The entry begins:Chief Minister to King Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu was the architect of a new France in the 17th century, and the force behind the nation's rise as a European power. One of the first statesmen to clearly understand the necessity of a balance of powers, he was one of the early realist politicians, practicing in the wake of Niccolò Machiavelli: a notable advocate of Realpolitik in our own time, Henry Kissinger, credits Richelieu with introducing a modern approach to international relations. He became, as well, a cultural icon, appearing, for example, as an important character in Alexandre Dumas’ classic The Three Musketeers.Learn more about Éminence at the publisher's website and the book's Facebook page.
Forging a nation-state amidst the swirl of unruly, grasping nobles, widespread corruption, wars of religion, and an ambitious Habsburg empire, Richelieu's hands were full. Serving his fickle monarch, however, and mastering the politics of absolute power provided Richelieu with his greatest challenge and ultimately determined his legacy to France and to all those who practice statecraft today. My new biography brings Richelieu fully to life—at court, on the battlefield, at times cruel and ruthless, always devoted to creating a lasting central authority vested in the power of monarchy, a power essential to France’s position on the European stage for the next two centuries.
Richelieu. The director should chose an actor capable of representing a stately and yet slightly devious presence, but without overdoing it. I propose David Strathairn.
Louis XIII. Nerd chic needed here: Jesse...[read on]
Writers Read: Jean-Vincent Blanchard.
My Book, The Movie: Éminence.
--Marshal Zeringue
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