Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to Western SIEV Episode three hundred and
Speaker 1: thirty eight Cardinal Richelieu. At this point in the war,
Speaker 1: the stage was set for a major clash between rival
Speaker 1: European powers, in fact, a rivalry that had, for the
Speaker 1: previous one hundred years shaken the very foundations of Europe.
Speaker 1: Of course, I'm talking about the rivalry between France and Spain,
Speaker 1: by far and away, the two great European powers. Up
Speaker 1: to this point, the Thirty Years War had really been
Speaker 1: confined to Bohemia and parts of Germany. It's about to
Speaker 1: expand dramatically thanks to the interventionist desires of those two
Speaker 1: European powers. So in one corner we have Spain at
Speaker 1: this point, a fading giant at this point attempting to
Speaker 1: reclaim its past glory. Its champion, the Count Duke Olivares,
Speaker 1: was a man of unwavering determination. His goal was to
Speaker 1: restore his nation's dominance. Through a mix of military might
Speaker 1: and cunning diplomacy. Olivares reversed the course set by his predecessors,
Speaker 1: casting aside this veneer of peace and embracing a much
Speaker 1: more aggressive posture for Spain going forward. His goal was
Speaker 1: to force the Dutch, the rebellious subjects to finally submit
Speaker 1: to Spanish power. He saw allies in this endeavor, even
Speaker 1: reaching across the religious divide to court the favor of
Speaker 1: Protestant England. A marriage alans there he believed could pay
Speaker 1: the path to reclaim the Palatinate, a crucial territory that
Speaker 1: had been already lost decades before. But fate, of course,
Speaker 1: had other plans. The British, who were staunch in their
Speaker 1: support of the Protestant cause, rebuffed all of Orace's advances.
Speaker 1: The Duke remained undeterred. He unleashed the might of a
Speaker 1: revitalized Spanish armada, crushed Dutch resistance, and seized the prize
Speaker 1: city of Breda in a stunning display of power in
Speaker 1: sixteen twenty five. At this point it looked as though
Speaker 1: the Spanish might once more dominate Europe, with this dominance,
Speaker 1: of course, extending well beyond the seas to an America,
Speaker 1: where most of Europe believed Spain could draw endlessly from
Speaker 1: its vast colonial resources. Now we have anew, by the way,
Speaker 1: breed of sort of Spanish armada, totally fitted out with galleons.
Speaker 1: These were colossal ships, truly the battleships of their day.
Speaker 1: Bristling with cannons, these patrolled the oceans, safeguarding Spain's far
Speaker 1: flung empire. But Spain wasn't the only one interested in
Speaker 1: those riches from the Flemish port of Dunkirk. The infamous Dunkirkers,
Speaker 1: privateers with a thirst for gold, ret havoc on enemy
Speaker 1: trade routes, including the Spanish treasure fleet, their swift ships,
Speaker 1: capturing countless vessels and amansing a king's ransom in plundered riches,
Speaker 1: diverting Olivares from his overall goal. But Olivarres, as I mentioned,
Speaker 1: isn't alone in this. Because a storm was gathering on
Speaker 1: the horizon. In France, the young and inexperienced King Louis
Speaker 1: the thirteenth was gripped with internal stripes. The Huguenots, defiant
Speaker 1: Protestants challenged royal authority, threatening to tear the kingdom apart.
Speaker 1: And it really was amidst this internal turmoil, which continued
Speaker 1: to grip the nation long after the death of Henry
Speaker 1: the Fourth, that a new, shrewd and ambitious Cardinal Richelieu
Speaker 1: emerged from the shadows. But before we go on, I
Speaker 1: think it's really worth introducing Armand Jean de Plice, or
Speaker 1: as we know him, Cardinal Richelieu. Armand Jean du Plice
Speaker 1: was born on the ninth of September fifteen eighty five
Speaker 1: in Paris into an aristocratic but relatively modest family. His father,
Speaker 1: Francois du Plice, was a soldier who died when Armand
Speaker 1: was just five years old, leaving the family with limited
Speaker 1: financial means. His mother, Suzanne de la Porte, was a
Speaker 1: strong willed woman who raised him alongside his siblings. Now Initially,
Speaker 1: the young Armand aimed for a military career, but family
Speaker 1: circumstances led him in a different direction. His older brother, Alphonse,
Speaker 1: was originally destined for religious life as the bishop of
Speaker 1: luconp a position tied to significant income and social influence. However,
Speaker 1: Alphonse chose to become a monk instead, which left the
Speaker 1: bishopric open. Armand, just seventeen years old at the time,
Speaker 1: decided that he would pursue a religious career instead and
Speaker 1: began studying theology. Richelieu proved to be a quick and
Speaker 1: diligent student. He attended the prestigious College de Navarre in Paris,
Speaker 1: where he excelled in both religious and classical studies. He
Speaker 1: was ordained as a priest in sixteen oh seven, and,
Speaker 1: with special papal dispensation due to his young age, was
Speaker 1: consecrated as Bishop of Lucmp that very same year. At
Speaker 1: the age of twenty two, Richelieu took on the challenging
Speaker 1: role of Bishop of Lucone, located in western France, diocese
Speaker 1: was in a state of decline both spiritually and financially,
Speaker 1: largely due to the region's frequent conflict between Catholics and Huguenots.
