Cardinal Richelieu Quotes


We announce, declare, ordain, and will that all the strongholds, either towns or castles, which are in the interior of our realm or provinces of the same, not situated in places of importance either for frontier defense or other considerations of weight, shall be razed and demolished; even ancient walls shall be destroyed so far as it shall be deemed necessary for the well-being and repose of our subjects and the security of this state, so that our said subjects henceforth need not fear that the said places will cause them any inconvenience, and so that we shall be freed from the expense of supporting garrisons in them


Context

This is the 17th century French equivalent of base closings. Since there were no legislators from the districts of the closed castles he had to contend with the process was then easy. What is particularly interesting is that they did not just close them and put them to other use. They demolished them, so that subsequent administrations could not change their mind and re-garrison the castles.


Citations

Armand Jean du Plessis, 1585-1642, [Cardinal Richelieu], French Ecclesiastic & Statesman, Edict, 1626

Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations

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  • Born:
  • Nationality: French
  • Profession: Cardinal

Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsize influence in civil and religious affairs. He became known as l'Éminence Rouge (English: "the Red Eminence"), a term derived from the title "Eminence" applied to cardinals and their customary red robes.