Cardinal Richelieu's quotes and sayings on war, statecraft, religion, monarchy, nobility, friendship, death, law, crime, kingdoms, empires, emotions, etc.
Cardinal Richelieu was a 17th century French clergyman and statesman. He became a bishop in 1607, and later ventured into politics to become the Secretary of State in 1616. He slowly became very powerful as he rose in both the Church and the state. He became a cardinal in 1622, and thereafter Louis XIII's chief minister. He oppcupied the seat until his death in 1642. He worked towards consolidating the royal power by crushing domestic factions and opponents. He also restrained the power of the nobility, and transformed France into a centralized state. Although Roman Catholic cardinal, he forged alliances with Protestant rulers to achieve this goal. It was during Cardinal Richelieu's tenure that Europe was engulfed by the 'Thirty Years' War.' We have collected Cardinal Richelieu's famous quotes and sayings from several sources. Let's take a look at Cardinal Richelieu's quotes and sayings on war, statecraft, religion, monarchy, nobility, friendship, death, law, crime, kingdoms, empires, emotions, etc.
I have the consolation of leaving your kingdom in the highest degree of glory and of reputation.
Cardinal Richelieu
Who will be my equal?
Cardinal Richelieu
I have never had any [enemies] other than those of the state.
Cardinal Richelieu
Not the least of the qualities that go into the making of a great ruler is the ability of letting others serve him.
Cardinal Richelieu
To mislead a rival, deception is permissable; one may use all means against his enemies.
Cardinal Richelieu
When people are too comfortable, it is not possible to restrain them within the bounds of their duty? They may be compared to mules who, being accustomed to burdens, are spoilt by rest rather than labour.
Cardinal Richelieu
To know how to dissemble is the knowledge of kings.
[Fr., Savoir dissimuler est le savoir des rois.]
Cardinal Richelieu
Never write a letter and never destroy one.
Cardinal Richelieu
Deception is the knowledge of kings.
Cardinal Richelieu
Give me six lines written by the most honorable person alive, and I shall find enough in them to condemn them to the gallows.
Cardinal Richelieu
If God forbade drinking, would He have made wine so good?
Cardinal Richelieu
Had Luther and Calvin been confined before they had begun to dogmatize, the states would have been spared many troubles.
Cardinal Richelieu
First, all means to conciliate; failing that, all means to crush.
Cardinal Richelieu
A single word has sometimes lost or won an empire...
Cardinal Richelieu
Reason must be the universal rule and guide; all things must be done according to reason without allowing oneself to be swayed by emotion.
Cardinal Richelieu
Harshness towards individuals who flout the laws and commands of the state is for the public good; no greater crime against the public interest is possible than to show leniency to those who violate it.
Cardinal Richelieu
Nothing so upholds the laws as the punishment of persons whose rank is as great as their crime.
Cardinal Richelieu
Nothing is as dangerous for the state as those who would govern kingdoms with maxims found in books.
Cardinal Richelieu
I was excellent. Everybody loved me. I love myself, and I like bums.
Cardinal Richelieu
Friendship is the medicine for all misfortune; but ingratitude dries up the fountain of all goodness.
Cardinal Richelieu
One must believe neither the people of the palace, who ordinarily measure the power of the king by the shape of his crown, which, being round, has no end, nor those who, in the excesses of an indiscreet zeal, proclaim themselves openly as partisans of Rome.
Cardinal Richelieu
Bakers of bread rolls and pastry cooks will not buy grain before eleven o'clock in winter and noon in summer; bakers of large loaves will not buy grain before two o'clock. This will enable the people of the town to obtain their supply first. Bakers shall put a distinctive trademark on their loaves, and keep weights and scales in their shops, under penalty of having their licenses removed.
Cardinal Richelieu
If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.
A virtuous and well-disposed person, like a good metal, the more he is fired, the more he is fined; the more he is opposed, the more he is approved: wrongs may well try him, and touch him, but cannot imprint in him any false stamp.