Speaker 1: Richelieu worked tirelessly to restore order and improve the diocese.
Speaker 1: He embraced the principles of the Catholic counter Reformation, pushing
Speaker 1: for educational reform among the clergy, promoting discipline, and encouraging
Speaker 1: devotion amongst the populist. Richelieu's diligence and attention to church
Speaker 1: reform soon attracted the attention of powerful figures in Paris.
Speaker 1: He developed a reputation for his intellect, ambition, and dedication
Speaker 1: to the Catholic faith, qualities that would later come to
Speaker 1: define his political career. Richelieu's political assent began in sixteen fourteen,
Speaker 1: when he was elected as a delegate of Clergy for
Speaker 1: the Estates General, an assembly that brought together representatives from
Speaker 1: the three traditional estates, the clergy, nobility, and commoners. During
Speaker 1: the assembly, Richelieu quickly distinguished himself as a skilled speaker
Speaker 1: and negotiator. He represented the interests of the Catholic clergy
Speaker 1: and gained favor with influential leaders at court. Now at
Speaker 1: the time, France was politically unstable. King Henry the fourth
Speaker 1: had been assassinated, as I mentioned in sixteen ten, leaving
Speaker 1: his young son Louis the thirteenth on the throne. Louis's mother,
Speaker 1: Muddy Dmitici, acted as regent, but her regency was marked
Speaker 1: by factionalism and internal conflict. Richelieu initially served as secretary
Speaker 1: to Muddy Dmitici and was appointed to her inner circle
Speaker 1: of advisers. In sixteen sixteen, he was made Secretary of
Speaker 1: State for Foreign Affairs and War, granting him a small
Speaker 1: but significant role in French politics. When Louis the thirteen
Speaker 1: teenth came of age in sixteen seventeen, he along with
Speaker 1: his favorite Charles de Lunees, pushed Marie de Medici out
Speaker 1: of power, leading to her exile. Richelieu closely associated with
Speaker 1: Marie was also removed from his post and sent into
Speaker 1: a form of exile at Avignon. However, he continued to
Speaker 1: support Marie, and his diplomatic skill ultimately led to a
Speaker 1: reconciliation between Louis and his mother in sixteen twenty Richelieu
Speaker 1: once again worked in favor and tirelessly behind the scenes,
Speaker 1: using his considerable abilities intact to navigate which were becoming
Speaker 1: very complex rivalries at court. By sixteen twenty two, Richelieu
Speaker 1: was rewarded for his loyalty and diplomatic efforts when Pope
Speaker 1: Gregory the fifteenth elevated him to the rank of cardinal.
Speaker 1: This not only solidified his religious authority but enhanced his
Speaker 1: influence at court. Recognizing his potential as a skilled administrator
Speaker 1: and mediator, Marie de Medici recommended him as a counselor
Speaker 1: to her son, Louis the thirteenth. In sixteen twenty four,
Speaker 1: as France continued to face internal and external threats, Louis
Speaker 1: the thirteenth appointed Richelieu as his chief minister, placing him
Speaker 1: at the pinnacle of power. This marked the beginning of
Speaker 1: Richelu's role as one of the most influential figures in France,
Speaker 1: He quickly set about implementing policies to centralize the French states,
Speaker 1: weaken the power of the nobility, and reduce the influence
Speaker 1: of the Huguenots. After being appointed Chief Minister in sixteen
Speaker 1: twenty four, Richelieu embarked on a mission to consolidate the
Speaker 1: king's royal authority and crush any opposition. But of course,
Speaker 1: Richelieu is relevant to more than just France, as his
Speaker 1: ambitions extended far beyond the borders of the kingdom. He
Speaker 1: saw in the Spanish a threat to his nation's security
Speaker 1: and his own power. Thus, the stage was now set
Speaker 1: for this veritable clash of Titans, this battle between two
Speaker 1: master strategists, each determined to outmaneuver the other. Olivades, emboldened
Speaker 1: by his recent successes, wanted a Europe fully under Habsburg control. Therefore,
Speaker 1: he poured his resources into what has been called the
Speaker 1: Grand quote unquote Union of Arms, a vast military machine
Speaker 1: designed to crush all of the habsburg enemies. Richelieu meanwhile
Speaker 1: understood that France, weakened by internal divisions, could not confront
Speaker 1: Spain directly. He instead opted for a more subtle approach,
Speaker 1: relying on an intricate web of alliances and strategic interventions
Speaker 1: to undermine Spanish ambitions. He sought to weaken the Habsburg
Speaker 1: grip on Europe by supporting their enemies wherever he could,
Speaker 1: providing aid to the Dutch and the Swedes, and even
Speaker 1: forging ties with the Protestant princes in Germany, once more
Speaker 1: underscoring the reality the Thirty Years War was not primarily
Speaker 1: a religious conflict. This clash of ideologies and ambitions really
Speaker 1: extended to every corner of the globe, an indication of
Speaker 1: just how globalized warfare was becoming something that we'll see
Speaker 1: really come to fruition. In the eighteenth century, the Dutch,
Speaker 1: frustrated by Spanish dominance at sea, struck back by targeting
Speaker 1: Spain's colonial possessions. The newly formed Dutch West India Company,
Speaker 1: a powerful merchant fleet armed to the teeth, captured Portuguese
Speaker 1: settlements in Brazil, seizing control of the lucrative sugar trade.
