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- Title
Mathieu de Morgues and Michel de Marillac: The dévots and absolutism.
- Authors
Maillet-Rao, Caroline
- Abstract
For a long time, the official historiography has considered the political thought of the dévot faction, led by Mathieu de Morgues and Michel de Marillac, to have been in favour of traditional monarchy, Catholicism and the extermination of Protestants, and, thus, against the Thirty Years War. Their position has been contrasted with that of Cardinal Richelieu, regarded as profoundly absolutist and modern, and this view, although widely criticized, continues to prevail. The present article is intended to demonstrate that the dévot thinkers were in fact on the absolutists’ side, and that this explains why they were opposed to Richelieu. They criticized not absolutism but, rather, the illegitimate influence of an all-powerful premier ministre over the government. Indeed, according to the dévot faction, Richelieu’s ministériat betrayed the very essence of absolute monarchy.
- Subjects
FRANCE; FRENCH politics &; government, 1610-1643; DE Morgues, Mathieu; MARILLAC, Michel de, 1563-1632; RICHELIEU, Armand Jean du Plessis, duc de, 1585-1642; 17TH century French history; FRENCH monarchy; FRENCH Catholics; DESPOTISM; SOVEREIGNTY; MARIE de Medicis, Queen, consort of Henry IV, King of France, 1573-1642
- Publication
French History, 2011, Vol 25, Issue 3, p279
- ISSN
0269-1191
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/fh/crr046