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The XVIIth Century This page features various elements regarding the Louis XIII-Richelieu era and Role-Playing. Including details and information on my characters (Armand de St-Meron), chronicle ideas and ties to historical sites and documents. Texts taken from Microsoft Encarta 95 (might have been slightly modified) The King Louis XIII, said "the fair" although the King trusted Richelieu on most subject, he was NOT the pawn he is shown to be in The Cardinal de Richelieu The Cardinal is often wrongfully associated with the bad guys. He was a great general, politician and religious man. He was not well liked because of many controversial external politics, notably with the Luteran Sweden. The Thirty Year War (1618-1648) is described here in some details. Very interesting if you know little about this war. It was as bloody as WWII but last for longer The Best litterature available on the era are : (personnal opinions)
Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de (1585-1642), French cardinal and statesman, who more than anyone else promoted absolutism in France and laid the foundations of the country's 17th-century grandeur. Richelieu was born in Paris on September 9, 1585, and set out on a military career. In order to retain the bishopric of Luçon (near Rochelle) in the family, however, he switched to theology and at age 22 was ordained a bishop. As a representative to the Estates-General in 1614, he found a footing in political life and soon won the favor of the queen mother of France, Marie de Médicis. He became secretary of state in 1616 but fell into political disfavor the following year and, along with the queen mother, was banished from court. Reconciliation in 1622 brought him a cardinal's hat, and in 1624 he became King Louis XIII's chief minister. After 1630, when Marie de Médicis unsuccessfully intrigued to have her former protégé removed from his position, Richelieu was the virtual ruler of France. To assure friendly relations with England, Richelieu's first important measure was to arrange a marriage between the king's sister, Henrietta Maria, and the prince of Wales, afterward Charles I of England. To restore the prestige of France in the affairs of Europe and to limit the further growth of Habsburg power, already entrenched in Spain and Austria, Richelieu next made alliances with and gave encouragement to the Dutch and German enemies of the dynasty. To gain strategic strongholds in Italy and thwart the Habsburgs there Richelieu involved France in a fight with Austria and Spain when the succession to the throne in Mantua was in question (1628-31). In 1631 he subsidized the invasion of Germany by the champion of the Lutheran cause, Gustav II Adolph, king of Sweden. Still later, Richelieu made France an active ally of the German Protestants by committing French troops to fight in the Thirty Years' War. Meanwhile, viewing the power of the French Huguenots as a threat to the absolute power of the king, Richelieu laid siege to the Huguenot stronghold of La Rochelle in 1628. The Huguenots thus were broken militarily and politically, although they were assured religious freedom. Richelieu, by vigorous and effective measures, succeeded in breaking the political power of the great families of France—making the king an absolute ruler—and in establishing France as the first military power of Europe. He encouraged French exploration and colonization in Canada and the Indies. A liberal patron of literature, Richelieu was the founder of the French Academy. He died in Paris on December 4, 1642. Louis XIII
(1601-43), king of France (1610-43), son of Henry IV, first of the Bourbon kings of France, and his wife Marie de Médicis, born in Fontainebleau. During his minority from 1610 to 1617 his mother served as regent. She allied France with Spain and arranged the marriage in 1615 of Louis to Princess Anne of Austria, daughter of Philip III, king of Spain. For most of his reign Louis was dominated by Cardinal Richelieu, who joined his council of ministers in 1624 through the efforts of Marie de Médicis and served eventually as prime minister until his death in 1642. Under Richelieu's anti-Habsburg foreign policy, France entered (1635) the Thirty Years' War as an ally of Sweden and the Protestant princes of Germany. Louis's reign was marked also by occasional religious strife between Roman Catholics and the French Protestants, or Huguenots, and by the many conspiracies against Richelieu. Louis was followed to the throne by his son Louis XIV. Heroes of the time
Armand de St-Meron
Armand is a motivated young man. He has sailed a lot in his short life. Now he wants to sit down and relax for a little while, enjoy life. That's why he joined the Musketeers (along with good contacts). He is a charming guy with a dashing personality. His main motivation being a nice mistress and sailing. Armand wishes to sail somemore during his life. He is a traveller by heart.
Flaubert de Montessart
Flaubert comes from southern France and has a very thick accent. He is a bit bossy. Louis-Andre de Montrevault
Louis-Andre was born of a french Fianna Kinfolk and a Chineese Stargazer. He has weird looks and is quite contemplative. Guillaume "Le Borgne"
Guillaume is an obnoxious, rude metis who likes to push everyone around. However, he has met less than limited success within the pack. Armand is always ready to offer him a fight if "it" decides things should go further. After all, is it a Ragabash's job to keep his Ahroun happy and trained for combat ? A good arhoun has the duty to keep the other members ready for combat, especially when a stargazer is around. Comtemplation and hours of thinking does not solve a fight, I must admit they have their uses and can be more than adequate fighters when they stop their never ending meditation. He tends to bully people a little too much because of what he is. Metises serve as martyrs for the Get of Fenris, it tends to make them more agressive than normal and very obnoxious to those who try to bully them or boss them around. Weapons of the time
Rapier and other 17th Century
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