Introduction
The historical events in the French system in the 17th Century had a significant impact in the today’s system of government including the formation of Secret service units. These were inspired by the strategies that Cardinal Richelieu adopted in getting rid of any person who attempted to question his system of government in his reign as a secretary of State and as a Prime minister in the French government. The discussion question in this paper is therefore set to answer the historical issue on what the role Cardinal Richelieu played in transformation of the French system of governance. This is as seen in the antagonistic portray of the Cardinal in various books, the main reference novel in this paper being Alexander Dumas which was written on the events that took place around the year 1624.
The French political history had achieved a great and drastic change in the 17th Century especially during the time when Cardinal Richelieu was serving both as a religious leader and as the French Prime minister. The events that took place during this period have influenced writing of several historical yet interesting novels and story books one of the famous books being ‘The Three Musketeers’. This book particularly emphasizes on the work that the Cardinal and his military team actively performed in French’ the political governance especially in protecting the country from any form of political threat. Among other books where the French revolutionary activities under the leadership of Cardinal Richelieu are ‘Under the Red Robe’ written by Stanley Weyman and ‘The Iron mask’.
This interesting story has featured almost all the political events that took place between the years 1642 to 1655 and the influence that Cardinal Richelieu had in these events. The book introduces three core friends also known as the Musketeers and the young nobleman who travels all the way to Paris so as to unite with the Musketeers and the struggle they went through as they continuously collisions with the rules of the Cardinal who was also the prime minister of France. The young nobleman even encounters the harsh treatment of the Cardinal’s trusted man in Meung-sur Loire when he insults his horse and steals his letter of introduction outside the city of France.
This period of time which are described in the novel ‘the Three Musketeers’ outlines the most significant history of the French political revolution which the country underwent while under the rule of Cardinal Richelieu as the Prime Minister while King Louis XIII. It is during this time that the Cardinal played an influential role both as a trusted advisor to the King and the royal Queen and also as the Secretary to the State after the execution of Charles, duc de La Vieuville, an action which was intrigued by the Cardinal himself. Becoming the chief secretary of the state had given him more powers which he used to revive a new system of governance in France by intolerably getting rid of the people who tried to question the government while at the same time working closely with his allies and agents to bring in a new revolutionary government which was not based on monarchical views and norms.
In answering the discussion question of the history learnt from the period featured in the novel ‘the Three Musketeers’, The role of Cardinal Richelieu in political reforms of the French government were significant in a number of ways some of which are clearly indicated in historical books other than the Three Musketeers. One of the achievements conducted by Cardinal Richelieu during this time period is the signing of the Treaty of LA Rochelle with the Huguenots where the main aim of the treaty was to maintain a peaceful coexistence between the Huguenots and the French government (Levi, 2000). It is also under the military control of Cardinal Richelieu that the French military defeated the Huguenots and English militia who supported them to go to war with France after the Huguenots neglected the terms of the treaty.
The legacy of Cardinal Richelieu is celebrated in France especially his defense for the internal affairs of the country against foreign countries such as England and Spain (Munch, 1990). This was mostly proclaimed in the thirty years of war which the Cardinal commanded the French Military into wining. It is also through the Cardinal’s influence and brutal attacks on the nobles that the French traditional form of appointing noblemen in high military powers was abolished and a more democratic form adopted. However, the Cardinal used brutal measures in dealing with matters that concerned government issues including betraying his close allies such as the queen and igniting wars to win the King’s attention. He also manipulated and tortured any person who attempted to disobey his commands either by executing them or having them arrested and put in jail. His authoritarian form of leadership is what inspired writing of the novel ‘the Three Musketeers’ whereby his large network of spies and loyal servants is portrayed as well as his ambitious way of attracting the King’s attention by triggering conflicts between France and other countries such as England with the collaboration of his noble allies.
References
Munck, T. (1990). Seventeenth Century Europe, 1598–1700. London: Macmillan.
Levi, A. (2000). Cardinal Richelieu and the Making of France. New York: Carroll and Graf.
Dumas, A. (1846). The Three Musketeers.
