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How did Richelieu become Louis XIII’s principal minister in 1624?

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Full-length portrait of Cardinal Richelieu by Philippe de Champaigne, showing him in red clerical robes holding a red book, standing beside a balustrade with a draped curtain behind. — Cardinal Richelieu As both statesman and churchman, Cardinal Richelieu was the acknowledged architect of France's greatness in the 17th century. In 1640, when this full-length portrait was painted (likely by Philippe de Champaigne), he was embroiled in a dispute with the pope and other religious controversies along with many other consequences of expanding French power across Europe. He would die two years later, facing conspiracies against his life and suffering ill health.

Cardinal Richelieu’s appointment as King Louis XIII’s chief minister in August 1624 was the result of a complex series of political maneuvers and shifting alliances within the French court.

Following his earlier service as a secretary of state in 1616 and subsequent exile, Richelieu returned to the royal circle in 1619 to act as a mediator for the queen mother, Marie de Médicis. Over the next several years, he navigated intricate negotiations and hostilities between the king and his mother. During this period, the king’s nomination of Richelieu for a cardinal’s hat became a key element of political settlements.

Richelieu’s eventual promotion to the royal council was facilitated by Marie de Médicis, who, having been readmitted to the council in 1622, successfully persuaded Louis XIII to appoint him as chief minister in 1624. This decision was further precipitated by a ministerial crisis regarding the Valtellina in northern Italy, which necessitated a reconstruction of the government.123