Richelieu, through his own agents, received news of the impending event in advance. But instead of trying to prevent the murder, the young intriguer made a classic bet: he chose to change his patron to a more powerful one. However, the calculation turned out to be incorrect. Appearing in the morning at the king's court with congratulations, instead of the expected greetings, he received a cold reception and was actually expelled from the court for seven long years. At first he was removed to Blois along with Maria de Medici (the mother of the young king), and later to Luzon.
The brilliant years of the French cardinal
In 1622, Richelieu was ordained to a new ecclesiastical dignity: he is now a Catholic cardinal. And the return to the palace took place already in 1624. This was facilitated by reconciliation with his mother. At the same time, Cardinal Richelieu effectively became the king's first minister. This was due to the escalating intrigues within the state, which threatened France, and in particular the Bourbons, with the loss of their own sovereignty in the face of the Austrian and Spanish Habsburgs. The king simply needed a person experienced in these matters, who would be able to normalize the situation in the highest circles of the aristocracy. Nimes became Cardinal Richelieu. The following years were truly brilliant for the First Minister of France. The basis of his program has always been the strengthening of absolutism and royal power in the country. And he very productively created this through his actions: the rebellious feudal lords were executed, their castles were destroyed, duels were prohibited among aristocrats, the Huguenot movement was destroyed, and the Magdeburg law of cities was limited. The cardinal actively supported the Protestant princes of Germany, who opposed the sovereign of the Holy Roman people and thereby weakened his position. In the second half of the thirties, as a result of the war with Spain, Lorraine and Alsace returned to France. Cardinal Richelieu died in December 1642 in the capital.
The legacy of the French minister
He left a significant mark not only in political history Europe, but also in world art. Cardinal Richelieu appeared numerous times in feature films depicting France at the time. His photographs and portraits have become one of the most recognizable among the galaxy of the most important European figures
In Paris, on September 9, 1585, a son appeared in the family of an important government official, who was named Armand Jean du Plessis. He received his education at the Navarre College.
In 1607, in April, after his ordination, the young man became a bishop.
Six months later at the Sorbonne, having defended his dissertation on the subject of theology, he became a Doctor of Philosophy. In 1608, in December, he was entrusted with the leadership of the episcopate in Luzon.
In 1614, the bishop arrived in Paris. There he is elected from the clergy as a Deputy to the States General.
Since 1615, Richelieu has been the mentor of Anne of Austria. In 1616, in November, he began working as Secretary of State of France and dealt with the country's issues affecting foreign and military policy.
In 1617 he became a leader in the Queen's Council.
From 1617 to 1624, Bishop Richelieu, while outside Paris, wrote his main works on theology.
In 1622 he was awarded the title of cardinal.
From 1624 until the end of his life, Richelieu was under the king as first minister.
In 1629 he was awarded the rank of lieutenant general, a special title of His Majesty.
In 1631 he received another title - Duke.
The cardinal died in winter in Paris, December 5, 1642.
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Richelieu's childhood and youth. Armand-Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, later nicknamed the "Red Cardinal" (l"Eminence Rouge), was born on September 9, 1585 in Paris or at the castle of Richelieu in the province of Poitou into an impoverished noble family. His father, Francois du Plessis, was the chief provost - a judicial officer of France under Henry III, and his mother, Suzanne de la Porte, came from the family of a lawyer in the Paris Parliament. youngest son in family. When Jean was only five years old, his father died, leaving his wife alone with five children, a dilapidated estate and considerable debts. The difficult years of childhood affected Jean’s character, since throughout his subsequent life he sought to restore the lost honor of his family and have a lot of money, surrounding himself with luxury that he was deprived of in childhood. Since childhood, Arman-Jean was a sickly and quiet boy who preferred books to games with friends. In September 1594, Richelieu entered the College of Navarre in Paris and began to prepare for a military career, inheriting the title of Marquis du Chilloux. Since childhood, Richelieu dreamed of becoming an officer in the royal cavalry.
Main source material goods The family had income from the position of Catholic clergyman of the diocese in the La Rochelle area, granted to Plessis by Henry III in 1516. However, in order to keep it, someone from the family had to take monastic orders. Until the age of 21, it was assumed that Armand, the youngest of three brothers, would follow in his father's footsteps and become a military man and courtier.
Pope Paul V But in 1606 the middle brother entered a monastery, giving up the bishopric in Luzon (30 km north of La Rochelle), which was usually inherited by members of the Richelieu family. The only thing that could preserve the family's control over the diocese was the entry of young Armand into the clergy.
Since Jean was too young to be ordained, he needed the blessing of Pope Paul V. Having gone to the pope in Rome as an abbot, he initially hid his too young age from Pope Paul V, and after the ceremony he repented. The Pope's conclusion was: "It is fair that a young man who has discovered wisdom beyond his age should be promoted early." On April 17, 1607, twenty-two-year-old Armand-Jean du Plessis took the name Richelieu and the rank of Bishop of Luzon. Church career at that time it was very prestigious, and was valued above secular. However, Jean Richelieu found only ruins on the site of the once thriving abbey in Luzon - a sad memory of the Wars of Religion. The diocese was one of the poorest and the funds it provided were not enough for a more or less decent life. But the young bishop did not lose heart.
Being a bishop gave him the opportunity to appear at the royal court, which Richelieu was not slow to take advantage of. Very soon he completely charmed King Henry IV with his intelligence, erudition and eloquence. Henry called Richelieu nothing more than “my bishop.” But, as happens in such cases, such a rapid rise of the provincial bishop did not please some influential people, and Richelieu had to leave the capital.
Estates General 1614-1615. Richelieu spent several years in Luzon. There, Bishop Richelieu was the first in France to reform the economy of the monastery, and was also the first Frenchman to write a theological treatise on native language, where he reflected the state of affairs in a country destroyed by the Religious Wars.
Henry IV - King of France and Navarre Richelieu spent all his free time self-educating, that is, reading. In the end, he got to the point where he was tormented by terrible headaches until the very end of his days.
The murder of Henry IV by the Catholic fanatic Ravaillac in 1610 gave the separatists a free hand. The government of Marie de' Medici, the Queen Mother, regent under Louis XIII, was thoroughly corrupt. The collapse was reinforced by the failures of the military, so the royal court began negotiations with representatives of the armed masses.
