Episode 338: Cardinal Richelieu

confined to Bohemia and parts of Germany. It's about to expand dramatically thanks to the interventionist desires of those two European powers. So in one corner we have Spain at this point, a fading giant at this point attempting to reclaim its past glory. Its champion, the Count Duke Olivares, was a man of unwavering determination. His goal was to restore his nation's dominance. Through a mix of military might

and cunning diplomacy. Olivares reversed the course set by his predecessors, casting aside this veneer of peace and embracing a much more aggressive posture for Spain going forward. His goal was to force the Dutch, the rebellious subjects to finally submit to Spanish power. He saw allies in this endeavor, even reaching across the religious divide to court the favor of Protestant England. A marriage alans there he believed could pay the path to reclaim the Palatinate, a crucial territory that

had been already lost decades before. But fate, of course, had other plans. The British, who were staunch in their support of the Protestant cause, rebuffed all of Orace's advances. The Duke remained undeterred. He unleashed the might of a revitalized Spanish armada, crushed Dutch resistance, and seized the prize city of Breda in a stunning display of power in

sixteen twenty five. At this point it looked as though the Spanish might once more dominate Europe, with this dominance, of course, extending well beyond the seas to an America, where most of Europe believed Spain could draw endlessly from its vast colonial resources. Now we have anew, by the way, breed of sort of Spanish armada, totally fitted out with galleons. These were colossal ships, truly the battleships of their day.

Bristling with cannons, these patrolled the oceans, safeguarding Spain's far flung empire. But Spain wasn't the only one interested in those riches from the Flemish port of Dunkirk. The infamous Dunkirkers, privateers with a thirst for gold, ret havoc on enemy trade routes, including the Spanish treasure fleet, their swift ships, capturing countless vessels and amansing a king's ransom in plundered riches, diverting Olivares from his overall goal. But Olivarres, as I mentioned,

isn't alone in this. Because a storm was gathering on the horizon. In France, the young and inexperienced King Louis the thirteenth was gripped with internal stripes. The Huguenots, defiant Protestants challenged royal authority, threatening to tear the kingdom apart. And it really was amidst this internal turmoil, which continued to grip the nation long after the death of Henry the Fourth, that a new, shrewd and ambitious Cardinal Richelieu

emerged from the shadows. But before we go on, I think it's really worth introducing Armand Jean de Plice, or as we know him, Cardinal Richelieu. Armand Jean du Plice was born on the ninth of September fifteen eighty five in Paris into an aristocratic but relatively modest family. His father, Francois du Plice, was a soldier who died when Armand was just five years old, leaving the family with limited financial means. His mother, Suzanne de la Porte, was a

strong willed woman who raised him alongside his siblings. Now Initially, the young Armand aimed for a military career, but family circumstances led him in a different direction. His older brother, Alphonse, was originally destined for religious life as the bishop of luconp a position tied to significant income and social influence. However, Alphonse chose to become a monk instead, which left the

bishopric open. Armand, just seventeen years old at the time, decided that he would pursue a religious career instead and began studying theology. Richelieu proved to be a quick and diligent student. He attended the prestigious College de Navarre in Paris, where he excelled in both religious and classical studies. He was ordained as a priest in sixteen oh seven, and, with special papal dispensation due to his young age, was

consecrated as Bishop of Lucmp that very same year. At the age of twenty two, Richelieu took on the challenging role of Bishop of Lucone, located in western France, diocese was in a state of decline both spiritually and financially, largely due to the region's frequent conflict between Catholics and Huguenots. Richelieu worked tirelessly to restore order and improve the diocese.

He embraced the principles of the Catholic counter Reformation, pushing for educational reform among the clergy, promoting discipline, and encouraging devotion amongst the populist. Richelieu's diligence and attention to church reform soon attracted the attention of powerful figures in Paris. He developed a reputation for his intellect, ambition, and dedication to the Catholic faith, qualities that would later come to

define his political career. Richelieu's political assent began in sixteen fourteen, when he was elected as a delegate of Clergy for the Estates General, an assembly that brought together representatives from the three traditional estates, the clergy, nobility, and commoners. During the assembly, Richelieu quickly distinguished himself as a skilled speaker and negotiator. He represented the interests of the Catholic clergy and gained favor with influential leaders at court. Now at

