542821 Cardinal Richelieu on the sea wall at La Rochelle, 1881 by Motte, Henri-Paul (1846-1922) (after); (add.info.: Armand Jean Duplessis, Duc de Richelieu (1585-1642) French prelate and statesman: Cardinal 1624: Minister of state to Louis XIII and de facto ruler of France from 1629. Richelieu at the siege of La Rochelle 1628. Stronghold of Huguenots, La Rochelle was starved into surrender during Richelieu\'s campaign to break their power in France.); Universal History Archive/UIG; French, out of copyright.