Richelieu was the Catholic counterpart of the sort of non-royal, lower-noble leadership that'd risen up during the Religious Wars (which were not all that much "war" and had little to do with "religion").
He went into the clergy simply because the family needed control of the bishoporic they'd been looting for generations, and that way they wouldn't have to explain to religious why there was no money left for ecclesiastical purposes.
Thinks of them as "early TV preacher" types.
I suppose Richelieu was promoted most often because so many powerful figures around him thought of him as a useful idiot, an empty suit ~ and he turned into what can only be described as the world's first modern Prime Minister.
One article says he granted the Jesuits a monopoly on the fur trade ~ which suggests he either hated the Recollects, but hated the Jesuits more (getting them cooked on tribal campfires throughout the Ohio Country), or he wanted to get them out of the country. He also supposedly gave the Jesuits a monopoly on French missionary work ~ which, of course, got Jesuit priests cooked on yet other fires in even more primitive countries.
After Richilieu it was amazing that the Jesuits still existed.
You wrote:
“I believe you’re right ~ on the other hand he became a Cardinal, so it hardly matters.”
The truth always matters.
“I suppose Richelieu was promoted most often because so many powerful figures around him thought of him as a useful idiot, an empty suit ~ and he turned into what can only be described as the world’s first modern Prime Minister.”
Uh, no. Richelieu gained his position in France because he was brilliant at what he did. I don’t like the man, but I acknowledge the fact that he had incredible talent. I think you would be hard pressed to find too many reputable historians who thought of him as an “empty suit”.
“One article says he granted the Jesuits a monopoly on the fur trade ~ which suggests he either hated the Recollects, but hated the Jesuits more (getting them cooked on tribal campfires throughout the Ohio Country), or he wanted to get them out of the country.”
The monopoly went to the trade company that was colonizing Canada. Richelieu allowed the Jesuits to serve as interpreters and negotiators so that they could serve the Indians and encourage conversions. What he - obviously - wanted to do was to help Jesuit missionaries. He didn’t want the Jesuits out of France as is seen by the fact that he made a Jesuit the king’s confessor. And he still didn’t have the best relationship with Jesuits.
“He also supposedly gave the Jesuits a monopoly on French missionary work ~ which, of course, got Jesuit priests cooked on yet other fires in even more primitive countries.”
Martyrdom is not a bad thing in the Christian view.
“After Richilieu it was amazing that the Jesuits still existed.”
No, it isn’t. He was in France. The Jesuits were based in Rome.