Cardinal Richelieu
The power behind the throne in early 17th century France
Armand-Jean du Plessis was born on 9th 1585, in Paris, France, and was the fourth of five children.
He was educated at the College of Navarre and the Sorbonne, and he had originally aimed for a military career, but family reasons, to do with acquiring the wealth of a bishopric that had been gifted to the family, meant that he joined the clergy and was appointed Bishop of Luçon in 1607 at the age of only 22.
The privileged position of the senior clergy in the French political position meant that Richelieu (he inherited the title of Duc de Richelieu from his father) had a route to political power opened to him. However, reaching the top was not easy, given the dominant position of Marie de Medici, who acted as regent for her son who became King Louis XIII in 1610 at the age of nine.
Richelieu had considerable diplomatic powers, which he used to good effect in playing the various leading figures in French politics off against each other. At one time banished from court by King Louis, Richelieu was later recalled to act as middleman between the king and his mother.
Once established in royal favor, Richelieu was able to rise rapidly in both Church and politics, becoming a cardinal in 1622 and chief minister to King Louis…