The Bishop of Luson (Richelieu) acted as a mediator in the negotiations, which was the reason for his election as a representative to the States General from the clergy of Poitou in 1614. The Estates General is a collection of estates established in the Middle Ages and still occasionally assembled by the king on one occasion or another. The delegates were divided into the First Estate (clergy), Second Estate (secular aristocracy), and Third Estate (bourgeois). The young bishop of Luzon was supposed to represent the clergy of his native province of Poitou. In the conflict between the clergy and the third estate (artisans, merchants and peasants) over the relationship between the crown and the Pope, Bishop Richelieu took a neutral position, devoting all his efforts to bringing the parties to a compromise.
Richelieu was soon noticed due to the dexterity and cunning he showed in establishing compromises with other groups and eloquently defending church privileges from the encroachments of secular authorities. In February 1615, he was even tasked with delivering a ceremonial speech on behalf of the First Estate at the final session. The next time the Estates General would meet was only 175 years later, on the eve of the French Revolution.
The rise of Richelieu at the royal court. At the court of young Louis XIII, they paid attention to the 29-year-old bishop.
Marie de' Medici - Queen Mother Richelieu's talents made the greatest impression on the Queen Mother, Marie de' Medici, who still effectively ruled France, although in 1614 her son had already reached adulthood. Appointed confessor to Queen Anne of Austria, the young wife of Louis XIII, Richelieu soon won the favor of Maria Concino Concini (also known as Marshal d'Ancre). In 1616, Richelieu joined the royal council and took the post of Secretary of State for Military Affairs and Foreign Affairs politics. The new post required Richelieu to actively participate in foreign policy, to which he had not previously had anything to do. Richelieu’s first year in power coincided with the outbreak of war between Spain, which was then ruled by the Habsburg dynasty, and Venice, with which France was at war Union This war threatened France with a new round of religious strife.
However, in April 1617, Concini was killed by a group of “friends of the king” - opponents of the regency of Maria Medici. The inspirer of this action, the Duke of Luynes, now became a favorite and adviser to the young king. Richelieu was first returned to Luzon and then exiled to Avignon, the papal region, where he fought melancholy by reading and writing. For two years Richelieu studied literature and theology in complete solitude. During this time, he wrote two theological works - "Defense of the Fundamental Tenets of the Catholic Faith" and "Instructions for Christians."
The French princes of the blood - Condé, Soissons and Bouillon - were outraged by the arbitrary actions of the monarch and rebelled against him.
Louis XIII - King of FranceLouis XIII had to retreat. In 1619, the king allowed Richelieu to join the Queen Mother in the hope that he would have a pacifying influence on her. For seven years, part of which had to be spent in exile, Richelieu maintained an active correspondence with Marie de' Medici and Louis XIII.
However, the Dowager Queen was not the type to immediately forget everything after reconciliation. As befits any woman, especially a regal one, she broke down a little more before agreeing to the final reconciliation. And when she decided that it was time, she demanded that her son appoint Richelieu as a cardinal. On September 5, 1622, Bishop Richelieu received the rank of cardinal. And if someone was appointed a cardinal, then he certainly had to be included in the Royal Council, the then French government, especially since almost all of the ministers of Louis XIII’s father had already died.
But only in 1624 was Marie de Medici returned to Paris, and with her Richelieu, without whom she could no longer take a single step. Louis continued to treat Richelieu with distrust, since he understood that his mother owed all her diplomatic victories to the cardinal. When Richelieu first entered the meeting room of the French government on April 29, 1624, he looked at those present, including the chairman, the Marquis of La Vieville, in such a way that it immediately became clear to everyone who was boss here from now on. A few months later, in August, the current government collapsed, and at the insistence of the Queen Mother, on August 13, 1624, Richelieu became the king's "first minister" - a post in which he was destined to remain for 18 years.
Cardinal Richelieu is the first minister of France. Despite his fragile health, the new minister achieved his position through a combination of qualities such as 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 gained 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. Duke Gaston d'Orléans, the only brother of the king, weaved countless conspiracies 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.
Suppression of the nobility under Richelieu. Various factions of rebellious courtiers crystallized around these figures. Richelieu responded to all the challenges thrown at him with the greatest political skill and brutally suppressed them. In 1626, the central figure in the intrigue against the cardinal was the young Marquis de Chalet, who paid for it with his life.
Duke Gaston d'Orleans is the brother of King Louis XIII and a constant opponent of Richelieu. The king himself felt like an instrument in the hands of the cardinal and, apparently, was not without sympathy for the last attempt to overthrow Richelieu - the Saint-Mars conspiracy. Just weeks before his death in 1642, Richelieu uncovered a final conspiracy, the central figures of which were the Marquis de Saint-Mars and Gaston d'Orléans. The latter, as always, was saved from punishment by royal blood, but Saint-Mars, Louis' friend and favorite, 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 Fooled" - November 10, 1631. On this day, King Louis XIII promised for the last time to dismiss his minister, and rumors spread throughout Paris that the Queen Mother had defeated her enemy. However, Richelieu managed to obtain an audience with the king, and by nightfall all his powers were confirmed and his actions sanctioned. Those who believed false rumors turned out to be “fooled”, for which they paid with death or exile.
Resistance, manifested in other forms, met with no less decisive resistance. Despite his aristocratic leanings, Richelieu crushed the rebellious provincial nobility by insisting on their submission to royal officials. In 1632, he achieved the death sentence for participation in the rebellion of the Duke de Montmorency, the Governor-General of Languedoc, who was sent against Richelieu by Marie de Medici, and one of the most brilliant aristocrats. Richelieu banned parliaments (the highest judicial authorities in the cities) to question the constitutionality of royal legislation. In words he glorified the papacy and the Catholic clergy, but from his deeds it was clear that the head of the church in France was the king.
Cold, calculating, very often harsh to the point of cruelty, subordinating feelings to reason, Richelieu firmly held the reins of government in his hands and, with remarkable vigilance and foresight, noticing the impending danger, warned it at its very appearance. In the fight against his enemies, Richelieu did not disdain anything: denunciations, espionage, gross forgeries, previously unheard of deceit - everything was used. His heavy hand especially crushed the young, brilliant aristocracy surrounding the king.
