Cardinal Richelieu Character Analysis in The Three Musketeers

Cardinal Richelieu is the religious leader of France who wields enormous power. He is a cunning man who will go outside the bounds of traditional morality to get his way. However, he is not wholly evil, and he has great respect for d’Artagnan and the musketeers. Additionally, he treats both the king and M. de Tréville as his rivals, and many of his schemes are attempts to gain power over them.

Cardinal Richelieu Quotes in The Three Musketeers

The The Three Musketeers quotes below are all either spoken by Cardinal Richelieu or refer to Cardinal Richelieu. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Panics were frequent in those times, and few days went by when an event of this kind was not recorded in the archives of one town or another. Noblemen fought among themselves; the king was at war with the cardinal; the Spanish were at war with the king. And then, besides all this secret or open warfare, there were robbers, beggars, Huguenots, wolves, and lackeys, who were at war with everyone. The townsmen always took up arms against robbers, wolves, and lackeys, often against noblemen and Huguenots, sometimes against the king, but never against the cardinal or the Spanish.

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Page Number and Citation: 1

Explanation and Analysis:

Athos’s arrival had caused a sensation in the anteroom, for his wound was known to everyone despite all efforts to keep it a secret. The door had remained ajar, and Tréville’s words were greeted by a joyous hubbub. Two or three musketeers, carried away by enthusiasm, drew back the door curtain and looked into the study. Tréville was about to rebuke them sharply when he felt Athos’s hand tighten in his own and saw that he was about to faint.

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Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

And, as His Majesty had predicted, the cardinal was furious, so furious that for a week he did not come to the king’s card game. This did not prevent the king from greeting him graciously whenever they met, and saying in his most sympathetic tone, “Tell me about those two poor guards of yours, Bernajoux and Jussac. How are they doing?

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Page Number and Citation: 71

Explanation and Analysis:

Although his triumph over such a mediocre man as Bonacieux could scarcely be counted as a great victory, the cardinal savored it for a moment; then, as if a new thought had just occurred to him, he smiled, held out his hand to the draper, and said, “Stand up, my friend. You’re a good man.”

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 146

Explanation and Analysis:

The king’s animosity against the queen was deftly nurtured by the cardinal, who was much warier of women than of men in matters of intrigue.

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Page Number and Citation: 150

Explanation and Analysis:

The cardinal, as is well known, had been in love with the queen. We cannot say whether his love had a simple political goal or whether it was one of the deep passions that Anne of Austria aroused in those around her, but in any case we know that the duke of Buckingham had won out over him before the beginning of this story and that in later circumstances […] the duke had outwitted him.

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Page Number and Citation: 406

Explanation and Analysis:

“Monseigneur,” Milady interrupted, “I’ll trade you a life for a life, a man for a man; rid me of this one and I’ll rid you of the other.”

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Page Number and Citation: 438

Explanation and Analysis:

“The bearer of this letter has acted under my orders and for the good of the state.

Richelieu”

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 457

Explanation and Analysis:

“We are conspirators, Monseigneur,” said Athos, “but as you saw the other morning, we conspire against the enemy.”

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 502

Explanation and Analysis:

Cardinal Richelieu Character Timeline in The Three Musketeers

The timeline below shows where the character Cardinal Richelieu appears in The Three Musketeers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The musketeers are so impressive that Cardinal Richelieu , who is at least as powerful as Louis XIII, decided to form a band... (full context)

...because the king recently told M. de Tréville that he should start recruiting musketeers from the cardinal ’s guard. The king and, in turn, M. de Tréville are angry with the musketeers... (full context)

M. de Tréville knows that Athos, Porthos, and Aramis were involved in a brawl with the cardinal ’s men just the other day, which resulted in multiple deaths and arrests. As he... (full context)

...appreciates the offer but declines it. He knows that if they wait a few days, the cardinal ’s men will find out about the duel and put a stop to it. (full context)

...noon, d’Artagnan and Athos are about to begin their duel when they are stopped by the cardinal ’s men. The cardinal’s men are led by Monsieur de Jussac, who tells the musketeers... (full context)

A fight breaks out between the cardinal ’s men, d’Artagnan, and the musketeers. Everyone fights one on one except Aramis, who fights... (full context)

...king that his musketeers were not at fault for the incident. Instead, he insists that the cardinal ’s men started the fight. According to M. de Tréville, d’Artagnan and his friends simply... (full context)

...the duel grows into a full brawl as more and more of the musketeers and the cardinal ’s guards join in. Eventually, the musketeers are victorious and d’Artagnan realizes it is time... (full context)

...back. M. de Tréville, who is also present, asks if the king has talked to the cardinal lately and is told that he probably has. This darkens M. de Tréville’s mood, and... (full context)

...and he swears his undying loyalty to the king before departing. Over the next week, the cardinal does his best to avoid the king because he’s angry at him. However, sometimes, he... (full context)

The man believes that his wife is being persecuted by the cardinal. He describes the man who he believes is responsible for the kidnapping and d’Artagnan recognizes... (full context)