Speaker 1: These overseas ventures diverted Spanish resources, forcing Olivares and the
Speaker 1: Spanish to fight on multiple furs. The rivalry between Olivares
Speaker 1: and Richelieu reached a fever pitch in the Valentine, a
Speaker 1: strategic valley nestled deep in the Alps, Spanish troops, eager
Speaker 1: to get a vital passage to their allies in Austria,
Speaker 1: fellow Habsburg's occupied the region, triggering a chain of events
Speaker 1: that plunged Europe deeper and deeper into the Thirty Years War. Richelieu,
Speaker 1: sensing an opportunity to weaken Spain, dispatched French troops to
Speaker 1: support the Protestant Swiss forces resisting the Spanish advance. The
Speaker 1: ensuing conflict, known in their sources as the Holy Slaughter,
Speaker 1: ended in a bloody stalemate, further exacerbating tensions between the
Speaker 1: two powers. As the year's war on, the rivalry between
Speaker 1: Olivares and Richelieu grew more intense, fueling the flames of
Speaker 1: the Thirty Years War. Each set back, each perceived slight,
Speaker 1: only seemed to deepen their mutual animosity, creating a web
Speaker 1: of suspicion and hostility that threatened to consume all of Europe.
Speaker 1: The clash of ambition will be played out in the
Speaker 1: battlefield and in the quarridors of diplomacy, and an illustration
Speaker 1: of the expanding war in Germany becomes clear. What we
Speaker 1: consider Denmark's intervention, which will be right after this. Now,
Speaker 1: in our second half of this podcast, today, we're going
Speaker 1: to be looking at Denmark's intervention in the conflict and
Speaker 1: the rise of Albricht von Wallenstein, a pivotal figure in
Speaker 1: the war's later stages. Now, Christian of Denmark, concerned by
Speaker 1: recent Habsburg victories, saw an opportunity to expand Danish influence
Speaker 1: in northern Germany. He was motivated by a desire to
Speaker 1: protect the Lutheran Church and also to secure his family's
Speaker 1: holdings in the region. Meanwhile, the Lower Saxon Princess, phrasing
Speaker 1: pressure from the Emperor, went ahead and elected Christian the
Speaker 1: fourth as their leader and requested his military support against
Speaker 1: the aggressive Habsburg's This move escalated the conflict and for
Speaker 1: the first time, drew Denmark directly into the war. Now,
Speaker 1: one of the things that we should talk about is
Speaker 1: that there's this problem throughout the Thirty Years War, the
Speaker 1: problem the sources call of neutrality. The concept of neutrality
Speaker 1: was never clearly defined during the Thirty Years War. The
Speaker 1: Holy Roman Empire's constitution lacked provisions for neutral reality in
Speaker 1: international law. We talked at great lengths at the beginning
Speaker 1: of the stages of the war about how the internal
Speaker 1: makeup of the Holy Roman Empire led it to be
Speaker 1: sort of this perpetual battlefield, as people would duck in
Speaker 1: and out of the conflict at different times, and this
Speaker 1: lack of this concept of neutrality is one of the
Speaker 1: biggest reasons for this. People are oftentimes being forced to
Speaker 1: choose sides when if they could, they probably would have
Speaker 1: just stayed out of it. Now, the Emperor expected the
Speaker 1: lower Saxon estates to remain neutral and to provide financial
Speaker 1: support despite their sympathies with the Protestant cause. This expectation
Speaker 1: frankly just clashed with reality where neutrality was difficult to maintain.
