Wow, this is amazing. And yeah, I guess I can see how all of this would make Richelieu, well, exceptional. Especially which Armand witnesses and never forgets as an education in what can happen to even the most powerful man of the realm. , holy cow.
Concini and his wife Leonora (who started out as Marie de' Medici's dwarf)
...really??
Also, I super love how Madame de Combalet becomes an important character/plot point! :D Go Madame de Combalet!
Richelieu *taking up candle, assuming the position of lowly servant, but does leave the cabinet first*: Just to illuminate the way for your majesty.
Madame de Combalet's husband died fairly early; she then essentially became Richelieu's Fredersdorf, managing her uncle's daiy-to-day life. (Which given he was the PM demanded considerable organizational skills.) Rather than arrange antoher marriage for her, he got Louis to make her a Duchess in her own right (hence her becoming the Duchesse d'Aiguillon, when there was no Duc de Aiguillon), which was highly unusual. She also became an important patron of the arts; Corneille dedicated his great play Le Cid to her. Richelieu telling her he'd loved her on his deathbed was basically the last thing he said.
On a less sentimental note, another quote from Richelieu on his deathbed is so very him that it ends up said by very much alive Richelieu in many historical fictions starring him, to wit:
"Does your Eminence forgive your enemies? "My enemies? I never had enemies but the enemies of the state."
The Richard Lester directed two part film version of "The Three Musketeers", which, despite all the 1960s slapstick, is actually by far the most book faithful, especially compared to more resent US ones, is also the only movie version incorporating this, in this case when our hero D'Artagnan gets a job offer from Richelieu - who, as a reminder, is one of the two main antagonists of the films - and virtuously declines, adding he counts it as an honor to be regarded as Richelieu's enemy. Then the scene goes:
Richelieu (amused): My enemy? Dear boy, I have no enemies but the enemies of the state.
Richelieu is played by Charlton Heston, cast against type; for my money it's one of his best roles and shows that acting outside his comfort range was something he could actually do.)
Leonora: indeed. After her husband got killed and torn apart by the mob, she got a show trial and as accused of having used magic to dominate the Queen Mother. Said Leonora, scornfully: "I used no power but that which is given to a strong mind over a weak one."
Said an admiring 19th century historian who overwise was pretty much misogniystic: This statement alone justifies her existence to history. I mean, Leonora got executed anyway, but it was a classic burn.
:D I'm so glad Madame de Combalet got not only a good story, but a good relationship and a good life (especially after hearing about Emma :( and Leonora :( )
I didn't realize that forgiving one's enemies was one of the things one was asked in deathbed confessions until, uh, quite recent reading. :P That is fantastic.
Clearly I am going to have to put Three Musketeers on my list (which maybe someday I will actually make any headway on?? this year has been the Worst for processing any video) (and also reread the book, as I remember basically zero about it)
My icon is from the Lester movies, using a quote about Richelieu. As for a lot of other movie versions, here is the entry in which I make fun of one basic problem modern scriptwriters all seem to share when it comes to the Cardinal.
I didn't realize that forgiving one's enemies was one of the things one was asked in deathbed confessions until, uh, quite recent reading. :P That is fantastic.
Reading Macaulay recently reminded me of this anecdote of FW on his deathbed (or a sickbed that he ended up recovering from, not sure):
Roloff: And then there is forgiveness of enemies; Your Majesty is bound to forgive all men, or how can you ask to be forgiven? FW: Well, I will; I do. You Feekin [his wife, Queen Sophie], write to your brother (unforgiveablest of beings), after I am dead, that I forgave him, died in peace with him. Roloff: Better Her Majesty should write at once. FW: No, after I am dead, that will be safer!
The passage ends: "At parting he said to Roloff, 'You (Er, He) do not spare me; it is right. You do your duty like an honest Christian man.'"
You better believe this anecdote was not reported by Macaulay, hater of FW. This is the 1882 editor chiding Macaulay for his one-sided portrayal of FW and trying to show FW in a better light, for which the editor quotes at length a passage from Carlyle.
Allow me to add that the correct German spelling for the Sophie nickname is "Fieke". Also, LOL about George II being the most unforgivable of all beings. See, dead and alive Fritz boyfriends, there's someone he resents more!
To clarify for cahn, I'm taking "unforgiveablest of beings" as a Carlyle addendum, not a direct FW quote, but the fact that it's George II he feels the most need to forgive (but not a moment before he has to!) *is* very telling.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-04 05:33 am (UTC)Concini and his wife Leonora (who started out as Marie de' Medici's dwarf)
...really??
Also, I super love how Madame de Combalet becomes an important character/plot point! :D Go Madame de Combalet!
Richelieu *taking up candle, assuming the position of lowly servant, but does leave the cabinet first*: Just to illuminate the way for your majesty.
Woooooow, this guy!
Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-04 05:51 am (UTC)On a less sentimental note, another quote from Richelieu on his deathbed is so very him that it ends up said by very much alive Richelieu in many historical fictions starring him, to wit:
"Does your Eminence forgive your enemies?
"My enemies? I never had enemies but the enemies of the state."
The Richard Lester directed two part film version of "The Three Musketeers", which, despite all the 1960s slapstick, is actually by far the most book faithful, especially compared to more resent US ones, is also the only movie version incorporating this, in this case when our hero D'Artagnan gets a job offer from Richelieu - who, as a reminder, is one of the two main antagonists of the films - and virtuously declines, adding he counts it as an honor to be regarded as Richelieu's enemy. Then the scene goes:
Richelieu (amused): My enemy? Dear boy, I have no enemies but the enemies of the state.
Richelieu is played by Charlton Heston, cast against type; for my money it's one of his best roles and shows that acting outside his comfort range was something he could actually do.)
Leonora: indeed. After her husband got killed and torn apart by the mob, she got a show trial and as accused of having used magic to dominate the Queen Mother. Said Leonora, scornfully: "I used no power but that which is given to a strong mind over a weak one."
Said an admiring 19th century historian who overwise was pretty much misogniystic: This statement alone justifies her existence to history. I mean, Leonora got executed anyway, but it was a classic burn.
Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-07 03:43 am (UTC)I didn't realize that forgiving one's enemies was one of the things one was asked in deathbed confessions until, uh, quite recent reading. :P That is fantastic.
Clearly I am going to have to put Three Musketeers on my list (which maybe someday I will actually make any headway on?? this year has been the Worst for processing any video) (and also reread the book, as I remember basically zero about it)
GO LEONORA.
I like your icon!
Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-07 02:06 pm (UTC)Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-07 06:49 pm (UTC)Reading Macaulay recently reminded me of this anecdote of FW on his deathbed (or a sickbed that he ended up recovering from, not sure):
Roloff: And then there is forgiveness of enemies; Your Majesty is bound to forgive all men, or how can you ask to be forgiven?
FW: Well, I will; I do. You Feekin [his wife, Queen Sophie], write to your brother (unforgiveablest of beings), after I am dead, that I forgave him, died in peace with him.
Roloff: Better Her Majesty should write at once.
FW: No, after I am dead, that will be safer!
The passage ends: "At parting he said to Roloff, 'You (Er, He) do not spare me; it is right. You do your duty like an honest Christian man.'"
You better believe this anecdote was not reported by Macaulay, hater of FW. This is the 1882 editor chiding Macaulay for his one-sided portrayal of FW and trying to show FW in a better light, for which the editor quotes at length a passage from Carlyle.
Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-08 09:08 am (UTC)Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-08 10:54 pm (UTC)Re: Richelieu
Date: 2020-09-12 05:26 am (UTC)