The wife of Louis XIII - Anna of Austria with her children One conspiracy after another was drawn up against Richelieu, but they always ended in the most pitiful way for Richelieu's enemies, whose fate was expulsion or execution. Marie de Medici very soon repented of her patronage of Richelieu, who completely relegated her to the background. Together with the king's wife, Anna, the old queen even took part in the aristocracy's plans against Richelieu, but without success.
From the very first day in power, Richelieu became the object of constant intrigue on the part of those who tried to "catch" him. In order not to become a victim of betrayal, he preferred not to trust anyone, which caused fear and misunderstanding of those around him. “Anyone who knows my thoughts must die,” said the cardinal. Richelieu's goal was to weaken the position of the Habsburg dynasty in Europe and strengthen the independence of France. In addition, the cardinal was an ardent supporter of absolute monarchy.
Suppression of Huguenot Protestants under Richelieu. Another important source of 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 big number fortified cities - mainly in the south and southwest of France. Richelieu saw this semi-independence as a threat to the state, especially during the war. The Huguenots were a state within a state; they had strong supporters in the cities and powerful military potential. The cardinal preferred not to bring the situation to a crisis, but the fanaticism of the Huguenots was fueled by England, France's eternal rival. The participation of the Huguenots in 1627 in an English naval attack on the French coast served as a signal for the government to begin action. By January 1628, the fortress of La Rochelle, a Protestant stronghold on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, was besieged.
Cardinal Richelieu (bust of Jean Lorenzo Bernini)Richelieu took personal leadership of the campaign, and in October the recalcitrant city capitulated after some 15,000 of its inhabitants starved to death. In 1629, Richelieu ended the religious war with a magnanimous reconciliation - the peace agreement of Alais, 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. True, the Huguenots were deprived of political and military privileges. But the freedom of worship he granted and the judicial guarantees put an end to religious wars in France and did not give rise to disagreements with Protestant allies outside the country. Protestant 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.
Administrative and economic reforms under Richelieu. In an effort to strengthen the sovereignty of royal power in the field of internal and foreign policy and finance, Richelieu initiated the codification of French laws (“Code Michaud”, 1629), carried out a number of administrative reforms (the establishment of intendants in the provinces, appointed by the king), fought against the privileges of parliaments and the nobility (prohibition of duels, destruction of fortified noble castles), reorganized the postal service. He intensified the construction of the fleet, which strengthened France's military position at sea and contributed to the development of foreign trade companies and colonial expansion. Richelieu developed projects for the financial and economic recovery of the country in the spirit of mercantilism, but internal and external wars were not allowed to implement them. Forced loans led to increased tax oppression, which, in turn, caused riots and peasant revolts (the revolt of the "crocans" of 1636-1637), which were brutally suppressed.
As for economics, Richelieu understood practically nothing about it. He declared wars without thinking about supplying the army, and preferred to solve problems as they came. The Cardinal followed the doctrine of Antoine de Montchristien and insisted on the independence of the market. At the same time, he emphasized the production of goods for export and discouraged the import of luxury goods. His economic interests included glass, silk, and sugar. Richelieu advocated the construction of canals and the expansion of foreign trade, and he himself often became a co-owner of international companies. It was then that the French colonization of Canada, the Western Indies, Morocco and Persia began.
Wars of France under Richelieu. By the late 1620s, the French government was able to take a more active role in international affairs, which prompted Richelieu to act. 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 alliance 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 Richelieu initially refrained from intervening in the conflict. Firstly, in this case, the allies of France were supposed to be the Protestant powers, so the cardinal and his chief adviser, the monk of the Capuchin Order, Father Joseph (nicknamed, in contrast to his boss, l "Eminence grise, i.e. "Grey Cardinal") understood , that it is necessary to have a clear and legal justification for such a step. Secondly, freedom of action outside the country has long been constrained by the turbulent situation within France itself. Thirdly, the main threat to French interests came not from the Austrian Habsburgs, but from the even more powerful Spanish branches, which encouraged the French to focus on the Pyrenees and Spanish possessions in Italy rather than on 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.
Pope Urban VIII In the face of the threat of Habsburg dominance in Europe, Richelieu and Father Joseph put forward the argument that for the good of the papacy and the spiritual well-being of the Church itself, France must confront Spain and Austria. The opportunity to take part in German affairs presented itself immediately after the suppression of the nobility and rebellious Huguenots within the country, since King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden was going to take the side of the Lutherans. When his army landed in northern Germany (July 1630), significant Spanish forces began to arrive in Germany to provide support for the Catholics.
During the siege of Richelieu for the La Rochelle fortress, the Spaniards managed to mobilize forces in northern Italy and capture the Casal fortress. Then Richelieu showed extraordinary mobility: immediately after the fall of La Rochelle, the French army was transferred across the Alps and took the Spaniards by surprise. In 1630, in the course of complex intrigues, Richelieu refused to sign the Peace of Regensburg; in response, Spain turned to Pope Urban VIII with a request to excommunicate Louis XIII from the church. Richelieu was on the verge of failure, since his relationship with the king was very difficult, and the zealous Catholic Marie de Medici simply fell into hysterics. When Richelieu returned to France, she demanded the cardinal's resignation, but Louis did not agree to this, seeking to maintain political independence from his mother. Richelieu was the only one who could assist him in this, so he retained the rank of cardinal and the place of first minister. The offended Queen Mother left the court and went to the Netherlands, which was under the rule of the Spanish Habsburgs, taking with her the king's younger brother Gaston d'Orléans.
Overcoming the opposition of the pro-Spanish “party of saints,” Richelieu pursued an anti-Habsburg policy.
King Charles I of England He counted on an alliance with England, arranging the marriage of Charles I of England with Henrietta Maria of France, sister of Louis XIII, which was concluded on June 12, 1625. Richelieu sought to strengthen French influence in Northern Italy (expedition to Valtellina) and in the German lands (support for the league of Protestant princes). He managed to keep France from direct participation in the Thirty Years' War for a long time.
After the landing of the Swedish king in Germany, Richelieu found it necessary to intervene, for now indirectly. On January 23, 1631, after lengthy negotiations, envoy Richelieu signed an agreement with Gustav Adolf in Berwald. Under this agreement, the French Catholic prelate provided the Swedish Lutheran warrior king with financial resources to wage 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 east against just such a state - Bavaria. Richelieu tried in vain to keep his ally. It was only with the death of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Lutzen (November 16, 1632) that the cardinal’s difficult dilemma was resolved.
