We're nominating him for Yuletide, right? Do you have any thoughts on why he was an exception?
Different Richelieu, alas! Richelieu the 17th century power behind the throne, THE Richelieu, was Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642). Our 18th century Enlightenment Yuletide prospect Richelieu, lover of Émilie and friend of Voltaire, is the Cardinal's great-greatnephew, the Duc de Richelieu (1696-1788).
*facepalm* My complete inability to do dates strikes again. I did know that Cardinal Richelieu predated the Sun King, so you would have thought that I would have realized that this necessarily meant he would have to predate Émilie. Lol, I am so glad this is a nonjudgmental space, that is really embarrassing.
Maybe someone else will nominate him for Yuletide! :)
If it's a comfort, I suspect Fritz at least once intermingled the two in his head as well. Keep in mind here that in addition to being Voltaire's bff, Enlightenment!Richelieu was also one of the 7 Years War Campaign leaders against Fritz, and not one he personally defeated on the field. So, when during their later years history and philosophy letters, Heinrich and Fritz have this exchange:
Heinrich: Richelieu was cool. Fritz: He was not! He was a bad, bad man who estranged Louis XIII from his mother! *now follows a literal Fritz quote* Richelieu was haughty and vengeful, I insist on it, and I refuse him the title of great in all his wickedness.
...I can't help but wonder whether he's projecting some anger over the other other man in Voltaire's life here on the Cardinal. I mean, Enlightenment!Richelieu also contributed by far the most money to the nude statue, too.:)
Very likely - he opens his anti Richelieu suada with I see, my dear brother, that, at whatever cost, you want to raise our species. And very Fritzian, he closes it with: I only grant him the title of enlightened minister when he unites with the Swedes to demean Austrian despotism in Germany.
That's one way of describing Richelieu, PM of Catholic France and himself a Cardinal, making an alliance with Protestant Gustav Adolf of Sweden in the middle of the 30 Years War (supposedly a war of religion) against the Catholic HRE Emperor. On Richelieu's part, this was Realpolitik, and mostly about the France/Spain feud, since Spain at that time was still ruled by the Habsburgs (cousins to the Emperor). Fritz: projecting like mad. Also pointedly not mentioning whom the Swedes teamed up with in the most recent war...
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Replies from last post
Date: 2020-09-04 01:39 am (UTC)Different Richelieu, alas! Richelieu the 17th century power behind the throne, THE Richelieu, was Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642). Our 18th century Enlightenment Yuletide prospect Richelieu, lover of Émilie and friend of Voltaire, is the Cardinal's great-greatnephew, the Duc de Richelieu (1696-1788).
Re: Replies from last post
Date: 2020-09-04 05:20 am (UTC)Maybe someone else will nominate him for Yuletide! :)
Re: Replies from last post
Date: 2020-09-04 05:59 am (UTC)Heinrich: Richelieu was cool.
Fritz: He was not! He was a bad, bad man who estranged Louis XIII from his mother! *now follows a literal Fritz quote* Richelieu was haughty and vengeful, I insist on it, and I refuse him the title of great in all his wickedness.
...I can't help but wonder whether he's projecting some anger over the other other man in Voltaire's life here on the Cardinal. I mean, Enlightenment!Richelieu also contributed by far the most money to the nude statue, too.:)
Re: Replies from last post
Date: 2020-09-07 03:54 am (UTC)I also wonder whether Fritz couldn't handle at all the thought of someone *not* the monarch having all that power?
(Heinrich: This doesn't sound nearly as bad to me!)
Re: Replies from last post
Date: 2020-09-07 06:48 am (UTC)That's one way of describing Richelieu, PM of Catholic France and himself a Cardinal, making an alliance with Protestant Gustav Adolf of Sweden in the middle of the 30 Years War (supposedly a war of religion) against the Catholic HRE Emperor. On Richelieu's part, this was Realpolitik, and mostly about the France/Spain feud, since Spain at that time was still ruled by the Habsburgs (cousins to the Emperor). Fritz: projecting like mad. Also pointedly not mentioning whom the Swedes teamed up with in the most recent war...
Re: Replies from last post
Date: 2020-09-04 03:41 pm (UTC)this necessarily meant he would have to predate Émilie
Unless he found the elixir of life
and didn't share it with Fredersdorf. ;)Maybe someone else will nominate him for Yuletide! :)
Maybe someone will!