This 17th century French clergyman and political leader was the chief of government under King Louis XIII who establishied absolute monarchy in France and broke the political power of the Huguenots (French Protestants). Who was he?

The statesman in question is Cardinal Richelieu, a towering figure in 17th-century French history. Born Armand Jean du Plessis in 1585, he rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church and French government to become chief minister to King Louis XIII in 1624, a position he held until his death in 1642. Richelieu's primary objective was to centralize power in France under an absolute monarch, thereby strengthening the crown and making France a dominant force in Europe.

To achieve this, Richelieu systematically worked to diminish the power of groups that could challenge the king's authority. He curbed the influence of the feudal nobility by abolishing the position of Constable of France and ordering the razing of fortified castles not essential for defense. Crucially, he also targeted the political power of the Huguenots, French Protestants, who, under the Edict of Nantes, held fortified cities and considerable autonomy. Richelieu viewed their independent strongholds as a threat to royal authority. His decisive action against them culminated in the Siege of La Rochelle in 1628, which, after a year, led to the city's fall and effectively ended the Huguenots' political and military privileges, though their religious freedoms were largely maintained.

Richelieu's policies laid the groundwork for the absolute monarchy that would reach its zenith under King Louis XIV. His dedication to the concept of "raison d'état," or "reason of state," meant that the interests of France and its monarch superseded all other considerations, including religious ones. Known as the "Red Eminence" due to his cardinal's robes, Richelieu was not only a skilled politician and military strategist but also a patron of the arts and a founder of the Académie française. His profound impact transformed France into a more centralized and powerful nation on the European stage.