At first, Richelieu had a glimmer of hope that monetary subsidies to the allies would be enough to protect his own country from the risk of open conflict. But by the end of 1634, the remaining Swedish forces in Germany and their Protestant allies were defeated by Spanish troops.
In 1635, Spain occupied the bishopric of Trier, which caused the unification of French Catholics and Protestants, who stood hand in hand against the external enemy - Spain.
Swedish King Gustav II AdolfThis was the beginning of the Thirty Years' War for France.
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 disappointing defeats, but by 1640, when France's superiority began to emerge, it began to defeat its main enemy, Spain. Moreover, French diplomacy achieved success, causing an anti-Spanish uprising in Catalonia and its secession (from 1640 to 1659, Catalonia was under French rule) and a full-scale revolution in Portugal, which ended Habsburg rule in 1640. Finally, on May 19, 1643, at Rocroi in the Ardennes, the army of the Prince de Condé achieved such a crushing victory over the famous Spanish infantry that this battle is generally considered to be the end of Spanish dominance in Europe.
IN last years During his lifetime, Cardinal Richelieu was involved in another religious conflict. He led the opposition to Pope Urban VIII, since France's plans included expanding its sphere of influence in the Holy Roman Empire. At the same time, he remained devoted to the ideas of absolutism and fought against the Gallicans who encroached on Papal power.
Death of Cardinal Richelieu. In the autumn of 1642 Richelieu visited healing waters in Bourbon-Lancy, because his health, undermined by many years of nervous tension, was melting before our eyes. Even while ill, the cardinal dictated orders to the armies, diplomatic instructions, and orders to the governors of various provinces for several hours until the last day. On November 28, there was a sharp deterioration. Doctors make another diagnosis - purulent pleurisy. The bloodletting did not produce results; it only weakened the patient to the limit. The Cardinal loses consciousness at times, but, having come to his senses, tries to continue working. These days, his niece, the Duchess of Aiguillon, is inseparable from him. On December 2, Louis XIII visits the dying man. “Here we say goodbye,” Richelieu says in a weak voice. “Leaving Your Majesty, I console myself with the fact that I am leaving your kingdom on the highest steps of glory and unprecedented influence, while all your enemies are defeated and humiliated. The only thing I dare to ask Your Majesty for my labors and my service is to continue to honor my nephews and relatives with your patronage and your favor. I will give them my blessing only on the condition that they never break their loyalty and obedience and will be devoted to you to the end."
Then Richelieu... names Cardinal Mazarin as his only successor.
Cardinal Mazarin - Richelieu's successor “Your Majesty has Cardinal Mazarin, I believe in his abilities in the service of the king,” says the minister. Perhaps this is all he wanted to say to the king in parting. Louis XIII promises to fulfill all the requests of the dying man and leaves him...
Left with the doctors, Richelieu asks to tell him how much time he has left. The doctors answer evasively, and only one of them - Monsieur Chicot - dares to say: “Monsignor, I think that within 24 hours you will either die or get back on your feet.” “Well said,” Richelieu said quietly and concentrated on what something of yours.
The next day, the king pays another, last, visit to Richelieu. They talk face to face for an hour. Louis XIII left the dying man's room very excited about something. True, some of the witnesses claimed that the king was in a cheerful mood. Priests gather at the cardinal's bedside, one of whom administers communion to him. In response to the traditional appeal in such cases to forgive one’s enemies, Richelieu says: “I had no other enemies except the enemies of the state.” Those present are surprised by the clear, clear answers of the dying man. When the formalities were over, Richelieu said with complete calm and confidence in his rightness: “Very soon I will appear before my Judge. With all my heart I will ask him to judge me by that standard - whether I had intentions other than the good of the church and the state.”
Early in the morning of December 4, Richelieu receives the last visitors - envoys from Anne of Austria and Gaston of Orleans, who assure the cardinal of their best feelings. The Duchess d'Aiguillon, who appeared after them, began to tell with tears in her eyes that the day before a Carmelite nun had a vision that His Eminence would be saved by the hand of the Almighty. “Come on, come on, niece, all this is ridiculous, you only have to believe the Gospel.”
They spend some time together. Somewhere around noon, Richelieu asks his niece to leave him alone. “Remember,” he tells her goodbye, that I loved you more than anyone in the world. It will be bad if I die before your eyes...” Father Leon takes the place of Aiguillon, giving the dying man his last absolution. “I surrender, “Lord, into your hands,” Richelieu whispers, shudders and falls silent. Father Leon brings a lit candle to his mouth, but the flame remains motionless. The cardinal is dead.”
Richelieu died in Paris on December 5, 1642, not living to see the triumph at Rocroi and broken by numerous illnesses. Richelieu was buried in a church on the Sorbonne grounds, in memory of the support given to the university by His Eminence the Cardinal.
Achievements of Cardinal Richelieu. Richelieu contributed in every possible way to the development of culture, trying to put it at the service of French absolutism. At the cardinal's initiative, the Sorbonne was reconstructed. Richelieu wrote the first royal edict on the creation of the French Academy and, in his will, donated one of the best libraries in Europe to the Sorbonne, and created the official propaganda organ “Gazette” by Theophrastus Renaudo. The Palais Cardinal grew in the center of Paris (it was later donated to Louis XIII and has since been called the Palais Royal). Richelieu patronized artists and writers, in particular Corneille, and encouraged talent, contributing to the flourishing of French classicism.
Richelieu, among other things, was a very prolific playwright; his plays were published in the first royal printing house opened on his initiative.
Courtyard of the Sorbonne University While on duty, having vowed allegiance to “the church - my wife,” he found himself in difficult political relations with Queen Anne of Austria, in fact the daughter of the Spanish king, the head of a hostile national interests the country of the “Spanish”, that is, to some extent, the “Austrian” party at court. To annoy her for preferring Lord Buckingham to him, he - in the spirit of Prince Hamlet - in the course of the court plot, wrote and staged the play "Miram", in which Buckingham is defeated not only on the battlefield (near Huguenot La Rochelle), and forced the queen to watch this performance. The book contains information and documents that formed the basis of Dumas's novel "The Three Musketeers" - from the fight against duels (one of which killed the cardinal's brother) to the use of Buckingham's retired mistress Countess Carlyle (the notorious Milady) in a successful spy role at the English court and very piquant details of the dates between the Queen and Buckingham.
