Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu

Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal-Duke of Richelieu and of Fronsac (1585 – 1642) was a French clergyman, noble and statesman.

Biography

In 1622, Richelieu was elected the principal of the Sorbonne University. Seeing that the college buildings were falling into ruin, he set about renovating them. In 1629, he began to rebuild the entire establishment, on the condition that a place was left for his tomb, and also ordered the construction of the Palais-Cardinal, later known as the Palais-Royal. The tomb was designed by François Girardon and later protected by Alexandre Lenoir during the French Revolution.

As the chief minister of King Louis XIII from 1624 to his death, Richelieu played a vital role in centralizing the French state and strengthening its power. At one point, he attempted in vain to set up a hospital for invalid soldiers. Following his death, he was buried in his tomb at the Sorbonne and succeeded as chief minister by Jules Mazarin.

Legacy and influence

Richelieu later became famous for the eponymous character in Alexandre Dumas' novel The Three Musketeers, published in 1844.

In October 2016, the Templar historian Simon Hathaway noted that the Cardinal was a nigh-legendary figure who had figured into the history of Chinon.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Unity (mentioned in Database entry only)
• Assassin's Creed: Heresy (mentioned only)