There was a fresh struggle for power between the queen-mother
and the Prince of Conde, ending in both being set aside
by the queen’s almoner, Armand de Richelieu,
Bishop of Lucon, and afterwards a cardinal, the ablest
statesman then in Europe, who gained complete dominion
over the king and country, and ruled them both with
a rod of iron. The Huguenots were gradually driven
out of all their strongholds, till only Rochelle remained
to them. This city was bravely and patiently
defended by the magistrates and the Duke of Rohan,
with hopes of succour from England, until these being
disconcerted by the murder of the Duke of Buckingham,
they were forced to surrender, after having held out
for more than a year. Louis XIII.
entered in triumph,
deprived the city of all its privileges, and thus in
1628 concluded the war that had begun by the attack
of the Guisards on the congregation at Vassy, in 1561.
The lives and properties of the Huguenots were still
secure, but all favour was closed against them, and
every encouragement held out to them to join the Church.
Many of the worst scandals had been removed, and the
clergy were much improved; and, from whatever motive
it might be, many of the more influential Huguenots
began to conform to the State religion.
CHAPTER VI.
POWER OF THE CROWN.
1. Richelieu’s Administration.—Cardinal
de Richelieu’s whole idea of statesmanship consisted
in making the King of France the greatest of princes
at home and abroad. To make anything great of
Louis XIII., who was feeble alike in mind and body,
was beyond any one’s power, and Richelieu kept
him in absolute subjection, allowing him a favourite
with whom to hunt, talk, and amuse himself, but if
the friend attempted to rouse the king to shake off
the yoke, crushing him ruthlessly. It was the
crown rather than the king that the cardinal exalted,
putting down whatever resisted. Gaston, Duke
of Orleans, the king’s only brother, made a
futile struggle for power, and freedom of choice in
marriage, but was soon overcome. He was spared,
as being the only heir to the kingdom, but the Duke
of Montmorency, who had been led into his rebellion,
was brought to the block, amid the pity and terror
of all France. Whoever seemed dangerous to the
State, or showed any spirit of independence, was marked
by the cardinal, and suffered a hopeless imprisonment,
if nothing worse; but at the same time his government
was intelligent and able, and promoted prosperity,
as far as was possible where there was such a crushing
of individual spirit and enterprise. Richelieu’s
plan, in fact, was to found a despotism, though a
wise and well-ordered despotism, at home, while he
made France great by conquests abroad. And at
this time the ambition of France found a favourable
field in the state both of Germany and of Spain.
