Richelieu appointed chief minister
- When
- 1624
- Where
- Paris
- Episodes
- 3
In 1624, Louis XIII appointed Cardinal Richelieu as his principal minister following the arrest of Charles de La Vieuville. Richelieu had previously served as Foreign Secretary and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1622. This appointment marked the beginning of his eighteen-year tenure guiding French state policy.
Episodes
- Council Appointment
Richelieu joins the royal council of ministers.
- Predecessor Arrest
La Vieuville is arrested for corruption.
- Principal Minister Succession
Richelieu becomes principal minister.
Background and detail
Background. Armand Jean du Plessis, known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French Catholic prelate and statesman. He was appointed Foreign Secretary in 1616 and became a cardinal in September 1622. Louis XIII, who relied heavily on chief ministers to govern, had previously depended on Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes, before turning to Richelieu.
Appointment. Richelieu was appointed to the royal council of ministers on 29 April 1624. He subsequently intrigued against the incumbent chief minister, Charles, duc de La Vieuville. On 12 August 1624, La Vieuville was arrested on charges of corruption. The following day, Richelieu took his place as the king's principal minister, although another cardinal nominally remained president of the council until 1629.
People involved
- Cardinal Richelieu · Appointed principal minister
- Louis XIII · King of France
Sources
- Cardinal Richelieu Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-14
- Louis XIII Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-06
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