...the Duke of Buckingham, who has apparently arrived in Paris recently. The musketeers believe that the cardinal is attempting to trap the duke and that the stranger from Meung is somehow involved.... (full context)

...to Madame Bonacieux, they are interrupted by Monsieur Bonacieux, who yells for help. Several of the cardinal ’s men have arrived to arrest him. D’Artagnan runs to Monsieur Bonacieux and tells him... (full context)

...After, the musketeers retire to their individual residences to rest up for their fight against the cardinal. (full context)

...does not think much about it. D’Artagnan tells M. de Tréville that he fears that the cardinal is planning to do something to the queen. M. de Tréville thanks him for the... (full context)

...should pay more respect to those in power. Eager to please, Monsieur Bonacieux begins complimenting the cardinal. However, this does nothing to appease the officer, who tells him that he is accused... (full context)

...a map of La Rochelle and a man he does not recognize. The man is Cardinal de Richelieu and when Monsieur Bonacieux learns his identity, he is both afraid and in awe. (full context)

The cardinal begins asking Monsieur Bonacieux about his wife’s activities. Monsieur Bonacieux tells him that he knows... (full context)

Next, the cardinal questions Monsieur Bonacieux about some of the locations his wife often frequents. In response, Monsieur... (full context)

Because he wants to speak to his soldiers in private, the cardinal sends Monsieur Bonacieux out of the room. One of his guards then informs him that... (full context)

When Monsieur Bonacieux returns, the cardinal mocks him for thinking that his wife was actually visiting linen drapers when in reality... (full context)

After Monsieur Bonacieux leaves, the cardinal finally turns his attention to Rochefort. Rochefort tells the cardinal that he’s confirmed the information... (full context)

Later, after Rochefort leaves the cardinal ’s residence, the cardinal calls for one of his servants. He gives the man a... (full context)

...Tréville springs into action. He heads to the Louvre to talk to the king and the cardinal. Meanwhile, Athos is imprisoned at the Fort l’Eveque, where he is repeatedly interrogated. The interrogations... (full context)

...conspiracies. The king is jealous regarding Queen Anne who he suspects is having an affair. The cardinal knows about this and uses it to his advantage. Additionally, the cardinal himself was once... (full context)

When M. de Tréville arrives, the king is angry because the cardinal recently informed him that he failed to catch the woman transporting secret messages for the... (full context)

Athos is released from prison and reunited with his friends. He warns d’Artagnan that the cardinal is sure to be unhappy with what has transpired and will likely retaliate. Around the... (full context)

Unsurprisingly, the king is angry to hear that the Duke of Buckingham was in Paris. The cardinal knows this and intentionally tells the king this information to make him angry. He then... (full context)

...saying that he is sure that the queen is having an affair. At this point, the cardinal begins to drop the façade; he tells the king that the queen has been writing... (full context)

The king once again asks the cardinal if he thinks the duke met up with the queen. The cardinal says that he... (full context)

Monsieur de Sequier, who primarily works for the cardinal , tells the queen that he wants to see her letters. She is offended by... (full context)

...of Austria, and it asks him to declare war on France and get rid of the cardinal. However, because it does not mention anything about the duke, the letter makes the king... (full context)

The king also tells the cardinal that the letter contains some disparaging comments about him. The king says he will punish... (full context)

The cardinal mentions the diamond tags to the king twice, which makes him suspicious. He thinks the... (full context)

...Bonacieux since he was released from prison and doesn’t know about his newfound love for the cardinal. (full context)

...with a friend. In reality, he is going to report what he’s just heard to the cardinal. Just after Monsieur Bonacieux leaves, d’Artagnan arrives and asks to be let in. (full context)

...Luckily, that turns out to be no problem; Madame Bonacieux gives d’Artagnan the pistoles that the cardinal presented to her husband. D’Artagnan is delighted and once again declares his love for Madame... (full context)

...not to worry about the woman because she went to Tours to avoid persecution by the cardinal. This satisfies Aramis and together the two of them make their way to Athos’s house,... (full context)

...man tries to interact with d’Artagnan and the musketeers. The man proposes a toast to the cardinal and Porthos tells him that they will only toast to the cardinal if he will... (full context)

...the man tells the captain of a ship that he is traveling to England on the cardinal ’s orders, the captain tells him that no ships are allowed to leave the docks... (full context)

The Duke of Buckingham is impressed that d’Artagnan managed to thwart the cardinal ’s attempts to stop him from reaching England. D’Artagnan tells him that he couldn’t have... (full context)

...king and the queen go into their dressing rooms to get ready. As soon as the cardinal arrives, he finds the queen and gets excited when she doesn’t have her diamond tags.... (full context)

...to send someone to fetch the tags. While the queen returns to her dressing room, the cardinal approaches the king and shows him the two diamonds that he stole from the tags.... (full context)

...because rather than 12, she will now have 14. This confuses the king who asks the cardinal to explain himself. The cardinal makes up an excuse and acts happy, but he is... (full context)

Nearby, d’Artagnan watches all of the interactions between the king, the queen, and the cardinal. He is one of the few people who understands what is going on. Satisfied, d’Artagnan... (full context)

