Episode 6

The Thirty Years’ War brought France significant territorial gains, but within the country the tax burden increased, deepening poverty and popular discontent. Richelieu also provoked strong opposition among the nobility, whose privileges he greatly reduced by strengthening the king’s absolute authority. Several plots were directed against him. The Cinq-Mars conspiracy, led by a royal favourite who had in fact been promoted by Richelieu himself, was the final attempt to overthrow him, but it failed. Richelieu died at the height of his power on December 4, 1642, of natural causes. Mazarin, also a cardinal, succeeded him.