Richelieu: Großmachtpolitik und Tod des Kardinals

by Carl J. Burckhardt

The defeat of Richelieu's allies at the battle of Nordlingen in 1634 produced an intensely critical situation for France, forcing her to resort once more to arms: all that had been gained hitherto by diplomacy was now in jeopardy. This third volume of Carl Burckhardt's important biography of Richelieu begins with the problem of Lorraine, from which the Cardinal feared invasion, proceeding then to an account of the military preparations initiated, and to the beginning of hostilities. Spain, whose powerful position had given her a stranglehold on France, is then studied in full, for Richelieu's principal aim was to remove this danger - an aim which he followed with imperturable tenacity. At this time Spain had a really outstanding minister in the Count-Duke of Olivares; and in the Cardinal-Infante there was a military leader whom France could not match until she acquired Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar as commander on the Rhine front. For Bernard was able to halt the advance of the Emperor's troops, and when he took the initiative the tables were turned. He proved a difficult partner, however. The events of the war, the riots and other developments in Spain and Portugal, confirmed Richelieu in his views on the need for a powerful and unified state in France; but his plans had met with continuous opposition from political rivals within the country. His most dangerous enemies were in the inmost court circles, and their hopes of defeating the Cardinal were pinned on Gaston of Orleans, the King's brother, and even on the Queen herself. Matters reached a climax with the Cinq-Mars conspiracy, which brought Richelieu to the edge of defeat. The volume ends with a description of the Cardinal's death, and a preview of developments under his successor Mazarin. In the Peace of Westphalia his politics were to find their fulfilment.

651 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Carl Jacob Burckhardt (September 10, 1891 – March 3, 1974) was a Swiss diplomat and historian. His career alternated between periods of academic historical research and diplomatic postings; the most prominent of the latter were League of Nations High Commissioner for the Free City of Danzig (1937–39) and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (1945–48).

Reviews

[Reni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sad to say I'm actually glad to have finally finished this. Not to say that I didn't enjoy reading it at all, but at times it was a fight! It doesn't help that the three volume biography devolved into less of a biography and more of an essay on various theatres of the Thirty Years' War. While this war is a fascinating subject as of itself and certainly of importance to Richelieu's major politics and, along with the Peace of Westphalia a huge part of his legacy, after a while I found myself questioning whether I really had to read about one thing or the other in as detailed a fashion. I think I would have been less impatient if I'd read a different type of biography first, that focused more on the man than his politics, as different as that may be to differentiate at times. In the afterword the author makes a good point for why he chose to write the last two volumes in these broader strokes than he did the first one. It's definitely the most servicable approach for what he set out to do, but it simply does not make for an easy read.

Ah, well, it was still worth a read and I'm sure to pick it up again some time later, when I've read a bit more on the period in general.