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<v Speaker 1>Hello and welcome to Western SIEV Episode three hundred and

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<v Speaker 1>thirty eight Cardinal Richelieu. At this point in the war,

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<v Speaker 1>the stage was set for a major clash between rival

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<v Speaker 1>European powers, in fact, a rivalry that had, for the

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<v Speaker 1>previous one hundred years shaken the very foundations of Europe.

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<v Speaker 1>Of course, I'm talking about the rivalry between France and Spain,

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<v Speaker 1>by far and away, the two great European powers. Up

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<v Speaker 1>to this point, the Thirty Years War had really been

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<v Speaker 1>confined to Bohemia and parts of Germany. It's about to

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<v Speaker 1>expand dramatically thanks to the interventionist desires of those two

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<v Speaker 1>European powers. So in one corner we have Spain at

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<v Speaker 1>this point, a fading giant at this point attempting to

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<v Speaker 1>reclaim its past glory. Its champion, the Count Duke Olivares,

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<v Speaker 1>was a man of unwavering determination. His goal was to

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<v Speaker 1>restore his nation's dominance. Through a mix of military might

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<v Speaker 1>and cunning diplomacy. Olivares reversed the course set by his predecessors,

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<v Speaker 1>casting aside this veneer of peace and embracing a much

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<v Speaker 1>more aggressive posture for Spain going forward. His goal was

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<v Speaker 1>to force the Dutch, the rebellious subjects to finally submit

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<v Speaker 1>to Spanish power. He saw allies in this endeavor, even

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<v Speaker 1>reaching across the religious divide to court the favor of

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<v Speaker 1>Protestant England. A marriage alans there he believed could pay

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<v Speaker 1>the path to reclaim the Palatinate, a crucial territory that

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<v Speaker 1>had been already lost decades before. But fate, of course,

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<v Speaker 1>had other plans. The British, who were staunch in their

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<v Speaker 1>support of the Protestant cause, rebuffed all of Orace's advances.

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<v Speaker 1>The Duke remained undeterred. He unleashed the might of a

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<v Speaker 1>revitalized Spanish armada, crushed Dutch resistance, and seized the prize

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<v Speaker 1>city of Breda in a stunning display of power in

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<v Speaker 1>sixteen twenty five. At this point it looked as though

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<v Speaker 1>the Spanish might once more dominate Europe, with this dominance,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, extending well beyond the seas to an America,

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<v Speaker 1>where most of Europe believed Spain could draw endlessly from

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<v Speaker 1>its vast colonial resources. Now we have anew, by the way,

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<v Speaker 1>breed of sort of Spanish armada, totally fitted out with galleons.

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<v Speaker 1>These were colossal ships, truly the battleships of their day.

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<v Speaker 1>Bristling with cannons, these patrolled the oceans, safeguarding Spain's far

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<v Speaker 1>flung empire. But Spain wasn't the only one interested in

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<v Speaker 1>those riches from the Flemish port of Dunkirk. The infamous Dunkirkers,

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<v Speaker 1>privateers with a thirst for gold, ret havoc on enemy

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<v Speaker 1>trade routes, including the Spanish treasure fleet, their swift ships,

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<v Speaker 1>capturing countless vessels and amansing a king's ransom in plundered riches,

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<v Speaker 1>diverting Olivares from his overall goal. But Olivarres, as I mentioned,

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<v Speaker 1>isn't alone in this. Because a storm was gathering on

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<v Speaker 1>the horizon. In France, the young and inexperienced King Louis

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<v Speaker 1>the thirteenth was gripped with internal stripes. The Huguenots, defiant

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<v Speaker 1>Protestants challenged royal authority, threatening to tear the kingdom apart.

