![]() ![]() Armand Richelieu's father was a relatively important individual, as he was the Grand Provost of France under Henry III in charge of certain duties such as taxation and administering justice. Traditionally the family history of Richelieu was that of an insignificant noble house that gained some prominence just prior to Armand's birth in 1585. This inclination is what eventually required Armand to be a member of the Catholic Church and pave the way for his future political career. Often described as thin, weak, and sickly, he was the third son of a noble family of limited renown and was from an early age inclined toward education and schooling. ![]() Cardinal Richelieu: Early LifeĪrmand Richelieu was born in September 1585 in Poitou, France during the reign of King Henry III. While Cardinal Richelieu served as Chief Minister, France expanded to the Caribbean and toward the end of the 17th century had made some smaller colonies in India. Cardinal Richelieu played a pivotal role in the regulation of colonies, and created the Council of Marine to administer existing colonies as well as expand into new territories. Though France had attempted small settlements in Brazil and Florida, the first truly successful colony began in modern day Nova Scotia and Quebec at the beginning of the 17th century. ![]() The Expansion of Franceįrom the early 16th century France, much like the rest of Europe, spent a good deal of time exploring the New World, in particular the St. As a high ranking member of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Richelieu resisted the advancements of The Reformation, and used his political power to prosecute and eliminate Protestant citizens of France, called Huguenots. France in particular was heavily influenced by The Reformation, and numerous wars would be fought in the 16th and 17th century. This schism broke Europe into various pro-Catholic and pro-Protestant factions, which would spend the next several hundred years warring between one another for religious dominance. Based on the ideas of Martin Luther, the Reformation questioned the authority of the Pope and the practices of the Catholic Church at the time. The Protestant Reformation began in 1517 and was a political, religious, and cultural fracturing of the Catholic Church and Europe as a whole. Cardinal Richelieu spent most of his early career as advisor to Marie de Medici, and eventually to King Louis XIII. As regent to King Louis XIII, Marie de Medici's policies were seen as corrupt by the lower classes, and caused numerous issues both in court as well as among the common people. From an early age these religious wars had a significant impact on Cardinal Richelieu, from the death of his father to an eventual tool to further his political agendas.Īt the beginning of Cardinal Richelieu's political career, King Henry III of France was assassinated and since his heir Louis XIII was not old enough to take power, the authority in the government was passed to his mother Marie de Medici until he was of age. Known as the French Wars of Religion, these bloody conflicts divided France both politically and religiously. Though the nation as a whole flourished, one of the biggest problems of the time were the series of religious conflicts between the traditional Catholic Church and the recently established Protestant Church. Ruled by a king with absolute power, there were few elected positions and political appointments largely relied on favor from the reigning monarch. Cardinal Richelieu: Background and Contextįrance in the 16th century was one of the most powerful nations on earth with Paris being the most populated city in Europe. ![]()
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