Richelieu, nearing his death, faces a plot…
December 1642 CE
Richelieu, nearing his death, faces a plot that threatens to remove him from power.
The cardinal had had introduced a young man named Henri Coiffier de Ruzé, marquis de Cinq-Mars, to Louis XIII's court.
The Cardinal had been a friend of Cinq-Mars' father.
More importantly, Richelieu had hoped that Cinq-Mars would become Louis' favorite, so that he could indirectly exercise greater influence over the monarch's decisions.
Cinq-Mars had become the royal favorite by 1639, but, contrary to Cardinal Richelieu's belief, he is not easy to control.
The young marquis realizes that Richelieu will not permit him to gain political power.
He had participated in 1641 in the comte de Soissons' failed conspiracy against Richelieu, but was not discovered.
He schemes in 1642 with leading nobles (including the King's brother, the duc d'Orléans) to raise a rebellion; he also signs a secret agreement with the King of Spain, who promises to aid the rebels.
Richelieu's spy service, however, discovers the plot, and the Cardinal receives a copy of the treaty.
Cinq-Mars is promptly arrested and executed; although Louis approves the use of capital punishment, he grows more distant from Richelieu as a result.
In the same year, however, Richelieu's health is already failing.
He suffers greatly from eye strain and headaches, among other ailments.
As he feels his death approaching, he names as his successor one of his most faithful followers, Jules Cardinal Mazarin.