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<v Speaker 1>And it really was amidst this internal turmoil, which continued

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<v Speaker 1>to grip the nation long after the death of Henry

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<v Speaker 1>the Fourth, that a new, shrewd and ambitious Cardinal Richelieu

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<v Speaker 1>emerged from the shadows. But before we go on, I

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<v Speaker 1>think it's really worth introducing Armand Jean de Plice, or

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<v Speaker 1>as we know him, Cardinal Richelieu. Armand Jean du Plice

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<v Speaker 1>was born on the ninth of September fifteen eighty five

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<v Speaker 1>in Paris into an aristocratic but relatively modest family. His father,

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<v Speaker 1>Francois du Plice, was a soldier who died when Armand

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<v Speaker 1>was just five years old, leaving the family with limited

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<v Speaker 1>financial means. His mother, Suzanne de la Porte, was a

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<v Speaker 1>strong willed woman who raised him alongside his siblings. Now Initially,

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<v Speaker 1>the young Armand aimed for a military career, but family

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<v Speaker 1>circumstances led him in a different direction. His older brother, Alphonse,

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<v Speaker 1>was originally destined for religious life as the bishop of

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<v Speaker 1>luconp a position tied to significant income and social influence. However,

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<v Speaker 1>Alphonse chose to become a monk instead, which left the

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<v Speaker 1>bishopric open. Armand, just seventeen years old at the time,

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<v Speaker 1>decided that he would pursue a religious career instead and

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<v Speaker 1>began studying theology. Richelieu proved to be a quick and

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<v Speaker 1>diligent student. He attended the prestigious College de Navarre in Paris,

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<v Speaker 1>where he excelled in both religious and classical studies. He

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<v Speaker 1>was ordained as a priest in sixteen oh seven, and,

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<v Speaker 1>with special papal dispensation due to his young age, was

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<v Speaker 1>consecrated as Bishop of Lucmp that very same year. At

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<v Speaker 1>the age of twenty two, Richelieu took on the challenging

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<v Speaker 1>role of Bishop of Lucone, located in western France, diocese

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<v Speaker 1>was in a state of decline both spiritually and financially,

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<v Speaker 1>largely due to the region's frequent conflict between Catholics and Huguenots.

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<v Speaker 1>Richelieu worked tirelessly to restore order and improve the diocese.

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<v Speaker 1>He embraced the principles of the Catholic counter Reformation, pushing

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<v Speaker 1>for educational reform among the clergy, promoting discipline, and encouraging

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<v Speaker 1>devotion amongst the populist. Richelieu's diligence and attention to church

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<v Speaker 1>reform soon attracted the attention of powerful figures in Paris.

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<v Speaker 1>He developed a reputation for his intellect, ambition, and dedication

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<v Speaker 1>to the Catholic faith, qualities that would later come to

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<v Speaker 1>define his political career. Richelieu's political assent began in sixteen fourteen,

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<v Speaker 1>when he was elected as a delegate of Clergy for

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<v Speaker 1>the Estates General, an assembly that brought together representatives from

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<v Speaker 1>the three traditional estates, the clergy, nobility, and commoners. During

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<v Speaker 1>the assembly, Richelieu quickly distinguished himself as a skilled speaker

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<v Speaker 1>and negotiator. He represented the interests of the Catholic clergy

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<v Speaker 1>and gained favor with influential leaders at court. Now at

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<v Speaker 1>the time, France was politically unstable. King Henry the fourth

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<v Speaker 1>had been assassinated, as I mentioned in sixteen ten, leaving

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<v Speaker 1>his young son Louis the thirteenth on the throne. Louis's mother,

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<v Speaker 1>Muddy Dmitici, acted as regent, but her regency was marked

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<v Speaker 1>by factionalism and internal conflict. Richelieu initially served as secretary

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<v Speaker 1>to Muddy Dmitici and was appointed to her inner circle

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<v Speaker 1>of advisers. In sixteen sixteen, he was made Secretary of

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<v Speaker 1>State for Foreign Affairs and War, granting him a small

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<v Speaker 1>but significant role in French politics. When Louis the thirteen

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<v Speaker 1>teenth came of age in sixteen seventeen, he along with

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<v Speaker 1>his favorite Charles de Lunees, pushed Marie de Medici out

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<v Speaker 1>of power, leading to her exile. Richelieu closely associated with

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<v Speaker 1>Marie was also removed from his post and sent into

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<v Speaker 1>a form of exile at Avignon. However, he continued to

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<v Speaker 1>support Marie, and his diplomatic skill ultimately led to a

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<v Speaker 1>reconciliation between Louis and his mother in sixteen twenty Richelieu

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<v Speaker 1>once again worked in favor and tirelessly behind the scenes,

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<v Speaker 1>using his considerable abilities intact to navigate which were becoming

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<v Speaker 1>very complex rivalries at court. By sixteen twenty two, Richelieu

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<v Speaker 1>was rewarded for his loyalty and diplomatic efforts when Pope

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<v Speaker 1>Gregory the fifteenth elevated him to the rank of cardinal.

