The Political Testament of Cardinal Richelieu: The Significant Chapters and Supporting Selections

by Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu

Book Overview

"Hill has prepared an excellent translation of the more important parts of the Political Testament; his notes are clear, concise, informative, and accurate, and his short introduction will provide students who wish to delve into the French original with an indication of the road that is open to them. . . . Offers a window to the mind of the redoubtable Richelieu."--American Historical Review

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0299024245
• ISBN13: 9780299024246
• Release Date: November 1964
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A valuable translation for students of Richelieu's Era

This translation of the Testament of Cardinal Richelieu is important to Anglophone students of both the Cardinal and his era. While the Testament is probably not filled with useful advice for the practice of 21st Century statecraft, it provides a valuable insight into the struggles undertaken to reform and recast a still Medieval France into a modern European state that was united politically under a single Royal government that was itself, in the person of the King, the heart of the nation-state. This was the cause that lay at the heart of Richelieu's long, ruthless, and largely successful career as the powerful Minister to Louis XIII. The Testament is an insight into the mind, the successes and frustrations of the Cardinal's lifetime of efforts.

Intriguing insights

Richelieu's "Testament Politique" is a fascinating insight into the thoughts and political ideals of this great statesman. The chapters and extracts in this edition are particularly interesting for his views on the conduct of the King, the requirements of royal councillors and the arrangements of the royal household. It should be borne in mind that Richelieu wrote the book over the course of years, and that it does not always reflect reality (for example, his famous three-point promise to the King was not as neat, or as neatly achieved, as was long assumed). However it is still an invaluable insight into the Cardinal's political thinking. It also contains some rather amusing and surely unintended revelations - in the chapter where Richelieu pleads for the King to reform his (very sloppy) household, one can almost feel the frustration seeping off the page - Richelieu was fighting a losing battle against Louis's lifelong personal habits here, and must have known it. The writing is pithy (reflecting, as the Cardinal says himself, his own style and the preferences of his intended audience - ie. the King) and the translation is clear and concise. This is an essential read for anyone studying the reign of Louis XIII.