In general, Richelieu directed by no means “like Hamlet.” He reconciled the French (Catholics and Huguenots) among themselves and, thanks to “Pistol diplomacy,” quarreled their enemies, managing to create an anti-Habsburg coalition. To distract the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the Habsburgs, he sent messengers to Russian state to the first of the Romanovs, Mikhail, with a call to trade duty-free.
Richelieu had a strong influence on the course of European history. In domestic policy, he eliminated any possibility of a full-scale civil war between Catholics and Protestants.
Red Cardinal RichelieuHe failed to end the tradition of duels and intrigues among the provincial nobility and courtiers, but thanks to his efforts, disobedience to the crown began to be considered not a privilege, but a crime against the country. Richelieu did not, as was commonly claimed, introduce the positions of intendants to carry out government policy locally, 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 ineffective, but the protection of strategic interests in the colonies of the West Indies and Canada opened a new era in the creation of the French Empire.
Steadfast service to clearly realized goals, a broad practical mind, a clear understanding of the surrounding reality, the ability to take advantage of circumstances - all this ensured Richelieu a prominent place in the history of France. The main directions of Richelieu's activities are formulated in his "Political Testament". The priority of domestic policy 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 Habsburg hegemony in Europe. “My first goal was the greatness of the king, my second goal was the power of the kingdom,” he summed up his life path famous fighter against the musketeers.
Used sources. 1. Robert Knecht. Richelieu. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 1997.
2. All the monarchs of the world. Western Europe/ under hand K. Ryzhova. - Moscow: Veche, 1999.
3. Encyclopedia "The World Around Us" (cd).
4. Great encyclopedia Cyril and Methodius 2000 (cd).
Name: Cardinal Richelieu (Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu)
Age: 57 years old
Activity: cardinal, aristocrat, statesman
Family status: wasn't married
Cardinal Richelieu: biography
Many people know Cardinal Richelieu or the Red Cardinal from the book “The Three Musketeers”. But those who have not read this work have probably watched its film adaptation. Everyone remembers his cunning character and sharp mind. Richelieu is considered one of the statesmen whose decisions still cause debate in society. He left such a significant mark on the history of France that his figure is put on a par with.
Childhood and youth
Cardinal's full name is Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu. Born September 9, 1585 in Paris. His father, Francois du Plessis de Richelieu, was the highest judicial official in France, worked under Henry III, but also had the chance to serve. Mother Suzanne de La Porte came from a family of lawyers. He was his parents' fourth child. The boy had two older brothers - Alphonse and Heinrich, and two sisters - Nicole and Francoise.
Since childhood, the boy had poor health, so he preferred reading books to playing with his peers. At the age of 10 he entered the College of Navarre in Paris. Learning was easy for him; by the end of college he was fluent in Latin, spoke Italian and Spanish. At the same time, I became interested in ancient history.
When Arman was 5 years old, his father died of a fever. He was 42 years old. Francois left the family a lot of debt. Back in 1516, Henry III gave Armand's father the position of Catholic clergyman, and after his death this was the only source of finance for the family. But according to the conditions, someone from the family had to enter the clergy.
It was originally planned that the youngest of three sons, Armand, would follow in his father's footsteps and work at court. But in 1606 the middle brother renounced the bishopric and entered a monastery. Therefore, at the age of 21, Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu had to take this fate upon himself. But at such a young age they were not ordained to the clergy.
And this became his first intrigue. He went to Rome to the Pope for permission. At first he lied about his age, but after being ordained, he repented. Richelieu soon defended his doctorate in theology in Paris. Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu became the youngest court preacher. Henry IV referred to him exclusively as "my bishop". Of course, such closeness to the king haunted other people at court.
Therefore, Richelieu's court career soon ended, and he returned to his diocese. But, unfortunately, after the religious wars, the Luzon diocese was in a deplorable state - the poorest and most ruined in the area. Arman managed to correct the situation. Under his leadership, the cathedral, the residence of the bishop, was restored. Here the cardinal began to show his reforming abilities.
Policy
In fact, Cardinal Richelieu was different from his “evil” literary prototype. He was a truly talented and smart politician. He did a lot for the greatness of France. Once he visited his tomb, he said that he would give such a minister half the kingdom if he helped rule the other half. But Dumas was right when he portrayed Richelieu in the novel as a lover of espionage intrigue. The cardinal became the founder of Europe's first serious espionage network.
Richelieu meets her favorite Concino Concini. He quickly gains their trust and becomes a minister in the Queen Mother's cabinet. He is appointed Deputy of the States General. He shows himself to be an inventive defender of the interests of the clergy, capable of extinguishing conflicts between the three classes. Because of such a close and trusting relationship with the queen, Richelieu makes a lot of enemies at court.
Two years later, he, who was 16 years old at that time, conspires against his mother’s lover. It is noteworthy that Richelieu knows about the planned murder of Concini, but does not warn him. As a result, Louis sits on the throne, his mother is sent into exile to the castle of Blois, and Richelieu is sent to Luson.
Two years later, Marie de' Medici escapes from her place of exile and makes plans to overthrow her own son from the throne. Richelieu finds out about this and becomes an intermediary between the Medici and Louis XIII. A year later, a peace treaty was signed between mother and son. Of course, the document also stipulated the return of the cardinal to the royal court.
This time Richelieu bets on the king, and soon he becomes the first Minister of France. He served in this high position for 18 years.
Many believe that the main goal of his reign was personal enrichment and an unlimited desire for power. But that's not true. The Cardinal wanted to make France strong and independent and sought to strengthen royal power. And even despite the fact that Richelieu held clergy, he participated in all the military conflicts that France entered into at that moment. To strengthen the country's military position, the cardinal intensified the construction of the fleet. This also helped the development of new trade links.
Richelieu carried out a number of administrative reforms for the country. The French prime minister banned duels, reorganized the postal system, and created positions that were appointed by the king.
Another significant event in political activity The Red Cardinal became the suppression of the Huguenot uprising. The presence of such an independent organization was not to Richelieu's advantage.
And when in 1627 the English fleet captured part of the French coast, the cardinal personally took charge of the military campaign and by January 1628, French troops took the Protestant fortress of La Rochelle. 15 thousand people died from hunger alone, and in 1629 this religious war was put to an end.
Cardinal Richelieu contributed to the development of art, culture and literature. During his reign, the Sorbonne was revived.
