351-07
Louis XIII |
The minority of Louis XIII
 | Louis XIII was only nine years old when he
succeeded to the throne and this necessitated a regency. His mother Marie de
Medici immediately became regent. Descended from the Hapsburgs on her mother's
side and an extremely pious Catholic, she set about redirecting French foreign
policy in accordance with her beliefs. It was she who arranged Louis' marriage
to Anne, daughter of Philip III, and her daughter Elizabeth's marriage to
Philip's son (later Philip IV.)
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Concino Concini, Marquis D'Ancre |
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Marie de Medici's chief minister was Concino Concini, Marquis D'Ancre, a Florentine who had accompanied her from
Italy and who was married to her foster-sister, Leonora Galigai.
Marie and Concini
immediately encountered opposition from French noblemen who wanted a
greater hand in government and who resented the pro-Spanish policies.
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The opposition was led by Henri de Bourbon~Condé,
Duc D'Enghien who pressurized Marie de Medici into assembling the Estates
General (1614-15.)
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Condé had hoped that
the Estates General might force Marie de Medici to change policy and
advisors, but it did nothing concrete.
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In 1616, Marie de
Medici had Condé arrested and
imprisoned. She also removed his sympathizers from office.
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Louis and Luynes |
Charles, marquis
d'Albert,
duc de Luynes (1578-1621)
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The young Louis XIII had shown no resentment of his
mother's grip on power, and spent most of his time hunting and
hawking. However in 1617 he became attached to Charles d'Albert, sieur de
Luynes. Together they organized the arrest and assassination of
Concini. (They also had Leonora Galigai executed on charges of
witchcraft.)
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Louis exiled his mother to Blois and made Luynes his chief
minister. Marie tried to regain power by force (1619-20) but was defeated.
| Louis now ruled personally with Luynes' help, and
began suppressing the Protestant stronghold of Béarn
in the Pyrenees. (Béarn Protestants demanded toleration for themselves but
banned Catholic worship in their territory.) |
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Louis and Luynes also decided to reduce noble
pensions and the two policies provoked open revolt. |
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The French army
under Louis assaulted St Jean-d’Angély (a fortress dominating La Rochelle, a
Protestant centre.) Luynes attacked the Huguenots in
Mountaban, Languedoc. While campaigning, he contracted a fever and died
(December 1621.)
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