The New Student's Reference Work/Richelieu, Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Duc de

Richelieu (rḗsh′lyẽ), Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Duc de, was born at Paris, Sept. 5, 1585, and was educated for the military profession at the Collège de Navarre. In 1607 he was consecrated bishop of Luçon, and for some time devoted himself to the duties of his diocese; but, when a rupture occurred between King Louis XIII and the queen-mother some years later, Richelieu was very active in securing a reconciliation between them, thereby laying the foundation of the great influence he afterwards exercised. In 1622 Richelieu was made cardinal, and in 1624 became minister of state, a position which, in spite of all opposition, he held until the end of his life. At one time the king had determined on dismissing him, but in an interview Richelieu so worked upon the weakness and fear of the monarch, that his supremacy was fully established from that day. Several important results attended Richelieu's administration of French affairs. The most important was the establishment of the absolute authority of the king, which during the feudal period was much abridged by the power of the nobility. By vigorous and often cruel and unscrupulous measures Richelieu broke down all the great nobles who opposed him, some of whom he brought to the scaffold, and sentenced others to lifelong imprisonment. When he died, there was scarcely any check upon the exercise of the king's prerogative. Another of his great enterprises was the overthrow of the Huguenot party as a political power, which he completely effected by the siege and capture of Rochelle in 1628. At the same time he secured for the Huguenots a measure of toleration, and, on the whole, he used his success in this conflict with great moderation. In his foreign policy, the chief object of which was to humble the power of Austria, he was equally successful. With this great end in view he allied himself with the German Protestants and even with the great champion of the Protestant cause, Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. He died at Paris, while at the height of his power and authority, Dec. 4, 1642. See Le Cardinal Richelieu by Dussieux.