Cardinal Richelieu (1935)
Director: Rowland V. Lee
Starring: George Arliss, Maureen O'Sullivan, Edward Arnold, Cesar Romero
Cardinal Richelieu (George Arliss) dominating King Louis XIII of France.
THE BOURBONS
1589 -- on his deathbed Henry III recognizes Henry, King of Navarre and leader of the Huguenots, as his successor, who, as Henry IV, is the first Bourbon to become King of France.
1593 -- Henry of Navarre adopts the Catholic faith.
1594 -- Henry IV, having been crowned King of France at Chartres, enters Paris.
1595 -- Henry IV declares war on Spain.
1598 -- the Edict of Nantes gives the Huguenots liberty of conscience, full civil rights, and freedom of public worship.
1599 -- Henry IV obtains a divorce from Margaret of Valois.
1600 -- Henry IV marries Maria de'Medici.
1610 -- Henry IV is assassinated; succeeded by his son Louis XIII (at age 9) (-1643) with Queen Maria de'Medici as Regent (-1617).
1614 -- Maria, Queen Regent, summons the States General of France to counteract power of the nobility (last meeting, 1789); last usage of the parliamentary machinery before the French Revolution.
1615 -- Louis XIII marries Anna of Austria
1616 -- Richelieu becomes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and War.
1618 -- Richelieu is ordered into exile at Avignon for intriguing with the Queen Mother.
1619 -- Maria de'Medici challenges the power of her son Louis XIII; Louis recalls Richelieu from Avignon to prevent revolt, marches his army into Angers, and defeats his mother's supporters; Treaty of Angouleme ends the conflict.
1620 -- revolt of nobles against Louis XIII; Richelieu makes peace, reconciling the Queen Mother to her son.
1621 -- Huguenot rebellion against Louis XIII.
1624-42 -- administrative reform under Richelieu, who is made first minister of France.
1624 -- Anglo-French treaty for Charles, Prince of Wales, to marry Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV and Maria de-Medici.
1626 -- Peace of La Rochelle between Huguenots and French crown.
1626 -- Richelieu suppresses Chalais conspiracy, concentrating all political power in his own hands; he was the chief minister of Louis XII; he furthered centralization.
1637 -- Richelieu appoints intendants over the whole of France, and places the complete financial, judicial and police administration in their hands. The new system created a permanent civil service that helped to centralize absolute power at the expense of local authority.
1642 -- Cardinal Richelieu dies.
1643 -- Louis XIII of France dead; succeeded by his 5 year old son Louis XIV (-1715).
1644 -- French occupation of the Rhineland.
1648 -- the "Fronde" -- the last rally of the discontented elements of French society against the power of the monarchy under the ancien regime. Richelieu's successor, Cardinal Mazarin, brought it to an end in 1653.
Despite the centralizing policy of Richelieu, Colbert, and Louis XIV, unity was never completely attained in France. There were still local independencies. And France remained divided within itself from the standpoint of administration, of law and of commerce. It was for the Rev to sweep away these anomalies to produce a reorganized France more centralized than ever. 61
1660 -- Louis XIV marries Maria Teresa, Infant of Spain
1666 -- France and Dutch declare war on England; Dutch sign treaty of alliance with the "Great Elector."
1667 -- secret treaty between Louis XIV and Charles II against Spain
1667 -- war of Devolution begins as French troops invade Netherlands (ends 1668)
1715 -- Louis XIV dead; succeeded by his great-grandson (at 5) Louis XV (-1774) under regency of the Duc d'Orleans.
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