| Abstract: | Cardinal Richelieu's commercial projects have long been seenas a part of his early efforts to reform the French state. Thispaper argues that Richelieu's commercial activity can more profitablybe viewed in the context of his thinking about relations betweenFrance and its neighbours and of a pan-European movement toreconsider the connections among commerce, governance and sovereigntyspawned by the Dutch war with Spain. Specifically, it examinesRichelieu's relations with the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius. In1626 the cardinal attempted to hire Grotius as a commercialexpert, consulting with him on several occasions. Although Grotiusdeclined, the cardinal was deeply influenced by Grotius’arguments about the freedom of commerce and trade. Richelieuadapted these arguments to suit French needs and his own Catholicvision of the state. |