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<v Speaker 1>This not only solidified his religious authority but enhanced his

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<v Speaker 1>influence at court. Recognizing his potential as a skilled administrator

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<v Speaker 1>and mediator, Marie de Medici recommended him as a counselor

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<v Speaker 1>to her son, Louis the thirteenth. In sixteen twenty four,

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<v Speaker 1>as France continued to face internal and external threats, Louis

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<v Speaker 1>the thirteenth appointed Richelieu as his chief minister, placing him

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<v Speaker 1>at the pinnacle of power. This marked the beginning of

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<v Speaker 1>Richelu's role as one of the most influential figures in France,

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<v Speaker 1>He quickly set about implementing policies to centralize the French states,

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<v Speaker 1>weaken the power of the nobility, and reduce the influence

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<v Speaker 1>of the Huguenots. After being appointed Chief Minister in sixteen

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<v Speaker 1>twenty four, Richelieu embarked on a mission to consolidate the

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<v Speaker 1>king's royal authority and crush any opposition. But of course,

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<v Speaker 1>Richelieu is relevant to more than just France, as his

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<v Speaker 1>ambitions extended far beyond the borders of the kingdom. He

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<v Speaker 1>saw in the Spanish a threat to his nation's security

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<v Speaker 1>and his own power. Thus, the stage was now set

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<v Speaker 1>for this veritable clash of Titans, this battle between two

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<v Speaker 1>master strategists, each determined to outmaneuver the other. Olivades, emboldened

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<v Speaker 1>by his recent successes, wanted a Europe fully under Habsburg control. Therefore,

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<v Speaker 1>he poured his resources into what has been called the

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<v Speaker 1>Grand quote unquote Union of Arms, a vast military machine

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<v Speaker 1>designed to crush all of the habsburg enemies. Richelieu meanwhile

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<v Speaker 1>understood that France, weakened by internal divisions, could not confront

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<v Speaker 1>Spain directly. He instead opted for a more subtle approach,

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<v Speaker 1>relying on an intricate web of alliances and strategic interventions

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<v Speaker 1>to undermine Spanish ambitions. He sought to weaken the Habsburg

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<v Speaker 1>grip on Europe by supporting their enemies wherever he could,

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<v Speaker 1>providing aid to the Dutch and the Swedes, and even

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<v Speaker 1>forging ties with the Protestant princes in Germany, once more

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<v Speaker 1>underscoring the reality the Thirty Years War was not primarily

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<v Speaker 1>a religious conflict. This clash of ideologies and ambitions really

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<v Speaker 1>extended to every corner of the globe, an indication of

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<v Speaker 1>just how globalized warfare was becoming something that we'll see

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<v Speaker 1>really come to fruition. In the eighteenth century, the Dutch,

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<v Speaker 1>frustrated by Spanish dominance at sea, struck back by targeting

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<v Speaker 1>Spain's colonial possessions. The newly formed Dutch West India Company,

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<v Speaker 1>a powerful merchant fleet armed to the teeth, captured Portuguese

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<v Speaker 1>settlements in Brazil, seizing control of the lucrative sugar trade.

