Louis XIII

Louis XIII., son of Henri IV. and Marie de Medicis, was born in 1601, and succeeded his father in 1610. The queen-mother acted as regent until 1617, when the king assumed the government. During the next four years (1617-21) Louis was under the influence of the Duc de Luynes. In 1620 the re-establishment of Roman Catholicism in Beam led to a fresh outbreak of the religious wars. By the Treaty of Montpellier (1623) the Edict of Nantes was confirmed, but the Huguenots lost their political privileges. For the next eighteen years (1624-42) the history of the reign of Louis XIII. is that of Richelieu and his policy. The Huguenots and the nobles were reduced to submission, the English attempt to relieve La Rochelle was defeated (1627), and the intrigues of Marie de Medicis were successfully met. In 1629 Louis was induced by Marie de Medicis to supersede Richelieu in favour of Marillac, but the cardinal speedily re-established his influence over the weak king by a personal interview. The only other serious attempt made to shake his power was the conspiracy of Cinq Mars in 1641. On the death of Richelieu in 1642 Mazarin became chief minister. Louis XIII. died in the following year. [Richelieu, Mazaein, Huguenots.]