Day of the Dupes

As Journée the Dupes or Day of the Dupes is a central event in the history of France is referred to, November 11, 1630, which became a classic date in politics and diplomacy.

Context

After he had limited the freedom of the Huguenots, Cardinal Richelieu wanted an alliance with the German Protestants against the Habsburgs and the Catholics, a plan that the religious party ( Parti submissive ), led by the Queen Mother Marie de Medici and Gaston of Orléans, the younger brother of the king, opposed to standing.

November 11

The Parti submissive to the king to convince them of an alliance with the Catholic Habsburgs, which included the dismissal of Richelieu succeeded. To ensure the decision they made ​​after the gates of the Palais du Luxembourg close, but the Cardinal succeeded anyway, to get to the palace to get to the king and to explain its position.

Louis XIII. changed its position in this conversation completely broke with his mother and his brother - and moved immediately back to the Palace of Versailles. Richelieu was confirmed in his position as chief minister and had achieved that day the peak of his power.

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After this victory Richelieu was mercilessly against the opposition, had assembled the high nobility, submissive, confident in the King's and the victory of the Parti decision behind the Queen Mother. Nobles were put on trial and executed, razed their castles, if they were still not used for tasks of border security. Marie de Medici was only found in Compiègne under house arrest in 1631, when she refused to give up her fight against Richelieu, forced to flee to Brussels.

The disempowerment of the nobility were Richelieu opportunity to impose absolutism. Nobility, the clergy and the parliaments were disempowered, kept only the rights that were not the interests of the king in the way. 1635 Richelieu founded the Académie Française, with which he was even able to control the French language and French literature from above. In the field of economy his policies is linked with the concept of mercantilism.

The common name in France for the day comes from Guillaume de Bautru, comte de Serrant (1588-1665): " C'est la journée the dupes "