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<v Speaker 1>These overseas ventures diverted Spanish resources, forcing Olivares and the

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<v Speaker 1>Spanish to fight on multiple furs. The rivalry between Olivares

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<v Speaker 1>and Richelieu reached a fever pitch in the Valentine, a

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<v Speaker 1>strategic valley nestled deep in the Alps, Spanish troops, eager

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<v Speaker 1>to get a vital passage to their allies in Austria,

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<v Speaker 1>fellow Habsburg's occupied the region, triggering a chain of events

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<v Speaker 1>that plunged Europe deeper and deeper into the Thirty Years War. Richelieu,

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<v Speaker 1>sensing an opportunity to weaken Spain, dispatched French troops to

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<v Speaker 1>support the Protestant Swiss forces resisting the Spanish advance. The

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<v Speaker 1>ensuing conflict, known in their sources as the Holy Slaughter,

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<v Speaker 1>ended in a bloody stalemate, further exacerbating tensions between the

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<v Speaker 1>two powers. As the year's war on, the rivalry between

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<v Speaker 1>Olivares and Richelieu grew more intense, fueling the flames of

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<v Speaker 1>the Thirty Years War. Each set back, each perceived slight,

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<v Speaker 1>only seemed to deepen their mutual animosity, creating a web

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<v Speaker 1>of suspicion and hostility that threatened to consume all of Europe.

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<v Speaker 1>The clash of ambition will be played out in the

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<v Speaker 1>battlefield and in the quarridors of diplomacy, and an illustration

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<v Speaker 1>of the expanding war in Germany becomes clear. What we

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<v Speaker 1>consider Denmark's intervention, which will be right after this. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>in our second half of this podcast, today, we're going

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<v Speaker 1>to be looking at Denmark's intervention in the conflict and

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<v Speaker 1>the rise of Albricht von Wallenstein, a pivotal figure in

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<v Speaker 1>the war's later stages. Now, Christian of Denmark, concerned by

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<v Speaker 1>recent Habsburg victories, saw an opportunity to expand Danish influence

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<v Speaker 1>in northern Germany. He was motivated by a desire to

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<v Speaker 1>protect the Lutheran Church and also to secure his family's

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<v Speaker 1>holdings in the region. Meanwhile, the Lower Saxon Princess, phrasing

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<v Speaker 1>pressure from the Emperor, went ahead and elected Christian the

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<v Speaker 1>fourth as their leader and requested his military support against

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<v Speaker 1>the aggressive Habsburg's This move escalated the conflict and for

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<v Speaker 1>the first time, drew Denmark directly into the war. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>one of the things that we should talk about is

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<v Speaker 1>that there's this problem throughout the Thirty Years War, the

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<v Speaker 1>problem the sources call of neutrality. The concept of neutrality

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<v Speaker 1>was never clearly defined during the Thirty Years War. The

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<v Speaker 1>Holy Roman Empire's constitution lacked provisions for neutral reality in

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<v Speaker 1>international law. We talked at great lengths at the beginning

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<v Speaker 1>of the stages of the war about how the internal

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<v Speaker 1>makeup of the Holy Roman Empire led it to be

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<v Speaker 1>sort of this perpetual battlefield, as people would duck in

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<v Speaker 1>and out of the conflict at different times, and this

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<v Speaker 1>lack of this concept of neutrality is one of the

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<v Speaker 1>biggest reasons for this. People are oftentimes being forced to

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<v Speaker 1>choose sides when if they could, they probably would have

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<v Speaker 1>just stayed out of it. Now, the Emperor expected the

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<v Speaker 1>lower Saxon estates to remain neutral and to provide financial

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<v Speaker 1>support despite their sympathies with the Protestant cause. This expectation

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<v Speaker 1>frankly just clashed with reality where neutrality was difficult to maintain.

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<v Speaker 1>Now enter stage right. Albrecht von Wallenstein. Albrecht was an

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<v Speaker 1>ambitious Bohemian noble, and he had capital on the war

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<v Speaker 1>to amass both wealth and power. He was on the

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<v Speaker 1>Habsburg side and was willing to enhance his estates with

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<v Speaker 1>the Emperor's favor. Throughout the war. Wallenstein's military success and

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<v Speaker 1>willingness to finance the imperial army impressed the Emperor Ferdinand

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<v Speaker 1>the Second. He even offered to raise a large army

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<v Speaker 1>at his own expense, which Ferdinand, of course readily accepted.

