Malettke, Klaus Richelieu. Ein Leben im Dienste des Königs und Frankreichs

The often controversial Cardinal and statesman Richelieu had a lasting influence on the history of France and left deep traces in the history of Europe beyond his death. After decades of research on Richelieu and his epoch, Klaus Malettke presents a new, comprehensive biography. The author deals with the life and actions of the man, theologian and statesman in both their positive and critical aspects.

The author devotes a great deal of space to the foreign policy actions of the "headmaster minister" Richelieu in the phase of "open war" from 1635 to 1642. Malettke particularly illuminates the statesman's ideas about the shaping of a comprehensive peace in Europe and its lasting preservation through the realisation of a system of collective security. But the author also gives a knowledgeable account of the propagandistic public relations work developed by Richelieu and his followers as well as his work as a patron of the arts. No less attention is paid to Richelieu's patronage policy as well as his diverse and wide-ranging activities in building up his own great fortune. It is always important for Klaus Malettke to reconstruct which principles and categories determined Richelieu's and the other actors' actions at the time - such as dynasty, confession, state interest, reason of state and tradition.