''Under the Red Robe'' is a historical novel by Stanley J. Weyman, first published in 1894. Often described as his best work,''Tellers of Tales'' by Roger Lancelyn Green, 1946, Edmund Ward (p. 175 of the 1964 reprint) - Green quotes Conan Doyle and Stevenson. it was also the most commercially successful, going through 34 reprints, the last in 1962. As with other Weyman novels, it takes place during the French religious wars of the early 17th century. Since it contains a real historical event, the Day of the Dupes, the timing is the autumn of 1630 when

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religi ...

(the 'Red Robe') was Chief Minister for Louis XIII. Under his guidance, the French state was supporting Protestants in Germany as part of the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

while suppressing domestic Protestants or Huguenots in southwest France. The plot features one of Weyman's more interesting characters, Gil de Berault, a gambler and notorious dueller living in Paris who sometimes acts as hired muscle for the Cardinal. He fights one duel too many and is given the choice between execution or helping the Cardinal capture a key Huguenot rebel. He picks the second option and ultimately achieves his objectives but in the process meets a good woman. The novel was well received by contemporary historical novelists.

Conan Doyle Conan may refer to: People * Saint Conan (died 684), bishop of the Isle of Man * Conan of Cornwall (c. 930 – c. 950), bishop of Cornwall * Conan I of Rennes (died 992), duke of Brythonic Brittany * Conan II, Duke of Brittany (died 1066), duke ...

wrote that ''Under the Red Robe'' had "the most dramatic opening of any historical novel I know" and

Siegfried Sassoon Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (8 September 1886 – 1 September 1967) was an English war poet, writer, and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World ...

described his excitement as a schoolboy on first reading a copy. It was adapted for the stage at the Haymarket Theatre in 1896, also playing on Broadway and first filmed in 1915 as a silent movie and again in 1923. A third version was made in 1937, the British swashbuckler '' Under the Red Robe'' directed by

Victor Sjöström Victor David Sjöström (; 20 September 1879 – 3 January 1960), also known in the United States as Victor Seastrom, was a pioneering Swedish film director, screenwriter, and actor. He began his career in Sweden, before moving to Hollywood, ...

and featuring

Conrad Veidt Hans Walter Conrad Veidt ( , ; 22 January 1893 – 3 April 1943) was a German and British actor. He attracted early attention for his roles in the films ''Different from the Others'' (1919), ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), and ''The Man ...

as Gil de Berault,

Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor known for his commanding stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He r ...

as the Cardinal and French actress Annabella as the romantic interest.

References

External links

*
''Under the Red Robe''
at

Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the oldest digital li ...

1894 British novels British historical novels Novels set in Early Modern France British novels adapted into films British novels adapted into plays Novels set during the Thirty Years' War {{1890s-novel-stub