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Cardinal Richelieu

(9 September 1585–4 December 1642)

I. Historical Timeline

1585 - Born in France as Armand Jean du Plessis

1606 - Becomes a Roman Catholic Bishop

1616 - Becomes Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

1622 - Ordained a Cardinal by Pope Gregory

1624 - Becomes Prime Minister of France

1624-34 - Builds Palais Royal

1627 - Sets out to secure Supremacy of the crown

1628 - Defeats the Huguenot rebellion

1629 - Founded the Académie française

1630 - Day of Dupes

1642 - Dies

II. Short Biography

❖ Born Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal and Duke Richelieu lived from 1585 - 1642). He was the son of a minor official of the French court.

❖ Richelieu was trained for church service and made his mark as a delegate to the Estates-General of 1614. He was brought into the service of Louis XIII by the Queen Mother, Marie de Médicis, and eventually became the king’s favorite and chief advisor.

❖ An able diplomat and a master politician, Richelieu played an important role in the consolidation of the royal state. His principal goal was to centralize administration and to harness the power of the nobility and localities. He was chiefly responsible for French foreign policy, including France’s participation in the Thirty Years’ War.

❖ To retain his authority he needed to be a master of intrigue and manipulation. His tireless energy helped in this, but it took its toll on his health. He died on December 4, 1642 in the Palais Royal

III. Richelieu’s Contributions to The Arts

❖ Cardinal Richelieu was a famous patron of the arts. He was an author of various religious and political works (most notably his Political Testament), and he funded the literary careers of many writers.

❖ He was a lover of the theatre, which was not considered a respectable art form during that era. Among the individuals he patronized was the famous playwright Pierre Corneille.

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