In this study, the author is dealing with one matter only, but a matter of supreme importance, and one which the bulk of our contemporaries have allowed to fall into the background or have even ignored. It is by far the greatest consideration attaching to that very great name, Richelieu. It is the permanent deflection of Europe from his time to ours, into a state which leaves Christians divided doubly: which has broken Christendom into a mosaic of nationalities: which has erected the worship of nationality into a religion usurping the ancient religion whereby Europe came to be: and which has left a line of cleavage between the Catholic and the Protestant culture which has become a gulf increasing before our eyes. Illustrated.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The best of the biographies,
By
This review is from: Richelieu: A Study (Hardcover)
One (among many) of the unfair knocks against Belloc is that in his later years he lapsed into writing potted biographies in order to fund his living expenses. The riposte: so what? Eminent Victorians is a collection of potted biographies but no one is beating Strachey over the head with that stick because of the literary ingenuity that went into the construction of that forever-fresh classic. The same is true of Richelieu. This is arguably the best of Belloc's biographies--so start here to discern whether you have a taste for this sort of thing. Richelieu is, as with anything written by Belloc, full of wit and wisdom (plus composed in that sparkling, fluid style). The construction, however, is what makes this book stand out from a number of other Belloc biographies (with the exception of, perhaps, Danton). Simply put, the book is well made. If anything, it reminds me of the kind of scaffolding one finds with an Ackroyd biography (another wonderful author).
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Monument to Religious History,
This review is from: Richelieu: A Study (Paperback)
Armand Jean Du Plessis, Cardinal et Duc de Richelieu (9 September 1585-4 December 1642) was a French clergyman, noble, and statesman.Consecrated as a bishop in 1607, he later entered politics, becoming a Secretary of State in 1616. Richelieu soon rose in both the Church and the state, becoming a cardinal in 1622, and King Louis XIII's chief minister in 1624. He remained in office until his death in 1642; he was succeeded by Jules Cardinal Mazarin. As chief minister, the Cardinal de Richelieu sought to consolidate royal power and crush domestic factions. By restraining the power of the nobility, he transformed France into a strongly centralised state. His chief foreign policy objective was to check the power of the Austro-Spanish Habsburg dynasty; although a Roman Catholic cardinal, he did not hesitate to make alliances with Protestant rulers in attempting to achieve this goal. His tenure was marked by the Thirty Years' War that engulfed Europe. Military expenses put a considerable strain on the King's revenues. In response, Cardinal Richelieu raised the gabelle (a tax on salt) and the taille (a tax on land). The clergy, nobility, and high bourgeoisie were either exempt or could easily avoid payment, so the burden fell on the poorest segment of the nation. To collect taxes more efficiently, and to keep corruption to a minimum, Richelieu bypassed local tax officials, replacing them with intendants-officials in the direct service of the Crown. Richelieu's financial scheme, however, caused unrest amongst the peasants; there were several uprisings between 1636 and 1639. Cardinal Richelieu crushed the revolts violently, and dealt with the rebels harshly. This is but a taste of this ignominious man's life story. Belloc delves into it all with verve and passion. A great read!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Belloc's Best?,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Richelieu: A Study (Paperback)
There are those who have taken the position that this is best of Belloc's many great books. Certainly, that is a bold statement, as this peerless and prolific historian wrote countless excellent and important books. In any case, this particular work is certainly unique.Within the pages of his aptly styled study, Belloc describes the character of the Cardinal, the scene on which he played out his particular part in the powerful play, and the huge impact that Richelieu had. It is this impact, which is most important to the student. For Belloc argues conclusively that Richelieu was largely responsible for the shaping of modern Europe, in the shape that Belloc percieved it in the first half of the twentieth century. Richelieu succeeded in elevating the French crown to primacy in Europe in an era where her supremacy was greatly threatened by the bicephalous realms of Hapsburg Austria and Spain. In this, Richelieu can be seen as the consummate politician and strategist, yes, even in the military sense of the word. Richelieu was not, as Warren Carroll styled him, a "Cardinal Against the Church". He was, rather, a most effective advocate of French policy and polity, who left as dramatic a mark on Europe as any actor until at least the time of Bismarck. Is this Belloc's best work? We can hardly venture to assess that. It is, in any case, hugely worthwhile and a rip-roaring fun ride through the pages of history with "Old Thunder". Pick it up, and give it a read.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
