French Legends: The Life and Legacy of Cardinal Richelieu

*Includes famous portraits depicting Richelieu and other important people and events in his life.


*Analyzes his legacy in modern politics and foreign policy


“Deception is the knowledge of kings.” – Cardinal Richelieu


A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ French series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of France’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. 


In an age where it was difficult to steer clear of a king’s wrath and keep one’s head for their entire life, Armand Jean du Plessis managed to become the power behind a king. The royal courts of 17th and 18th century France were famed for powerful and versatile Ministers like Talleyrand and the Comte de Vergennes, yet none have held as much sway like the man best known to the world today as Cardinal Richelieu. 


Decades before becoming the most important person in Louis XIII’s court, Richelieu worked his way up through the Catholic Church and politics on parallel tracks, so that in a span of two years he became both a Cardinal and the king’s Chief Minister. From there, Richelieu molded the functions of his position to such a powerful extent that he is often viewed today as akin to the world’s first Prime Minister. For a generation, Richelieu literally had his hand in every important decision, forever altering the destiny of both France and Europe as a whole. 


Using skillful diplomacy and behind the scenes maneuvering, Richelieu managed to accumulate and consolidate both personal power and royal power, helping root out and stamp out domestic opponents until power in France was almost fully centralized. At the same time, the Catholic Cardinal established alliances with Protestant leaders when the time called. And all the while, Richelieu helped permanently damage the Habsburg dynasty, which had established an Austro-Spanish alliance, while positioning France to hold a dominant position during The Thirty Years War. Not everyone appreciated Richelieu’s legacy, certainly not Enlightened thinkers like Voltaire who criticized the aristocratic order of 18th century France. In The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas portrayed Richelieu as a power-hungry villain who was stronger than the king he served. 


Whether Richelieu was a hero or not, there is no mistaking the remarkable influence he left on French society and international politics. A patron of the arts, he helped foster French nationalism and forged a national identity, all while structuring a more modern nation with the kind of aggressive foreign policy that is recognizable in today’s world. As one historian put simply, Richelieu was the "father of the modern nation-state."


French Legends: The Life and Legacy of Cardinal Richelieu looks at the life of the famous French Minister, exploring how he navigated through a world of intrigue to secure France’s position at the forefront of Europe and lay the groundwork for ideas like national sovereignty and international law. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Cardinal Richelieu like you never have before, in no time at all.