According to the French themselves, in the novels of the sword and sword, Alexander Dumas gave the most impartial portrait of King Louis XIII. This is a weak and weak-willed, and changeable, and cold, and cruel, and stingy sovereign, who is in the shadow of the great Cardinal Richelieu. But in fact, this little-known ruler, if you look closely at him, can overshadow the glory of both his father Henry IV and the son of Louis XIV.
For 33 years of his reign, the kingdom of France has changed a lot. The strengthening of power and administration, the development of trade relations and the navy. Subsequently, these fruits are fully exploited by his son Louis XIV.
Dauphin (1601-1610)
Louis XIII is the son of Henry IV, king of France and Navarre, and of Mary Medici. He was born in 1601. This marriage was exclusively dynastic, designed to preserve the influence of France in Italy, uniting Florence and France as heir. It was also necessary to write off French debts from Florentine bankers. The young queen gave birth to six sons, of whom only two came of age - Louis XIII and his brother Gaston, Duke of Orleans. A child grows up in the castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, along with the illegitimate children of Henry IV. He is raised mainly by Albert de Liuin. He instills in the child a love of hunting, walking in the fresh air, drawing and dancing, playing musical instruments, harpsichord and lute.
But de Liuin does not prepare a child for government. The father loves Louis very much and clearly distinguishes him from his children. Otherwise, his mother refers to him. She prefers Gaston.
Marie de Medici considers Louis to be slow and not too handsome. But Louis does not stew, despite his natural shyness, he is firmly convinced of his divine destiny. The father dies, killed by the fanatic, and the queen becomes the regent under the infant king. Louis is only 8 years old at this time. Mother, retreating from her husband’s policy, seeks to get closer to Spain. Louis XIII from 1612 was already engaged to Anna of Austria, the daughter of the Spanish king.
Regency
The Queen cannot fully rule the state, in which there was a tense situation between Protestants and Catholics. In addition, her subjects, representatives of the highest aristocratic clans: Conde, Giza, Montmorency, are in a hurry to strengthen. The Queen is actively influenced by her favorite, Italian Conchini, Marshal d'Ancre. Greedy and greedy, he causes hatred in everyone who encounters him. In addition, feeling the power behind him, he is doing his best to humiliate the future king. Louis XIII, trying to put Conchini in his place and defend his dignity, speaks with his mother, but is subjected to new insults. Around this time, he began to suffer from stomach pains, which in the future will only intensify. However, despite the pains, in deep secret, the 15-year-old shy teenager is plotting. The conspirators killed Conchini in the Louvre. Louis, clearly agreeing with the physical need to eliminate him, restrainedly said: "This time I am the king."
Coup result
These words testified to the strength of the character of Louis XIII, who boldly assumed responsibility for the fate of France at age 15. But the beginning of the rule is overshadowed by feudal unrest. Two opposing parties are being created. The one that supports the young Louis, and the one that relies on his mother. From 1619 to 1620 there was a "war" of mother and son. Cardinal Armand du Plessis Richelieu skillfully maneuvers between parties to restore peace to the kingdom.
Louis was at first wary of the actions of the peacemaker, but shared his vision of royalty: weaken the nobility and pacify the Protestants. Both had no doubts and stops when they considered something necessary. Collaboration was quite harmonious and effective.
Personal life and Anna of Austria
The dynastic marriage took place in 1615. However, despite the fact that his wife is the first beauty of not only France, Louis is always surrounded by favorites, whose relationship with him can not be called platonic.
King Louis XIII maintains a distant relationship with his wife. He is incredulous to the queen. And what the young king dislikes the most is that there are no children in the marriage. Since the king does not have an heir, he is surrounded by various conspiracies. Only after fifteen years, the relationship of the spouses will begin to improve. But over the years Anna of Austria has been credited with more than one favorite, including Buckingham. After 23 years of marriage, the long-awaited children appear. First Dauphin Louis, then
Philip of Orleans.And while there are no children, the Protestants are going to an open uprising in La Rochelle, which is gradually supported by the French aristocrats and England, a longtime enemy of the Hundred Years War, who is still alive in the hearts of both the French and the British. The internal war against the Huguenots, supported by England, continued until 1628, until the citadel of La Rochelle capitulated. The peace treaty is accompanied by a confirmation of religious freedom. By this time, the war had exhausted the country, the treasury was empty.
Conspiracies
It would seem that the resistance of the nobility is broken, but aristocrats continue to oppose the firm policy of the king and cardinal. The Duchess de Chevreuse dreams of seeing her brother as heir to the throne. The king’s brother, Gaston of Orleans, also takes part in the conspiracies. At this time, relations between spouses worsen. The king is informed that his military secrets become known at the Spanish court. In his own house, King Louis XIII saw the enemy.
Louis XIII and Anna of Austria always maintained tension and distrust in relations. The wife’s chambers were searched at the direction of the king. Anna's inability to give birth to a child (several miscarriages) further estranged the spouses. But Richelieu, for the good of France, is making every effort to reconcile her husband and wife.
Birth of an heir
This long-awaited event took place in 1638. But the tension at the court and in the state does not fall. Over the course of 12 years, reforms have been underway to strengthen royal power, streamline administration, destroy feudal remnants in the form of fights, and develop the navy. In this field, the king works hand in hand with the cardinal. They complement each other. Where the king seeks to take a sharp step, the cardinal offers caution and flexibility.
They respect each other, but keep their distance. Such a policy strengthens France’s position on the world stage. The Thirty Years Cold War ended in Italy, but in 1635 a war broke out between France and Spain. Spaniards are coming to Paris. The king personally led the army, and the enemy was driven back. The war is going hard. And the king’s health, meanwhile, is getting worse. Neither the king nor the cardinal saw the end of the war. In 1642, Armand du Plessis dies, but leaves an heir - Cardinal Mazarin. Louis XIII died of the disease a year later, in 1643, leaving the heir at the age of four.
The absolute monarchy was created by Louis XIII, and Louis XIV will always be concerned about the growth of its prestige. In the meantime, for many years his mother, Anna of Austria, who becomes regent, receives all the power.
Reign results
Both rural areas, and cities, and trade, and industrial activity suffered from the wars that were going on. But still, by 1643, France was able to become a major European force, which cannot be ignored. It was created by Louis XIII. The biography says that it was thanks to him that the kingdom freed itself from the claims of the Habsburgs, both Austrian and Spanish. Until this time, the territory of the kingdom was not so vast. A strong monarchical state arose. The monarchy has become absolute.
Louis himself was a hypochondriac, a sick and unhappy man, but his people mourned and gave him the nickname Just.