List of 1632 Characters - Cardinal Richelieu

Cardinal Richelieu

Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu (September 9, 1585 – December 4, 1642), was a French clergyman, noble, and shrewd statesman. Richelieu became King Louis XIII's chief minister in 1624. He is considered to be the world's first Prime Minister. He consolidated the power of the monarchy and crushed domestic factions, restraining the nobility. He transformed France into a strong, centralized state. He focused on checking the power of the Austro-Spanish Habsburg dynasty, and made alliances with Protestant rulers.

To maintain the king's power, he ruthlessly censored the press, used a network of spies, forbade the discussion of politics in public assemblies, and had those who conspired against him executed. His legacy to modern politics includes the ideas of a strong nation-state and aggressive foreign policy. The notions of national sovereignty and international law can be traced in part to Richelieu's policies and theories, especially as enunciated in the Treaty of Westphalia which ended the Thirty Years' War.

In the 1632 series: Richelieu declared himself an enemy of Grantville after realizing the radical thinking from the Americans posed a threat to his nation. He plotted against the New United States and Gustavus Adolphus in which teamed with Wallenstein in an unsuccessful attack on Grantville in mid-1632. Foiled, Richelieu aided Habsburg Spain, hoping to involve them in a more direct war in Germany. He arranged the League of Ostend, involving both Catholic and Protestant powers. They defeated the Dutch, allowing an invasion of the Netherlands in 1633. The League of Ostend experienced some victories before a major loss during the events of 1634: The Baltic War, in which the entire French Army was devastated. Richelieu subsequently was blamed for the war and faced intense opposition from his enemies within the French court.