The Cabale des Importants (Cabal of the Important, or Conjuration of the Important) is the name given to a plot organized in the last days of August 1643Philippe Delorme, ''Anne d'Autriche'', Pygmalion 1999, p.228 by François_de_Vendôme,_duc_de_Beaufort, François de Vendôme, duke of Duke_of_Beaufort_(France), Beaufort, and Marie de Rohan, duchess of Chevreuse, with the help of many "Great" of the time. The aim of this plot was to remove Jules Raymond Mazarin, Cardinal Mazarin from power, as he was considered to be too hostile to the interests of that nobility, and to also sign a separate peace with Spain. This plot was a failure: the Duke of Beaufort was arrested and imprisoned, and other conspirators were exiled.

Background

Louis XIII died on May 14, 1643, six months after his minister Cardinal Richelieu, Richelieu. Their policy was aimed at strengthening royal power against the French nobility, greats of the kingdom. The new King Louis XIV was a Minor (law), minor, and the Regent, regency was entrusted to his mother Anne of Austria, who was supported by Cardinal Cardinal Mazarin, Mazarin. The regency is often a period of contests of power, especially since Anne needed Parliament to break her husband's will. Many exiles from the previous reign returned to the Court. Outside, France was engaged in the Thirty Years' War, which turned into a Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659), Franco-Spanish war.

The Conspirators

The main instigators of this plot were François de Vendôme, duc de Beaufort, François de Vendôme, duke of Beaufort, and Marie de Rohan, duchess of Chevreuse. They were followed by: * César, Duke of Vendôme, César, Duke of Vendôme, father of François de Vendôme, and his eldest son Louis, Duke of Vendôme; * Claude de Bourdeille, comte de Montrésor, Claude de Bourdeille, Count of Montrésor; * Charles de L'Aubespine, Marshal of Châteauneuf; * Louis d'Astarac de Fontrailles, Marshal of Marestaing, Viscount of Fontrailles and Cogotois; * Henri II, Duke of Guise, Henri II, Duke of Guise; * Bernard de Nogaret de La Valette d'Épernon, Bernard de Nogaret, Duke of Épernon; * Charles II, Duke of Elbeuf, Charles II, Duke of Elbeuf.

Purpose of the Conspiracy

The wikt:Conspirator#Noun, conspirators wanted to strip Richelieu's supporters, those of Princes of Condé, House of Condé specifically, of all their possessions and privileges, and to recover their office lost during Richelieu's tenure. Specifically, the Red Eminence had, for example, forced César, Duke of Vendôme, César to abandon his lands in Brittany in 1630. The cabal aims, on the one hand, to remove Anne of Austria from her new prime minister, Mazarin, who was considered too hostile to the nobility and, on the other, force a signature on a separate peace with Philip IV of Spain.

Timeline of the Conspiracy

Beginning as a court intrigue in the summer of 1643, the affair escalated into an epistolary conflict between the Marie d'Avaugour, duchesse de Montbazon[:fr:Marie_d'Avaugour, fr] of the Beaufort party and the Anne Geneviève de Bourbon, duchesse de Longueville of the Princes of Condé, Condé party. The former was order to withdraw from her lands. François de Vendôme was furious and planned to have Mazarin assassinated, then replace him with a close friend, House of Potier, Augustin Potier, Bishop of Beauvais. He mandated to his loyal followers, François le Dangereux, lord of Beaupuis, and the Campion brothers, Alexandre Campion, Alexandre[:fr:Alexandre_de_Campion, fr] and Henri Campion, Henri[:fr:Henri_de_Campion, fr], to carry out this action Mazarin soon caught wind of the conspiracy. Beaufort was arrested on and imprisoned at the dungeon of the Château de Vincennes, where he remained in captivity for five years. Charles de L'Aubespine, Châteauneuf, the Vendômes, the Marie de Rohan, duchesse of Chevreuse, and Marie de Hautefort were exiled to their provinces. The Bishop of Beauvais was sent back to his diocese.Jean-Christian Petitfils[:fr:Jean-Christian_Petitfils, fr], ''Louis XIV'' Perrin 1995 (Pususu. 2002 edition, p. 3). 37

References

{{reflist 17th-century peers of France French exiles Military personnel of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) House of Bourbon-Vendôme House of Bourbon (France) French prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of France