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 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...