Cardinal Richelieu

9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642

Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), was a French clergyman and statesman who served as chief minister to King Louis XIII from 1624 until his death. He centralized royal power, crushed Huguenot political autonomy at La Rochelle, steered France into the Thirty Years' War against the Habsburgs, and founded the Académie française.

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Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Cardinal Richelieu.

Life events

Born in Paris
9 September 1585

Armand Jean du Plessis was born on 9 September 1585 into a family of the minor nobility of Poitou.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Consecrated Bishop of Luçon
April 1607

Richelieu was consecrated bishop in April 1607 at an unusually young age, taking over the diocese reserved for his family.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Appointed Secretary of State
November 1616

Through the patronage of the queen mother Marie de' Medici, Richelieu became a secretary of state for foreign affairs in 1616.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Elevated to cardinal
5 September 1622

Pope Gregory XV made Richelieu a cardinal on 5 September 1622.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became chief minister to Louis XIII
August 1624

In August 1624 Richelieu entered the royal council and became the king's principal minister, a post he held for eighteen years.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Directed the Siege of La Rochelle
September 1627 – 28 October 1628

Richelieu personally oversaw the fourteen-month siege of the Huguenot stronghold, which surrendered in October 1628, ending Protestant political and military autonomy in France.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Survived the Day of the Dupes
11 November 1630

In November 1630 the queen mother tried to have him dismissed, but Louis XIII confirmed his support for Richelieu and exiled his rivals.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Founded the Académie française
1635

Richelieu established the Académie française in 1635 as the official authority on the French language.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Brought France into open war with Habsburg Spain
19 May 1635

In May 1635 France declared war on Spain, committing openly to the anti-Habsburg side of the Thirty Years' War under Richelieu's policy.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Paris
4 December 1642

Cardinal Richelieu died on 4 December 1642; Cardinal Mazarin, his protégé, succeeded him as chief minister.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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