time to admit me into your
councils, and to give me a great portion of your confidence, I can say
with truth that the Hugonots divided the state with you; that the great,
conducted themselves, as if they were not your subjects, and the
governors of the provinces, as if they were the sovereigns of them; and
that France was contemned by her foreign allies."

To reduce the Hugonots, to lower the nobility, to elevate France to be
the preponderating power in Europe, were the three objects, which the
Cardinal proposed to himself. In each, he had difficulties to encounter,
which extraordinary talents only could surmount. By a strict
administration of justice, and severely punishing, without respect to
rank or connections, those, who engaged in treasonable practices, he
completely subdued the towering spirit of the nobility; by victorious
armies and a vigorous dispensation of the laws, he reduced the Hugonots;
and, by calling forth all the energies of his country, and arraying
half the Continent against Austria and Spain, he gave to France an
almost irresistible ascendant in the concerns of Europe.

[Sidenote: CHAP. XI 1634-1645.]

To the last only of these three designs our present subject leads us.

_Sweden_ had long been engaged in a war against Denmark, and highly
dissatisfied with Austria. By the persuasion of Richelieu, she made
peace with the Danes, and entered into an offensive and defensive
alliance with France. In consequence of it, Gustavus Adolphus was placed
at the head of the Protestant confederacy: a large army of Swedes
entered Germany; Gustavus was invested with the command of the
confederate forces, and his brilliant campaigns turned the tide of
success in their favour. At Lutzen he obtained a complete victory, but
lost his life.

[Sidenote: Embassy of Grotius to the Court of France.]

After the death of Gustavus, the States assembled, and the Mareschal of
the Diet proposed, that the celebrated Christina, the only child of
Gustavus, then an infant of very tender years, should be crowned: the
Mareschal carried her in his arms into the midst of the assembly. On
observing her, all were struck with her likeness to her father. "Yes!"
they cried, "it is she herself! she has the eyes, the nose and the
forehead of Gustavus! We will have her for our queen!" She was
immediately seated on the throne, and proclaimed queen. The regency of
the kingdom, during the minority of Christina, was conferred on the
Chancello