the time, France was politically unstable. King Henry the fourth had been assassinated, as I mentioned in sixteen ten, leaving his young son Louis the thirteenth on the throne. Louis's mother, Muddy Dmitici, acted as regent, but her regency was marked by factionalism and internal conflict. Richelieu initially served as secretary to Muddy Dmitici and was appointed to her inner circle of advisers. In sixteen sixteen, he was made Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and War, granting him a small

but significant role in French politics. When Louis the thirteen teenth came of age in sixteen seventeen, he along with his favorite Charles de Lunees, pushed Marie de Medici out of power, leading to her exile. Richelieu closely associated with Marie was also removed from his post and sent into

a form of exile at Avignon. However, he continued to support Marie, and his diplomatic skill ultimately led to a reconciliation between Louis and his mother in sixteen twenty Richelieu once again worked in favor and tirelessly behind the scenes, using his considerable abilities intact to navigate which were becoming

very complex rivalries at court. By sixteen twenty two, Richelieu was rewarded for his loyalty and diplomatic efforts when Pope Gregory the fifteenth elevated him to the rank of cardinal. This not only solidified his religious authority but enhanced his influence at court. Recognizing his potential as a skilled administrator and mediator, Marie de Medici recommended him as a counselor

to her son, Louis the thirteenth. In sixteen twenty four, as France continued to face internal and external threats, Louis the thirteenth appointed Richelieu as his chief minister, placing him at the pinnacle of power. This marked the beginning of Richelu's role as one of the most influential figures in France, He quickly set about implementing policies to centralize the French states, weaken the power of the nobility, and reduce the influence

of the Huguenots. After being appointed Chief Minister in sixteen twenty four, Richelieu embarked on a mission to consolidate the king's royal authority and crush any opposition. But of course, Richelieu is relevant to more than just France, as his ambitions extended far beyond the borders of the kingdom. He saw in the Spanish a threat to his nation's security and his own power. Thus, the stage was now set for this veritable clash of Titans, this battle between two

master strategists, each determined to outmaneuver the other. Olivades, emboldened by his recent successes, wanted a Europe fully under Habsburg control. Therefore, he poured his resources into what has been called the Grand quote unquote Union of Arms, a vast military machine designed to crush all of the habsburg enemies. Richelieu meanwhile understood that France, weakened by internal divisions, could not confront

Spain directly. He instead opted for a more subtle approach, relying on an intricate web of alliances and strategic interventions to undermine Spanish ambitions. He sought to weaken the Habsburg grip on Europe by supporting their enemies wherever he could, providing aid to the Dutch and the Swedes, and even forging ties with the Protestant princes in Germany, once more underscoring the reality the Thirty Years War was not primarily

a religious conflict. This clash of ideologies and ambitions really extended to every corner of the globe, an indication of just how globalized warfare was becoming something that we'll see really come to fruition. In the eighteenth century, the Dutch, frustrated by Spanish dominance at sea, struck back by targeting

Spain's colonial possessions. The newly formed Dutch West India Company, a powerful merchant fleet armed to the teeth, captured Portuguese settlements in Brazil, seizing control of the lucrative sugar trade. These overseas ventures diverted Spanish resources, forcing Olivares and the

Spanish to fight on multiple furs. The rivalry between Olivares and Richelieu reached a fever pitch in the Valentine, a strategic valley nestled deep in the Alps, Spanish troops, eager to get a vital passage to their allies in Austria, fellow Habsburg's occupied the region, triggering a chain of events that plunged Europe deeper and deeper into the Thirty Years War. Richelieu, sensing an opportunity to weaken Spain, dispatched French troops to

support the Protestant Swiss forces resisting the Spanish advance. The ensuing conflict, known in their sources as the Holy Slaughter, ended in a bloody stalemate, further exacerbating tensions between the two powers. As the year's war on, the rivalry between Olivares and Richelieu grew more intense, fueling the flames of

the Thirty Years War. Each set back, each perceived slight, only seemed to deepen their mutual animosity, creating a web of suspicion and hostility that threatened to consume all of Europe. The clash of ambition will be played out in the battlefield and in the quarridors of diplomacy, and an illustration of the expanding war in Germany becomes clear. What we