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<v Speaker 1>Wallenstein's army, unlike other imperial forces, was largely financed on

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<v Speaker 1>contributions levied on conquered territories. This system, while effective in

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<v Speaker 1>raising funds, placed a heavy burden on the civilian population

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<v Speaker 1>and had this tendency to exacerbate the war's brutality throughout

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<v Speaker 1>its stages. We're not going to talk about this until

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<v Speaker 1>the very end of the conflict, but it's worth previewing

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<v Speaker 1>that the fact that this war goes on for so

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<v Speaker 1>long and is so devastated to theryside is one of

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<v Speaker 1>the reasons that it takes Germany so long to become unified,

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<v Speaker 1>so long to become an industrialized country later on. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>the decentralized nature of Wallenstein's financial administration, while allowing for flexibility,

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<v Speaker 1>also created opportunities for corruption and abuse. Colonels were given

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<v Speaker 1>considerable leeway in collecting funds from the local population, which

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<v Speaker 1>spoiler alert is going to lead to widespread extortion and profiteering,

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<v Speaker 1>making an already bad situation even worse. The reliance on

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<v Speaker 1>plunder and contributions to pay soldiers led to a breakdown

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<v Speaker 1>in discipline and further alienated the local population. Soldiers routinely

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<v Speaker 1>ignored regulations and extracted more than what was permitted, exacerbating

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<v Speaker 1>the war's devastating impact on civilian communities. The mounting burden

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<v Speaker 1>of the war financing strained relationships between emperor and his subject,

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<v Speaker 1>as well as communities forced to bear the cost of

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<v Speaker 1>supporting the army. Remember it was traditionally up to the

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<v Speaker 1>Reichstog and the various other components of the Empire to

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<v Speaker 1>contribute voluntary taxes to support the defense of the realm,

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<v Speaker 1>but that was usually against an external foe, ie the Ottomans.

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<v Speaker 1>The notion that the same nobility and the Reichstog should

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<v Speaker 1>have to vote year in and year out for a

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<v Speaker 1>thirty year period to support this ongoing internal conflict was

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<v Speaker 1>a bridge too far for many. The system eroded trust

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<v Speaker 1>and authority and fueled resentment both against imperial forces and

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<v Speaker 1>local officials. The war's insatiable need for money forced Ferdinand

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<v Speaker 1>the Second to rely on increasingly desperate measures such as

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<v Speaker 1>just confiscating property outright or selling offices, which further alienated

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<v Speaker 1>the German princes and continued to undermine his authority. The

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<v Speaker 1>Emperor's financial woes contributed to a growing sense of instability

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<v Speaker 1>and resentment within the Holy Roman Empire. This period of

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<v Speaker 1>the Thirty Years War is going to mark a dramatic

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<v Speaker 1>escalation of violence and destruction. Denmark's intervention, which are going

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<v Speaker 1>to turn to more next week, and the emergence of

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<v Speaker 1>Wallenstein as a major military leader marked a turning point

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<v Speaker 1>in the conflict. The war's devastating impact on the civilian

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<v Speaker 1>population and the corrosive effects of its financing are going

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<v Speaker 1>to continue to shape the course of events to years

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<v Speaker 1>to come. And so next week we're going to turn

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<v Speaker 1>in more detail to Denmark's intervention and explore the conflict

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<v Speaker 1>between a rising Danish power and habsburg efforts to continue

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<v Speaker 1>to consolidate their authority. Now, as always, if you've enjoyed

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<v Speaker 1>the episode and you would like to listen without the

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<v Speaker 1>commercial interruptions, you can check out the link in the

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<v Speaker 1>show notes. You can also join Western Civ Two point

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<v Speaker 1>zero if you would like a much more detailed look

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<v Speaker 1>at historical subjects. We are very deep in Roman history

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<v Speaker 1>right now, which I know is a source of interest

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<v Speaker 1>too many, so if you'd like to check it out,

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<v Speaker 1>there's a link in the show notes you can click

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<v Speaker 1>and in whatever you're listening to this, You can listen

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<v Speaker 1>to that, whether that's Spotify or Apple Podcasts or any

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<v Speaker 1>sort of app that I haven't heard of, and you

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<v Speaker 1>get a free day seven trial, so it's worth checking

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<v Speaker 1>out until next time we continue the thirty years or