Cardinal Richelieu wasn't quite as powerful as the king, but he probably exercised more power than his young king through alliances at court and abroad and widespread fear of his own secret service. A bishop from age 22 he tolerated Protestants as long as they weren't in French politics, and generally made foreign alliances with Protestant rulers rather than Catholic states. The queen was Anne of Austria and popular sentiment made Spain an ally of France, Richelieu was committed to oppose the Habsburgs which meant opposing Austria and Spain. While he was committed to the dual supremacy of the king and the pope, he clearly saw both sides of conflicts and often baffled opponents by sudden reverses and pragmatic compromises. France became a great power in the 17th century, and the architect of that rise was the Cardinal and Duke of Richelieu.
History is obviously important to me, and I assume to you as well. On this day in 1884 a small group of academic historians gathered to found the American Historical Association. In honor of the event I've chosen quotes on the subject of history.
The continental US has only suffered aerial bombardment twice, the first was on this day in 1942. It didn't accomplish anything beyond causing conversation and headlines, although observation of blackout rules increased along the Pacific coast. The second was by the same pilot twenty days later. It didn't accomplish anything.
1561 - The Colloquy of Poissy convened near Paris. Made up of both French Catholic prelates and reformed Protestant theologians led by Theodore Beza, the council led to a 1562 edict offering a greater measure of freedom to French Protestants.
1836 - Abraham Lincoln of New Salem, Illinois received a license to practice law.
1884 - The first meeting of the American Historical Association was held in Putnam Hall at Saratoga Springs, New York. Forty academics attended the first meeting, the first president was Andrew D. White, president of Cornell University. It has since grown to include 14,000 individuals affiliated with 5,000 institutions.
1942 - At dawn Warrant Flying Officer Nobuo Fujita was catapulted from the Japanese submarine I-25 in his Uokosuka E14Y1 float plane off the Oregon coast. He flew about 50 miles inland from the Cape Blanco lighthouse, dropped his two 170-pound thermite incendiary bombs in the forest, and flew back out to the waiting submarine before 6:30 am. The unseasonably damp woods did not erupt in flame.
1966 - US president Lyndon Johnson signed the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, told Ralph Nader that safety was "no luxury item, no optional extra."
Constance and her Companions, the Martyrs of Memphis, In 1878 Memphis, Tennessee was afflicted by a yellow fever epidemic so severe that the population dropped enough for the city to lose its charter for 14 years. All who could afford to leave town fled for higher ground where the disease didn't seem to strike - it was not then known that the disease was carried by mosquitoes. Both Anglican and Roman Catholic nuns chose to stay and nurse the sick, most of them were killed by the fever. The first of the 38 to die, on 9 September 1878, was Constance, Sister Superior of the Anglican Community of Saint Mary.
1585
- Armand-Jean du Plessis, cardinal et duc de Richelieu, French
churchman, politician - Born into an important family at Richelieu, Poitou,
France whose fortunes had been depleted by inflation and mismanagement,
he was five when his father died, planned a military career but family
was responsible to fill the bishopric of Luçon near La Rochelle and he
was ordained as bishop at age 22. It is not clear whether he deceived
the Pope regarding his age or received dispensation for it. Represented
the clergy of Poitou in the Estates-General in 1614, enjoyed politics
and started close relationship with the king's mother Marie de Médicis.
Became secretary of state in 1616, the next year he and his patroness
were banished from court. Reconciled with the king in 1622, created cardinal,
in 1624 became Louis XIII's chief minister. In 1625 negotiated with the
Duke of Buckingham (see 28 August)the marriage of the king's sister, Henrietta
Maria, and England's Charles I. La Rochelle, a salt and wine trading port
that was largely independent of the French monarchy, became the center
of Huguenot activity and in 1627 Richelieu began a 13-month siege that
ended independence for the "Merchant Republic," Buckingham attempted to
break the siege while the Spanish funded the Huguenot leaders. The title
of First Minister was created for him during the siege. Immediately after
the capitulation of La Rochelle Richelieu led his army over the Alps to
fight the Spanish in northern Italy, and returned to find his former patroness
opposing him at court. Richelieu convinced the young king Louis that he
was better off with guidance from the Cardinal than dominion by his mother,
the king's brother and mother fled to the Spanish Netherlands and plotted
against Louis and Richelieu without success. Subsidized a Swedish invasion
of Germany in 1631, later committed French troops to fight for German
Protestants in the Thirt Years' War. His political and personal influence
extended to Canada, the West Indies, Morocco, and Persia through exploration
and trading companies in which he held interests. Differed with Pope Urban
VIII over diplomacy, the French church over taxation to support his ambitions.
Accumulated great wealth, but used it largely for public works, patronage
of the arts, and support for the University of Paris. He founded the French
Academy in 1636. In failing health, he continued to pull the strings governing
both secular and church governance until his death at Paris on 4 December
1642. He is buried in the chapel of the Sorbonne, which had been built
with his own money.
If at times our actions seem to have made life difficult for others,
it is only because history has made life difficult for us all.
- John F. Kennedy
History is a simple piece of paper covered with print. The main thing
is still to make history, not to write it.
- Otto von Bismark
The story of man is the history, first, of the acceptance and imposition
of restraints necessary to permit communal life; and second, of the emancipation
of the individual within that system of necessary restraints.
- Justice Abe Fortas
For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all parties
to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history
myself.
- Winston Churchill
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