Duke Richelieu - special title in France with the rank of peer. It was created in 1629 specifically for Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu. He was a clergyman, so he did not have heirs to whom he could transfer this title. As a result, he went to his grand-nephew.
First Richelieu
The first duke of Richelieu was born in 1585. He also remained in history under the nickname Red Cardinal. In 1616, he received the post of Secretary of State, was the head of the French government from 1624 until his death in 1642.
The future duke Arman de Richelieu was born in Paris, his father was one of the organizers of the flight of Henry III from the rebellious French capital. When his family managed to return to Paris, he studied at the Navarre College with the future king.
He was a prominent figure during the regency of Maria Medici. After the power was taken by Louis XIII, he was sent into exile. He returned to the court only in 1622, becoming the cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Two years later, Louis XIII appoints him his first minister to save the country, which is in a deplorable situation.
Richelieu manages to uncover a conspiracy against the king, aimed at his murder, he conducts a balanced foreign policy. In an effort to create a centralized state, the Duke de Richelieu fought with the aristocracy, developed trade, navy, finance, and foreign economic relations. In history and literature, he remained one of the most influential ministers in the history of France.
Marshal of France
The second duke of de Richelieu was the great-nephew of Arman du Plessis - Arman Jean de Vignero du Plessis, who was not memorable in history. What can not be said about his son, the third Richelieu - Liu Francois Armand de Vignero du Plessis. He was born in 1696, received the title of Duke of Richelieu when he was 19 years old.
Surprisingly, it was at the insistence of his father that Louis was first imprisoned in the Bastille. He spent 14 months behind bars, so his father tried to reason with him after too early and stormy love affairs. In 1716, he was imprisoned again. Now due to the murder in a duel of Count Gase.
In 1719, the Duke of Richelieu became one of the participants in the Cellamare conspiracy. Its members tried to remove Philip II from the post of regent. But they were discovered, Louis spent several more months in the Bastille. He decided to enter into a conspiracy because of dissatisfaction with the political course of the regent. He was against conflict with Spain and rapprochement with England. Like many French aristocrats at that time, he dreamed of a revenge war against the British, considering Spain to be one of the main allies in the international arena.
In 1725 he was appointed ambassador to Vienna, and then to Dresden. In this field, he showed himself to be a skilled diplomat who was able to benefit his country. For example, it was Richelieu who pointed out the strategic importance of Courland, which led to the crisis of 1726. It was from Courland that Richelieu hoped, if necessary, to threaten St. Petersburg, making Russia as cautious as possible in alliance with Austria.
In 1733, he distinguished himself in the Rhine company for the Polish inheritance, and was especially successful during the siege of Philippsburg.
Military success
He later took part in the war for the Austrian inheritance and the Seven Years War. In 1757, the Duke of Richelieu ended his military career, devastating Hanover. During this campaign, he forced the Duke of Cumberland to sign a surrender convention, but was recalled to France that same year.
According to the official version, the reason was the mass robberies in which the French soldiers participated, on the sidelines it was said that the Duke of Subiz and Louis XV himself envied his military successes.
In the biography of the Duke of Richelieu there are many military successes and victories, while in history he is referred to as "half-forgotten" commanders. Richelieu did not lose a single battle, and during the Seven Years' War, King of Prussia Frederick II did not dare to start a direct battle against him. The French army was convinced that Richelieu would have surely defeated the British if he had remained a commander.
At the same time, the duke himself was an opponent of universal service, the concept of which was discussed in the middle of the 18th century. He believed that artillery could destroy a clumsy army in a matter of hours, and tried to substantiate this thesis even with the help of mathematical calculations. The talent of the Duke de Richelieu du Plessis was highly appreciated by Suvorov.
The mayor of Odessa
The son of Louis Francois (Louis Antoine) was not memorable, but his grandson played an important role in the fate of one of the cities of modern Ukraine - Odessa. In 1766, Arman-Emmanuelle du Plessis Richelieu was born.
He became the fifth Duke of Richelieu, the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of the famous Cardinal Richelieu. In 1783, he becomes a chamberlain under King Louis XVI, having received this court position, begins to build a successful career.
Perhaps he could achieve a lot in France, but in 1789 the Great French Revolution took place. Richelieu is forced to emigrate. He first leaves for Austria, and then leaves for Russia, where he enters military service.
In the military field, he was very useful. In 1790 he participated in the assault on Izmail, the next year he was even awarded the Order of St. George of the fourth grade with the wording "For excellent courage." His contribution to the capture of Ishmael was greatly appreciated. Also for courage, he receives a personalized weapon.
Resettlement project
In 1792, Richelieu proposed to the Russian Empress Catherine II a project for the mass resettlement of migrants from France to the Azov region. But this idea did not receive support. The aristocrats who fled from the French Revolution themselves refused to settle in lands unknown to them without any tangible prospects. For them, it was too far from the already familiar Russian cities - Moscow and St. Petersburg.
After his project was not approved, Richelieu took the post of governor of Volhynia for some time, and after the accession of Emperor Paul I in 1796, who took the throne after the death of Catherine II, he left for Vienna.