Richelieu tried to avoid direct French involvement in the Thirty Years' War, but in 1635 the country entered the conflict. This war changed the balance of power in Europe. France emerged victorious. The country demonstrated its political, economic and military superiority, and also expanded its borders.
Adherents of all religions acquired equal rights in the empire, and the influence of religious factors on the life of the state sharply weakened. And although the Red Cardinal did not live to see the end of the war, France owes victory in this war primarily to him.
Personal life
The Spanish infanta became the wife of King Louis XIII. Cardinal Richelieu was appointed her confessor. The girl was a statuesque blonde with blue eyes. And the cardinal fell in love. For Anna's sake, he was ready to do a lot. And the first thing he did was set her and the king at odds. The relationship between Anne and Louis became so strained that the king soon stopped visiting her bedroom. But the confessor often went there, they spent a lot of time talking, but, as it turned out, Anna did not notice the cardinal’s feelings.
Richelieu understood that France needed an heir, so he decided to “help” Anna in this matter. This infuriated her; she understood that in this case “something would certainly happen” to Louis and the cardinal would become king. After this, their relationship deteriorated sharply. Richelieu was offended by the refusal, and Anna was offended by the offer. For many years, Richelieu haunted the queen; he intrigued and spied on her. But in the end, the cardinal managed to reconcile Anna and Louis, and she gave birth to two heirs for the king.
Anne of Austria was the cardinal’s strongest feeling. But perhaps just as much as Anne, Richelieu loved cats. And only these furry creatures were truly attached to him. Perhaps his most famous pet was the black cat Lucifer, who appeared to the cardinal during his fight against witches. But Mariam, an affectionate snow-white cat, was my favorite. By the way, he was the first in Europe to have an Angora cat; it was brought to him from Ankara, he named her Mimi-Poyon. And another favorite had the name Sumiz, which translated meant “person of easy virtue.”
Death
By the autumn of 1642, Richelieu's health had deteriorated sharply. Neither healing waters nor bloodletting helped. The man regularly lost consciousness. Doctors diagnosed purulent pleurisy. He tried his best to continue working, but his strength was leaving him. On December 2, the dying Richelieu was visited by Louis XIII himself. In a conversation with the king, the cardinal announced a successor - he became Cardinal Mazarin. He was also visited by envoys from Anne of Austria and Gaston of Orleans.
His niece, the Duchess de Aiguillon, did not leave his side in recent days. He admitted that he loved her more than anyone in the world, but he didn’t want to die in her arms. Therefore, he asked the girl to leave the room. Her place was taken by Father Leon, who confirmed the death of the cardinal. Richelieu died on December 5, 1642 in Paris; he was buried in a church on the territory of the Sorbonne.
On December 5, 1793, people burst into the tomb, destroyed Richelieu’s tomb in a matter of minutes, and tore the embalmed body to pieces. The boys on the street were playing with the mummified head of the cardinal, someone tore off a finger with a ring, and someone stole the death mask. In the end, these are the three things that remain from the great reformer. By order of Napoleon III, on December 15, 1866, the remains were solemnly reburied.
Memory
- 1844 – Novel “The Three Musketeers”, Alexandre Dumas
- 1866 – Novel “The Red Sphinx”, Alexandre Dumas
- 1881 – Painting “Cardinal Richelieu at the Siege of La Rochelle”, Henri Motte
- 1885 – Painting “Rest of Cardinal Richelieu”, Charles Edouard Delors
- 1637 – “Triple Portrait of Cardinal Richelieu”, Philippe de Champagne
- 1640 – Painting “Cardinal Richelieu”, Philippe de Champagne
- 1939 – Adventure film “The Man in the Iron Mask”, James Whale
- 1979 – Soviet TV series “D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers”, Georgy Yungvald-Khilkevich
- 2009 – Action adventure “Musketeers”,
- 2014 – Historical drama “Richelieu. Robe and Blood, Henri Elman
Biography, life story of Cardinal Richelieu
Power over souls, church power can also be state power - which was fully demonstrated by the famous Cardinal Richelieu. Everyone who has opened The Three Musketeers at least once in their life knows about it. The enemy of d’Artagnan and his friends died, hated by all classes and even by the king and the pope, despite the fact that the power of the first was made absolute, and the power of the second was strengthened by “cleansing” of home-grown Protestant Huguenots.
Nowadays in France, Richelieu is a highly respected politician, although attitudes towards him vary: like all authoritarian reformers, the uncrowned king built a bright future for the country, without particularly caring about the present. And all because Cardinal Richelieu treated economics with disdain, considering it a more speculative science, which is suitable for theoretical reasoning, but not for practical application.
Under the wing of the "family"
The future cardinal, duke and first minister was born on September 9, 1585 into an impoverished noble family and his name was not yet Richelieu, but Armand-Jean du Plessis. The blood of lawyers flowed in his veins: his father was the chief provost (highest judicial official) under Henry III, and his mother came from a family of lawyers. From childhood, the sickly boy loved to communicate more with books than with his peers, but nevertheless dreamed of a military career. But mostly about wealth: when Arman-Jean was 5 years old, his father died, leaving his large family only debts.
After graduating from Navarre College in Paris, the young man began preparing to enter the Royal Guard. But fate decreed differently.
In those days, the only more or less reliable source of income for the du Plessis family was the family position of bishops of Luzon, which was granted by Henry III. The diocese was located near the port of La Rochelle, which played an important role in the career of the future Cardinal Richelieu. After the middle brother, who was destined for the diocese, refused it and went to the monastery, the family insisted that the youngest, Arman-Jean, sit on the feeding trough. But then he was only 21 years old - at that age they were not ordained to the clergy. The applicant had a chance to go to Rome to ask for papal permission.
There, the future great intriguer carried out the first intrigue in his life: first he hid his real age from his dad, and then he repented to him. His acumen and wisdom beyond his years impressed the head of the Vatican, and he blessed the newly-minted Bishop of Luzon, who took the surname Richelieu. Contrary to expectations, he received a frail diocese, completely ruined during the years of religious wars, but the young ambitious man took full advantage of the new position in another field: the rank of bishop opened the way for him to the court.
King Henry IV, who reigned at that time, himself being a bright and strong nature, openly favored the same personalities, and not faceless court sycophants. He drew attention to the educated, intelligent and eloquent provincial priest and brought him closer to him, calling him nothing less than “my bishop.” This aroused the understandable jealousy of other fortune-seekers: as a result of their intrigues, Richelieu’s rapidly beginning court career immediately ended. He had to return to his diocese without eating and wait for better times.
