Richelieu: the statesman answers, political lesson

A statesman with cloth of cardinal explained what is political think and actions, he presented herself as the my name is Armand Jean du Plessis, duke of Richelieu(1585-1642), and he had in front of him much journalists that wanted know explications about the policy; a girl journalist, Gloria, asked. “Why the scandalous bloodbath, as the Emperor Maximilian called the crime of St. Bartholomew’s Night, 23th-24^th 1572?”, and Richelieu: “The meaningful is the judge of Emperor Maximilian”, and Gloria: “Why?” and Richelieu: “Simple, because an Catholic Emperor that has judged so the extermination of Protestant, do you have never considered it?”, and Gloria: “No”, and Richelieu: “You must consider, because behind this massacre is a political will”, and Gloria: “What is it?” and Richelieu: “The go back to Church, that for mere question of faith privileged the Spain and Hapsburg Empire, with German and Austria beyond the Spain, hence the French would be easy prey of the dominant Spain; the massacre was necessary to demonstrate to Church that the French was faithful to Catholic believe, it is motive for this massacre”, and Gloria. But it is very cruel!”, and Richelieu: “As the policy, the policy is a cold science in warm wits. The destine of a nation, now the French, depended also from the probable excommunications to king of French Charles 9^th(1550-1574)”, and Gloria asked again: “The excommunication is nothing”, and Richelieu: “Today is nothing, but then was very determining”, and Gloria: “Why?”, and Richelieu: “Because it would have enable to the Spain to attack the French because a Protestant nation and governed from a treacherous king, hence the invasion of French would be automatic, with Belgium up the North of French and the Holland in same position, geographically it would had been the capital condemn for the French, whereby the massacre of Saint Bartholomew was necessary, to avoid that the Spain spread his Empire. And other journalist, Simon: “The judge of Carl J. Burchardt( Richelieu. His Rise to Power, p.9) judged this massacre as the fearful tension that existed between Catholic and Protestant in France?”, and Richelieu, smiled and: “In years 1562, the French Calvinist, called also Huguenot, has had the freedom for their cult in Saint German in year 1562, it is possible that among this edict and the Night of Saint Bartholomew were past then years, and during these years the tension or contrast hasn’t been, and after, in year 1572, soon the tension emerged? It is possible or it is alone a cockup necessary to some historical man that hasn’t found the political motive?”, and Simon: “It is probable”, and Simon: “Burchardt has given his explication and it is equal to your, in fact he said “It is quite clear that in a State not yet grown to maturity and ringed round with enemies, the continuance of such a schism was bound to bring destruction: thoughtful observers of France’s destiny recognized this and acted upon it, sometimes against their deepest personal convictions. Henry IV…”. And Richelieu: “It is attests that the policy is same as the man, because the explication is same, hence we can think that the nature of man that makes the policy is always the equal; I am sorry but I have other questions of state, thank you very much.

Alessandro Lusana