consider Denmark's intervention, which will be right after this. Now, in our second half of this podcast, today, we're going to be looking at Denmark's intervention in the conflict and the rise of Albricht von Wallenstein, a pivotal figure in the war's later stages. Now, Christian of Denmark, concerned by recent Habsburg victories, saw an opportunity to expand Danish influence in northern Germany. He was motivated by a desire to protect the Lutheran Church and also to secure his family's

holdings in the region. Meanwhile, the Lower Saxon Princess, phrasing pressure from the Emperor, went ahead and elected Christian the fourth as their leader and requested his military support against the aggressive Habsburg's This move escalated the conflict and for the first time, drew Denmark directly into the war. Now, one of the things that we should talk about is that there's this problem throughout the Thirty Years War, the problem the sources call of neutrality. The concept of neutrality

was never clearly defined during the Thirty Years War. The Holy Roman Empire's constitution lacked provisions for neutral reality in international law. We talked at great lengths at the beginning of the stages of the war about how the internal makeup of the Holy Roman Empire led it to be sort of this perpetual battlefield, as people would duck in and out of the conflict at different times, and this lack of this concept of neutrality is one of the

biggest reasons for this. People are oftentimes being forced to choose sides when if they could, they probably would have just stayed out of it. Now, the Emperor expected the lower Saxon estates to remain neutral and to provide financial support despite their sympathies with the Protestant cause. This expectation frankly just clashed with reality where neutrality was difficult to maintain.

Now enter stage right. Albrecht von Wallenstein. Albrecht was an ambitious Bohemian noble, and he had capital on the war to amass both wealth and power. He was on the Habsburg side and was willing to enhance his estates with the Emperor's favor. Throughout the war. Wallenstein's military success and willingness to finance the imperial army impressed the Emperor Ferdinand the Second. He even offered to raise a large army at his own expense, which Ferdinand, of course readily accepted.

Wallenstein's army, unlike other imperial forces, was largely financed on contributions levied on conquered territories. This system, while effective in raising funds, placed a heavy burden on the civilian population and had this tendency to exacerbate the war's brutality throughout

its stages. We're not going to talk about this until the very end of the conflict, but it's worth previewing that the fact that this war goes on for so long and is so devastated to theryside is one of the reasons that it takes Germany so long to become unified, so long to become an industrialized country later on. Now, the decentralized nature of Wallenstein's financial administration, while allowing for flexibility,

also created opportunities for corruption and abuse. Colonels were given considerable leeway in collecting funds from the local population, which spoiler alert is going to lead to widespread extortion and profiteering, making an already bad situation even worse. The reliance on plunder and contributions to pay soldiers led to a breakdown in discipline and further alienated the local population. Soldiers routinely ignored regulations and extracted more than what was permitted, exacerbating

the war's devastating impact on civilian communities. The mounting burden of the war financing strained relationships between emperor and his subject, as well as communities forced to bear the cost of supporting the army. Remember it was traditionally up to the Reichstog and the various other components of the Empire to contribute voluntary taxes to support the defense of the realm, but that was usually against an external foe, ie the Ottomans.

The notion that the same nobility and the Reichstog should have to vote year in and year out for a thirty year period to support this ongoing internal conflict was a bridge too far for many. The system eroded trust and authority and fueled resentment both against imperial forces and local officials. The war's insatiable need for money forced Ferdinand the Second to rely on increasingly desperate measures such as just confiscating property outright or selling offices, which further alienated

the German princes and continued to undermine his authority. The Emperor's financial woes contributed to a growing sense of instability and resentment within the Holy Roman Empire. This period of the Thirty Years War is going to mark a dramatic escalation of violence and destruction. Denmark's intervention, which are going to turn to more next week, and the emergence of Wallenstein as a major military leader marked a turning point

in the conflict. The war's devastating impact on the civilian population and the corrosive effects of its financing are going to continue to shape the course of events to years to come. And so next week we're going to turn in more detail to Denmark's intervention and explore the conflict between a rising Danish power and habsburg efforts to continue

to consolidate their authority. Now, as always, if you've enjoyed the episode and you would like to listen without the commercial interruptions, you can check out the link in the show notes. You can also join Western Civ Two point zero if you would like a much more detailed look

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