Although, he did not intend to become despondent. The Bishop of Luzon actively began to engage in self-education (having read so much that he subsequently suffered from headaches all his life) and reforms - so far at the diocese level. In addition, he had the opportunity to repeatedly act as a mediator in conflicts between the central government and regional ones: after the assassination of Henry IV by a Catholic fanatic and the establishment of the regency of Queen Mother Maria de Medici, the country plunged into chaos and civil strife. The restoration of order in the monastery economy and Richelieu's diplomatic talent did not go unnoticed: in 1614, the local clergy chose him as their representative in the Estates General. In modern terms - a senator.
The tradition of gathering the Estates General, an advisory body under the king with the representation of the three classes (clerical, noble and bourgeois), has been going on since the Middle Ages. Kings rarely and reluctantly deigned to listen to the opinions of their subjects (the next Estates General, for example, did not meet until 175 years later), and Richelieu did not miss the rare chance to once again make a career at court.
Young Louis XIII drew attention to the eloquent, intelligent and tough politician, who at the same time knew how to find a compromise. But unlike his father, the new French king was a weak-willed and narrow-minded man, which cannot be said about his mother Maria de Medici and her entourage.
In those days, the country was effectively ruled by a court “family” that included both well-born aristocrats and upstart favorites of the Queen Mother. The family was internally split, and the queen needed a smart, cunning and moderately cynical assistant. With her participation, Richelieu was quickly promoted to a strategically important position: he became the confessor of the king's young wife, Princess Anne of Austria, after which he was automatically introduced to the royal council - the then government of France.
At this stage of his career, the aspiring politician made his first significant miscalculation: he bet on the wrong horse. Richelieu decided to enlist the support of the Queen Mother’s all-powerful favorite, Marshal D’Ancre. But this Italian adventurer Concino Concini, who knocked out the marshal’s baton for himself, was a typical temporary worker who considered the state treasury as his wallet. Which ultimately cost him his life: in 1617, conspiratorial courtiers stabbed the hated “Italian” to death in the chambers of the Louvre.
And after that, they began to systematically push the favorite’s supporters, among whom was Richelieu, away from the power trough. He was first escorted to Luzon, and then sent even further - to Avignon, where the unlucky courtier found peace in writing literary and theological books.
Equidistant feudal lords
True, this seclusion was short-lived. In the absence of Richelieu, his closest relatives, the princes of the blood, took advantage of the weakness and lack of will of the king, who actually rebelled against the king. The palace opposition party was led by the vengeful Maria de Medici, who was thirsty for blood for her murdered lover. To appease his mother, who had defiantly left the capital and joined the rebels, the monarch again had to resort to Richelieu’s diplomatic talent. He was able to reach a truce, and the Queen Mother, who returned to Paris, insisted that her son make the disgraced bishop a cardinal.
1622, September - Richelieu replaced the white and gold miter with a red cardinal's cap. Now, for the first time, the newly-minted head of the French clergy actually faces his cherished goal - the post of first minister. Less than two years later, Richelieu’s dream came true: the monarch made him the second person in the state.
With a weak king, he received virtually complete and unlimited power over France. Unlike many rulers, Richelieu used this power primarily in the interests of the state, and only then in his own. He took money, lands, and titles from the monarch's hands. But power always remained the main thing in life for Richelieu; he subordinated his temperament, character, personal tastes and preferences to it.
First of all, Richelieu naturally considered the court, mired in intrigue, to be a danger to the country (and to himself personally). The first steps of the new de facto ruler of the kingdom to strengthen the power of the legitimate ruler - the king - caused sharp opposition from the nobility.
Among Richelieu's enemies were the king's closest relatives: brother Gaston d'Orléans, his wife Anna of Austria, and even Marie de Medici, who managed to regret that she had elevated not a tame favorite, but a strong statesman politician to the top. And the monarch himself was burdened by the purely decorative functions left to him by the first minister, and secretly wished for his downfall. Richelieu saw state power exclusively individual (formally royal, but essentially his own) and to strengthen its vertical position he began to decisively remove all applicants: some into exile, and some to the next world.
The second method was more reliable, but in order to execute the king’s associates, especially his relatives, it was necessary to prove their participation in conspiracies against him - or at least convince him of the existence of such conspiracies. Therefore, during his 18-year reign, Richelieu revealed them more than all his predecessors.
This is easy to believe, given the unprecedented flourishing under Cardinal Richelieu of investigation, denunciation, espionage, fabrication of court cases, provocations, etc. The head of Richelieu’s secret service, his closest adviser, a monk of the Capuchin Order, especially distinguished himself in this field Joseph.
We owe him the stable phrases “gray cardinal” (Richelieu himself was nicknamed the “red cardinal”) and “black office” (this was the name of the special secret chambers in the Louvre, where mail was displayed). And to the first minister himself - with an equally famous aphorism: “Give me six lines written by the hand of the honest man, and I will find in them a reason to send the author to the gallows.”
The first to open the galaxy of noble conspirators who ascended the scaffold was the unfortunate Comte de Chalet, whose volunteer soldier (the regular executioner was kidnapped by friends of the condemned man) was able to cut off his head only with the tenth blow. And the bloody list of victims was completed by the king’s favorite Marquis de Saint-Mars, whose conspiracy, real or imaginary, was revealed by the vigilant first minister a few weeks before his own death.
In addition to the court nobility, the first minister of the kingdom brutally suppressed the provincial noble freemen, which had spread throughout the country during the years of the regency. It was under him that they began to systematically destroy the fortified castles of the feudal lords. In the provinces, positions of plenipotentiary representatives of the king were established - intendants, endowed with judicial-police, financial and partly military power. The highest city judicial authorities (parliaments) were prohibited from questioning the constitutionality of royal legislation. In the end, as readers of Dumas will remember, Cardinal Richelieu resolutely banned duels, believing that the nobility should give their lives for the king on the battlefield, and not in meaningless skirmishes over trivial reasons.
