Comparing Cardinal Richelieus Practice of Ruler Ship to...

Some regard nineteenth century France to be the France of Napolà ©on Bonaparte and, in the same respect, it can be argued that ancien rà ©gime France was the France of Armand-Jean du Plessis de Richelieu. Upon entering the French political arena, Richelieu was thrown amidst the struggles of international diplomacy, the devious schemes of the nobility, and the disgruntlement of the common people. Similarly, the unstable Florentine Italy which Niccà ²lo Machiavelli familiarized himself with led both these prominent men to publish their respective works: The Prince by Machiavelli and The Political Testament of Cardinal Richelieu by Richelieu himself. By rejecting conventional morals, disregarding haughty ideals, and promoting ruthless tactics, The†¦show more content†¦The burden of paying taxes fell upon the peasantry since the majority of nobility and high bourgeoisie were either exempt or effortlessly evaded payment. The social distress amongst the peasantry caused by the war taxation resulted in several uprisings between 1636 and 1639, which the Cardinal crushed violently and dealt with the rebels in a harsh manner which Machiavelli would have promoted.# However, when examining to what extent Machiavellis maxims on ruler ship applied to Richelieus own experiences, it is important to understand that a states domestic affairs and its international ones are mutually constitutive. It is apparent that the issue of internal security was crucial and impacted Frances status in the international arena. From 1624-8, Richelieus foreign policy was jeopardized by national concerns: the revolt of the Huguenots and inconveniences resulting from those who directly opposed him within France, specifically the noblesse and the peasantry. With increasingly power-acquiring factions, Richelieu understood that the greater part of educated, intelligent French citizens wished for a sound