France's Grotian moment? Hugo Grotius and Cardinal Richelieu's commercial statecraft

Abstract

Cardinal Richelieu's commercial projects have long been seen as a part of his early efforts to reform the French state. This paper argues that Richelieu's commercial activity can more profitably be viewed in the context of his thinking about relations between France and its neighbours and of a pan-European movement to reconsider the connections among commerce, governance and sovereignty spawned by the Dutch war with Spain. Specifically, it examines Richelieu's relations with the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius. In 1626 the cardinal attempted to hire Grotius as a commercial expert, consulting with him on several occasions. Although Grotius declined, the cardinal was deeply influenced by Grotius’ arguments about the freedom of commerce and trade. Richelieu adapted these arguments to suit French needs and his own Catholic vision of the state.