In 1797, Paul appointed Richelieu the commander of His Majesty's regiment. The hero of our article leads the cuirassiers. He holds this position until the end of 1800.
At the head of Odessa
In 1803, Richelieu returned to Russia after Alexander I became emperor, with whom they were on friendly and warm terms. The head of state appoints him the mayor of Odessa. This becomes a determining decision both in the life of Richelieu and in the history of the city itself.
Under the Duke of Richelieu, Odessa simply blossomed. In 1804, the emperor approved of his proposal to temporarily remove tax time from the city. Richelieu manages to achieve this by proving the feasibility of free transit of any goods that are brought to Odessa by sea and even then sent to Europe. Under the Duke of Richelieu, in the 19th century, Odessa became a major seaport and commercial port.
The economic recovery of the city
The hero of our article seeks the opening of a commercial school and gymnasium, private guest houses, in order to train specialists on the spot for the development and prosperity of the city. From a provincial town, Odessa is turning into one of the key cities in southern Russia.
The efforts of Richelieu are noted in the imperial encirclement, in 1805 he was appointed Governor-General of the entire Novorossiysk Territory. Under him, a noble institution was founded, which in the future serves to open the Richelieu Lyceum. This event takes place in 1817. The famous architect de Tomon Richelieu orders the design of the theater building, its construction is completed in 1809.
In 1806, Richelieu commanded the Russian troops in the war against the Turks, he was sent to capture Ishmael. But the assault ends in failure.
Return to France
In 1814, Richelieu returned to France, where he holds the post of prime minister in the government of Louis XVIII.
It is noteworthy that he occupies this post at the initiative of the Russian monarch Alexander I. Richelieu remains Prime Minister until 1818, in 1820 he returns to this post to finally leave it after another year.
At the French Academy, Richelieu takes the place of supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte Antoine Arnault, who was expelled after the defeat of his leader.
Personal life Richelieu
At age 15, Richelieu marries the 13-year-old daughter of the Duke de Rocheshoir, named Rosalia. Relations in this marriage between the newlyweds were very peculiar. For example, immediately after the ceremony, Richelieu went on a honeymoon alone (accompanied by one tutor).
He spent a year and a half on wanderings, and when he returned, he visited his spouse once, and again left. This went on almost their entire married life. Finally, for many years they were separated by the forced emigration of the duke. According to close friends and relatives, the husband and wife respected each other, but there were no other feelings between them.
In 1818, Richelieu died childless. He was buried in Paris in the Sorbonne Church, which was built by his ancestor, the famous cardinal. The remains today rest in a sealed crypt. After death, the title of the duke passed to his nephew.
Monument in Odessa
In Odessa they were so grateful to their mayor that they immortalized his image. The monument to the Duke de Richelieu in Odessa was inaugurated in 1828.
As soon as it became known of his death, Count Langeron urged residents to raise money for the construction of the monument. The monument was ordered by Count Vorontsov in 1823 . The sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos worked on it. This was one of the last creations of this master.
The monument itself is a bronze statue on which Richelieu is depicted in the toga of a Roman and with a scroll in his hands. On the sides there are three brass high reliefs that symbolize trade, agriculture and justice. The monument to the Duke of Richelieu in Odessa was laid in the summer of 1827.
High reliefs and the sculpture itself were cast in St. Petersburg. The massive pedestal is the work of architects Boffo and Melnikov. The monument is made in the style of classicism.
In height, the sculpture is slightly higher than human height. April 22, 1828 the monument was inaugurated.
The fate of the monument
The Richelieu monument was damaged during the Crimean War. A joint squadron of French and British fired at both the port and the city itself. As a result, one of the nuclei exploded in the immediate vicinity of the monument on the square itself. The pedestal was damaged by a shell fragment.
When the war ended, a cast-iron patch was installed on the damaged area, which was stylized as a cannonball.
You can visit the monument now at Primorsky Boulevard, house 9. It faces the sea, in front of it is the Potemkin Stairs, which leads to the building of the Marine Station. Behind the sculpture are government buildings that form a semicircular square, followed by Catherine’s Square. Many experts note that the monument blends into the environment very organically, combined with both the building and the Potemkin stairs.
Odessans are famous for their humor, they did not pass over the sculpture of Richelieu. We advise visitors to look at Duke from the hatch. Indeed, if you look at the monument from the water hatch located to the left of the monument, the folds of clothes resemble the male genitalia.
Today, it is this monument that remains one of the most famous and significant symbols of Odessa, which many locals are still proud of.
Richelieu in the 19th and 20th centuries
After the Odessa mayor, none of the dukes of Richelieu left a significant trace in either French or Russian history. In 1822, the title went to Arman Emanuel’s nephew Arman Francois Audet de La Chapelle de Saint-Jean-de-Jumillac.
In 1879 he passed to his nephew, whose name was Marie Odet Richard, he died a year later. The last duke of Richelieu was his son Marie Odet Jean Arman, who died in 1952.