A History of France

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER'-VI. France Under Mazarin, To The End Of The Thirty Years' War. A.d. 1643-1648. When Richelieu died Louis XIII seemed to be neither sorry nor glad. Doubtless the burden had been heavy on him; yet from what toil and responsibilities had the great Minister saved him This King, otherwise so obscure,...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER'-VI. France Under Mazarin, To The End Of The Thirty Years' War. A.d. 1643-1648. When Richelieu died Louis XIII seemed to be neither sorry nor glad. Doubtless the burden had been heavy on him; yet from what toil and responsibilities had the great Minister saved him This King, otherwise so obscure, has, as we have said, one claim to the respect of his country: he sincerelyde-sired thatFrance should have an independentcaxeer. Throughout his life he resented the unpatriotic position taken up by the Spanish party at Court, and profoundly distrusted the anti- French policy of his spouse, Anne of Austria; he was quite aware of the true import of Richelieu's treatment of German affairs. Therefore, though the Cardinal's death may have been a relief, still Louis at once declared it his intention to ' follow out all the late Cardinal's plans, whether at home or abroad'; and Mazarin, heir of Richelieu's inmost thoughts and views, became forthwith the guiding spirit in the counsels of France. Mazarin had little of his master's cold severity: the tension slackened at once; reconciliations took place, the Minister seeming ready to be friends with all; charming and supple, he glides lightly between parties, smoothes down all jealousies, secures firm hold on the confidence and affection of Anne of Austria, and appears likely to begin again the old Italian balancing-policy, which under Catherine de' Medici had been so dangerous to France. Gaston of Orleans, indolent and ambitious as ever, and a scandal to his country, returned to Court, was pardoned and . restored to favour: the nobles lying in the Bastille were released, the exiles recalled. Before they had time to group themselves or to form fresh factions, and before they had become familiar with the face of France...