...M. de Tréville is proud of d’Artagnan’s work but warns him to stay clear of the cardinal. He also warns d’Artagnan to stay away from women because they will likely betray him. (full context)

...go and find them. This would get d’Artagnan out of the city and away from the cardinal. Plus, someone needs to find out what happened to the three musketeers. D’Artagnan promises M.... (full context)

...M. de Tréville and tells him about his current predicament. M. de Tréville thinks that the cardinal is likely responsible for what’s happened. He tells d’Artagnan that he will look into it,... (full context)

...his apartment where Planchet is waiting for him. Planchet tells d’Artagnan that the captain of the cardinal ’s guards came by earlier and gave d’Artagnan an invite to come and speak with... (full context)

...is eager to get closer to Milady, even though he realizes that she works for the cardinal. As planned, Lord de Winter and d’Artagnan arrive at Milady’s residence in the evening and... (full context)

...that she thinks she has him wrapped around her finger. She feels that d’Artagnan made the cardinal dislike her (because of the incident with the diamond tags) and she admits to being... (full context)

...wants d’Artagnan to meet her on a nearby road. The second is a letter from the cardinal , which strongly encourages d’Artagnan to come and visit him. Both letters are suspicious to... (full context)

Up next, d’Artagnan heads to his meeting with the cardinal. Once again, his friends ride along with him. They also bring a number of other... (full context)

The cardinal asks d’Artagnan personal questions about his background and his family. He also tells d’Artagnan that... (full context)

...d’Artagnan’s many adventures back to him, including his mission to England for the diamond tags, the cardinal scolds d’Artagnan for not coming to see him sooner. D’Artagnan apologizes and explains that he... (full context)

D’Artagnan thanks the cardinal for his offer but he cannot accept it. He likes his current position and he... (full context)

After his meeting with the cardinal , d’Artagnan returns to his friends and assures them that everything is fine. He also... (full context)

...countries begin to ally themselves with England over France. This is a bad look for the cardinal who is blamed for such results. In fact, it is rumored that the cardinal’s many... (full context)

...presence of an important figure. Eventually, Athos realizes he is speaking to none other than the cardinal himself. (full context)

Because the cardinal is traveling with only a single guard, he asks the musketeers to escort him to... (full context)

The three musketeers are sure that the cardinal is speaking to someone of great importance. However, they have no idea who that someone... (full context)

As it turns out, the cardinal is speaking to Milady, who he is sending to England on a mission. Her job... (full context)

The cardinal is sure that the duke will surrender once he learns that the queen’s reputation is... (full context)

Milady promises to settle this matter for the cardinal if he will allow her to kill d’Artagnan. The cardinal says he will send d’Artagnan... (full context)

After his meeting with Milady, the cardinal returns to the common room of the inn where he finds Porthos and Aramis playing... (full context)

As the cardinal , Porthos, and Aramis ride away from the inn, Athos makes his way back to... (full context)

...Milady that he knows all about what she’s been up to since allying herself with the cardinal , including her relationship with D’Artagnan. Athos also tells her that if she tries to... (full context)

...the letter, Athos leaves and makes his way back to his companions who are with the cardinal. The cardinal thanks the three of them for their service and then departs. After, Athos... (full context)

...Grimaud prepares breakfast, they begin loading the weapons. D’Artagnan is also told that Milady and the cardinal are conspiring to kill him. Before they can get any further in their conversation, Grimaud... (full context)

...to camp, everyone treats them like war heroes. The story gets passed around everywhere; even the cardinal and M. de Tréville hear about it. The cardinal tells M. de Tréville that he... (full context)

...Rochelle are all praying for the Duke of Buckingham to come and save them. However, the cardinal has other plans. He expects that the duke will be killed any day now. However,... (full context)

One day, the cardinal walks near the beach and spots the four musketeer friends. Immediately, he is suspicious of... (full context)

When the musketeers feign ignorance, the cardinal asks them about a letter they were reading before he arrived. Rather than show the... (full context)

Once the cardinal is gone, Athos explains to his companions that his reaction was the only way to... (full context)

...tell them. In particular, Milady is trying to gauge whether or not the woman likes the cardinal. Eventually, Milady figures out that the woman doesn’t like the cardinal, and so she uses... (full context)

...that Rochefort is actually Milady’s brother who is only pretending to work on behalf of the cardinal. She also tells Madame Bonacieux that the letter she received from d’Artagnan is fake; he... (full context)

...is happy to see d’Artagnan because he’s come to arrest him in the name of the cardinal. (full context)

Eventually, d’Artagnan and his friends cross paths with the cardinal in Surgères. When he sees him, the cardinal asks d’Artagnan to come to him and... (full context)

However, the cardinal decides to let d’Artagnan go free. He is impressed with d’Artagnan’s resourcefulness and thinks he... (full context)

...what happened to his wife, nor does he plan to. One day, he writes to the cardinal to remind him of their friendship. The next day, he is invited to the Louvre,... (full context)

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Cardinal Richelieu Character Analysis

Cardinal Richelieu Quotes in The Three Musketeers

Cardinal Richelieu Character Timeline in The Three Musketeers

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