Speaker 1: Now enter stage right. Albrecht von Wallenstein. Albrecht was an
Speaker 1: ambitious Bohemian noble, and he had capital on the war
Speaker 1: to amass both wealth and power. He was on the
Speaker 1: Habsburg side and was willing to enhance his estates with
Speaker 1: the Emperor's favor. Throughout the war. Wallenstein's military success and
Speaker 1: willingness to finance the imperial army impressed the Emperor Ferdinand
Speaker 1: the Second. He even offered to raise a large army
Speaker 1: at his own expense, which Ferdinand, of course readily accepted.
Speaker 1: Wallenstein's army, unlike other imperial forces, was largely financed on
Speaker 1: contributions levied on conquered territories. This system, while effective in
Speaker 1: raising funds, placed a heavy burden on the civilian population
Speaker 1: and had this tendency to exacerbate the war's brutality throughout
Speaker 1: its stages. We're not going to talk about this until
Speaker 1: the very end of the conflict, but it's worth previewing
Speaker 1: that the fact that this war goes on for so
Speaker 1: long and is so devastated to theryside is one of
Speaker 1: the reasons that it takes Germany so long to become unified,
Speaker 1: so long to become an industrialized country later on. Now,
Speaker 1: the decentralized nature of Wallenstein's financial administration, while allowing for flexibility,
Speaker 1: also created opportunities for corruption and abuse. Colonels were given
Speaker 1: considerable leeway in collecting funds from the local population, which
Speaker 1: spoiler alert is going to lead to widespread extortion and profiteering,
Speaker 1: making an already bad situation even worse. The reliance on
Speaker 1: plunder and contributions to pay soldiers led to a breakdown
Speaker 1: in discipline and further alienated the local population. Soldiers routinely
Speaker 1: ignored regulations and extracted more than what was permitted, exacerbating
Speaker 1: the war's devastating impact on civilian communities. The mounting burden
Speaker 1: of the war financing strained relationships between emperor and his subject,
Speaker 1: as well as communities forced to bear the cost of
Speaker 1: supporting the army. Remember it was traditionally up to the
Speaker 1: Reichstog and the various other components of the Empire to
Speaker 1: contribute voluntary taxes to support the defense of the realm,
Speaker 1: but that was usually against an external foe, ie the Ottomans.
Speaker 1: The notion that the same nobility and the Reichstog should
Speaker 1: have to vote year in and year out for a
Speaker 1: thirty year period to support this ongoing internal conflict was
Speaker 1: a bridge too far for many. The system eroded trust
Speaker 1: and authority and fueled resentment both against imperial forces and
Speaker 1: local officials. The war's insatiable need for money forced Ferdinand
Speaker 1: the Second to rely on increasingly desperate measures such as
Speaker 1: just confiscating property outright or selling offices, which further alienated
Speaker 1: the German princes and continued to undermine his authority. The
Speaker 1: Emperor's financial woes contributed to a growing sense of instability
Speaker 1: and resentment within the Holy Roman Empire. This period of
Speaker 1: the Thirty Years War is going to mark a dramatic
Speaker 1: escalation of violence and destruction. Denmark's intervention, which are going
Speaker 1: to turn to more next week, and the emergence of
Speaker 1: Wallenstein as a major military leader marked a turning point
Speaker 1: in the conflict. The war's devastating impact on the civilian
Speaker 1: population and the corrosive effects of its financing are going
Speaker 1: to continue to shape the course of events to years
Speaker 1: to come. And so next week we're going to turn
Speaker 1: in more detail to Denmark's intervention and explore the conflict
Speaker 1: between a rising Danish power and habsburg efforts to continue
Speaker 1: to consolidate their authority. Now, as always, if you've enjoyed
Speaker 1: the episode and you would like to listen without the
Speaker 1: commercial interruptions, you can check out the link in the
Speaker 1: show notes. You can also join Western Civ Two point
Speaker 1: zero if you would like a much more detailed look
Speaker 1: at historical subjects. We are very deep in Roman history
Speaker 1: right now, which I know is a source of interest
Speaker 1: too many, so if you'd like to check it out,
Speaker 1: there's a link in the show notes you can click
Speaker 1: and in whatever you're listening to this, You can listen
Speaker 1: to that, whether that's Spotify or Apple Podcasts or any
Speaker 1: sort of app that I haven't heard of, and you
Speaker 1: get a free day seven trial, so it's worth checking
Speaker 1: out until next time we continue the thirty years or