Richelieu

Richelieu most commonly refers to Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu (1585–1642), a French cleric and statesman who served as chief minister to King Louis XIII and helped shape early modern France. The name is also used for several places and a French battleship.

Armand Jean du Plessis rose to power through diplomacy and court politics, becoming Louis XIII's principal adviser in 1624 and remaining in government until his death. He centralized authority by strengthening the royal administration, creating the system of intendant commissioners to extend royal reach into provinces, and reducing noble autonomy. He pursued a Catholic-unifying policy, strengthened the army and navy, and supported the early French academy and education. In foreign affairs, he opposed Habsburg influence in Europe and directed French military efforts during portions of the Thirty Years' War. Domestically, his policies laid the foundations of an absolute monarchy, while his patronage of arts and learning helped shape French culture.

Richelieu, Quebec, is a municipality in the Montérégie region of Canada, located on the Richelieu River south of Montreal. It is part of the La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality and is known for agriculture and local historic sites along the river.

Richelieu is a commune in central France's Indre-et-Loire department. It is best known for the Château de Richelieu, a 17th-century fortress designed by Jacques Lemercier for Cardinal Richelieu and associated with the early development of the French formal garden tradition. The town and château reflect the cardinal's influence on French urban and architectural planning.

Richelieu was the lead ship of the French Navy's Richelieu-class battleships, laid down in the 1930s and commissioned in 1940. It served in World War II, later joining Free French forces, and remained in service into the 1960s before being retired.