Louis François Armand de Vignerot of Plessis, duke of Richelieu

The marshal Louis François Armand de Vignerot of Plessis , Duke of Fronsac then Duke of Richelieu (1715), prince de Mortagne, marquis of the Bridge-Courlay, count de Cosnac, baron de Barbezieux, baron de Coze and baron de Saugeon, Even of France, was born in Paris the March 13rd 1696 and died the August 8th 1788.

Biography

Great-grand-nephew of the Cardinal of Richelieu, Louis François Armand de Vignerot of Plessis was the godson of Louis XIV and the Duchesse of Burgundy, He Maria three times. In first weddings, he married on February 12th 1711 Anne de Noailles († 1716). It remaria on April 7th 1734 with Elisabeth of Lorraine-Harcourt († 1740) from which he had two children:

Lastly, it remaria at 84 years, in 1780, with Jeanne de Lavaulx.

Called “the Alcibiade French”, it was made famous for its vices, its adventures in love and its duels, which were worth to him to be imprisoned fourteen months with the Bastille in its youth. It went back there for a duel in 1716, then the March 20th 1719, seriously compromised in the Conspiration of Cellamare. The loads retained against him were so heavy that the Régent declared: “If Mr. de Richelieu had four heads, I would have in my pocket of what to make them cut all the four…” And he would have added: “So only it had one of them… ”, before making it release on the authorities of his/her daughter, M {{the}} of Valois, which of it was madly in love and had, on this occasion, to make the promise to give up marrying it.

Among his innumerable female conquests, one can also quote the marchioness of Châtelet in 1733 and it not less famous baroness of Tencin which was worth it well and with which it maintained a long correspondence. Thanks to the protection of the marchioness of Requests, it was named ambassador with Vienna (1725 - 1729) then with Dresden. It showed a skilful diplomat there.

In 1743, it was named First gentleman of the Room and, in 1755, governor of the Guyenne where it discovered and appreciated the wines of Bordeaux.

Man of valorous war, it fought with distinction in many campaigns between 1733 and 1758, in particular taking a decisive share with the victory of Fontenoy (1745). He was made Marshal of France in 1748.

Shining courtier, it exerted a great influence on Louis XV, until Madam de Pompadour, offended by its refusal to marry his/her son, the duke of Fronsac, to his/her daughter, M {{the}} of Étiolles, moves away it from the King without arriving for as much depriving it of any credit.

Generous patron, he was the friend of Voltaire, which he often accepted in his residences of Paris, Versailles and Fontainebleau.

Although hardly knowing the orthography, he was elected unanimously with the French Academy on November 25th 1720. He made write his speech of reception by Fontenelle, Campistron and Destouches. He exerted a very great influence within the Academy. He was also honorary member of the Academy of Science in 1731.

He was made knight of the Ordre of the Holy Spirit on January 1st 1729.

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