Counter-terrorism operation in La Rochelle
Richelieu was no less successful in suppressing another source of threat to his plans to strengthen royal power - the Huguenots. According to the Edict of Nantes in 1598, with the help of which Henry IV planned to put an end to the religious wars in France, the Protestant minority was granted certain political and religious freedoms (full freedom of conscience and limited freedom of worship). In addition, many cities and fortresses were under the rule of the Huguenots, including the main stronghold in the west of the country - the fortress of La Rochelle, almost native to the ex-bishop.
The existence of these almost independent states in the state, especially at a time when France was waging constant wars with its neighbors, represented a direct challenge to the “architect of French absolutism.”
Richelieu accepted this challenge.
He waited for a suitable reason - an attack on the French ports by an English squadron, during which the attackers were helped by a “fifth column” from La Rochelle - and by January 1628 he personally led the siege of the rebellious fortress.
After 10 months, having lost almost 15,000 townspeople from starvation alone, the Huguenots capitulated. Having achieved the necessary result, the pragmatic Cardinal Richelieu did not begin to put pressure on the vanquished: the peace treaty signed the following year retained for the Protestants all the rights and freedoms named in Edict of Nantes, with the exception of the right to have fortresses.
In order to stay in power, there are no better means; wars are victorious and at the same time permanent. The seasoned politician Richelieu learned this paradoxical truth quickly, because immediately after the fall of La Rochelle, he moved French troops beyond the country’s borders - to northern Italy, where one of the theaters of military operations of the Thirty Years’ War was then raging on the continent.
It was one of the bloodiest and most devastating European wars, in which the Habsburg bloc (Catholic German princes led by the Holy Roman Emperor) was opposed by an alliance of German Protestant princes and the free cities that joined them. The first were supported by two family branches of the Habsburgs - the royal houses of Spain and Austria, as well as Poland; Sweden and Denmark supported the Protestants with the support of England and Russia.
France had to maneuver between two fires: on the one hand, it was afraid of the strengthening of the Habsburgs, and on the other, it did not want to openly side with the Protestants, having the bleeding Huguenot problem at hand.
For Cardinal Richelieu, the decisive argument has always been political expediency; he often repeated that “differences in religious beliefs can cause a split in the next world, but not in this.” The first minister of the Catholic kingdom saw the main danger in Catholic Spain, so at first he supported the Protestant sovereigns with money, and then, albeit belatedly, plunged his country into military action on the side of the same Protestants.
During its course, d'Artagnan's fellow soldiers and his musketeer friends thoroughly devastated Germany (as evidenced today by the ruins of fortified castles they blew up on both banks of the Rhine), inflicted a number of sensitive defeats on the Spaniards and ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the anti-Habsburg coalition . At the same time, the war greatly undermined the economy of France itself, and in addition, it put Louis at odds with the Vatican. There was even a question of excommunicating the apostate king. Even before the end of the war, Pope Urban II, having heard about the death of the hated French cardinal, said in his hearts: “If there is a God, I hope Richelieu will answer for everything. And if there is no God, then Richelieu is lucky.”
Before last days Cardinal Richelieu had to fight a war on two fronts. The pro-Spanish group at the French court, which the cardinal called the “party of saints,” was extremely strong, led by Prince Gaston of Orleans and the Queen Mother, who now treated her protégé with open hatred. But Richelieu managed to win this internal war: the king, trying to get out of dependence on his power-hungry mother, refused to dismiss Richelieu. After which Marie de' Medici and the Prince of Orleans left France in protest, finding refuge in Holland, which was then ruled by the Habsburgs.
Guided autocracy
During those 18 years when France, under the living king, was almost completely ruled by his first minister, Cardinal Richelieu was able to carry out many political, administrative and military reforms. And not a single economic one.
The First Minister's assets include the first codification of French laws (the so-called Michaud Code), the already mentioned strengthening of the vertical of power (suppression of the free nobility, provincial and religious independence), the reorganization of the postal service, and the creation of a powerful fleet. In addition, the cardinal renovated and expanded the famous Sorbonne University and had a hand in creating the first weekly newspaper in France (perhaps in the world).
As for the health projects he developed national economy, then they were not destined to come true for at least two reasons. The first was the endless wars into which Cardinal Richelieu himself plunged France: they created the need for loans, which, in turn, led to increased taxes, which inevitably led to riots and peasant uprisings. Richelieu brutally suppressed the riots, but was unable to suppress the economic reasons that caused them.
The second reason lay in the relative economic illiteracy of the first minister. In general, he was quite well read, including in economics, but he never took it seriously, considering it only a handmaiden of politics. Richelieu declared wars without thinking about supplying the army, advocated for the independence of the market - and at the same time did not allow the thought that this sphere public life will be outside the king's power. The cardinal gave impetus to the colonial expansion of France, sought to expand foreign trade - and he himself in every possible way hindered it, either by petty control or by protectionist measures. At the same time, the cardinal did not disdain to personally head a number of international trading companies, motivating this, of course, solely by the interests of the state.
The main obstacle to his economic plans was that the first minister made the strengthening of royal power his goal in life, and absolutism, centralization and total control do not get along well with a free economy.
Odessa "Duke"
Be that as it may, the name of Cardinal Richelieu is forever inscribed in French history. And also into the history of the city, located very far from the cardinal’s homeland.
When, at the end of 1642, the 57-year-old ruler of France felt that his days were numbered (nervous exhaustion, to which purulent pleurisy was added), he asked for a last meeting with the monarch. Reminding the king that he was leaving his country strengthened, and his enemies defeated and humiliated, the first minister implored him not to leave his nephew-heir as royal patronage, and also to appoint Cardinal Mazarin as the first minister of the kingdom.
The king fulfilled both requests. France later bitterly regretted the second, but the first had an unexpected impact on Russian history. Because one of the descendants of the cardinal, the grandson of the Marshal of France Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, who also bore the title of Comte de Chinon, at the age of 19 became the first chamberlain of the court, served in the dragoon and hussar regiments, and when the revolution occurred, he fled from the Jacobin terror in Russia. Where he turned into Emmanuel Osipovich de Richelieu and made a good career: in 1805, the tsar appointed him governor-general of Novorossiya.
At the end of his emigration, the Duke returned to France and even served as a member of two cabinets. But he achieved greater fame in his second homeland. And today the main street of Odessa, the city that owes its prosperity to him, bears his name. And at the top of the famous Potemkin Stairs stands himself: the bronze honorary Odessa resident Duke de Richelieu, whom everyone in the city simply calls “Duke.”
A. Soloviev
