2024-03-31 16:00:00
The real Duke was a completely different person.
Cardinal Richelieu became famous outside of France thanks to Alexandre Dumas’ novel about the Three Musketeers. On the pages of books and in subsequent film adaptations, he appears as a very cruel man who rules the country instead of the king. However, as historians are sure, this image cannot be called reliable.
The fact is that Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, was a very complex person. He was afraid of losing power and worried about the location of Louis XIII, because his fate directly depended on it. The king certainly cannot be called weak-willed. He actively participated in the life of the country and made important decisions on his own, but he did suffer from a stutter and numerous health problems.
At the same time, Richelieu really did weave numerous intrigues. In this way, he tried to maintain his own power, and supported it by appointing his relatives to significant posts. And he had his own army, which he received from the king, because after the assassination attempt he began to fear for his life.
Richelieu, despite the works of Dumas, was not distinguished by cruelty. He actually executed some nobles, but the famous writer creates a much more demonic image, because in that era executions were widespread.
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