Cardinal Richelieu at the Siege of La Rochelle, Henri Motte, 1881.

The Siege of La Rochelle (map), by Jacques Callot, 17th century.

The Siege of La Rochelle, Claude Lorrain, 1631.

The Siege of La Rochelle was a result of a war between the French royal forces of Louis XIII of France and the Huguenots of La Rochelle in 1627-1628. Richelieu at the siege of La Rochelle. ... Richelieu at the siege of La Rochelle. ... Cardinal Richelieu was the French chief minister from 1624 until his death. ... Siege of La Rochelle by Jacques Callot, 17th century. ... Siege of La Rochelle by Jacques Callot, 17th century. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3200x2261, 697 KB) Description: Title: de: Belagerung von La Rochelle durch die Truppen Ludwigs XIII., Oval Technique: de: Öl auf Leinwand Dimensions: de: 28 × 42 cm Country of origin: de: Frankreich und Italien Current location (city): de: Paris Current location (gallery... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3200x2261, 697 KB) Description: Title: de: Belagerung von La Rochelle durch die Truppen Ludwigs XIII., Oval Technique: de: Öl auf Leinwand Dimensions: de: 28 × 42 cm Country of origin: de: Frankreich und Italien Current location (city): de: Paris Current location (gallery... Seaport by Claude Lorrain Claude Lorrain (Lorraine, c1604 - Rome, November 23, 1682) was a French painter, active in 17th century Italy, and considered a great Baroque landscape painters. ... Louis XIII (September 27, 1601 – May 14, 1643), called the Just (French: le Juste), was King of France from 1610 to 1643. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ... Location within France La Rochelle is a city or commune of western France, and a seaport on the Atlantic Ocean (population 76,584 in 1999). ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ... Events March 1 - writs were issued in February 1628 by Charles I of England that every county in England (not just seaport towns) pay ship tax by this date. ...

In the Edict of Nantes, Henry IV of France had given the Huguenots extensive rights. La Rochelle had become the stronghold of the French Huguenots, under its own governance. The Edict of Nantes was issued on April 13, 1598 by Henry IV of France to grant French Protestants (also known as Huguenots) substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. ... Henry IV (French: Henri IV; December 13, 1553–May 14, 1610), was the first of the Bourbon kings of France, reigning from 1589 until his death. ...

Following a Huguenot revolt by Duke Henri de Rohan and his brother Soubise from 1625, Henri's successor Louis XIII, however, declared war against the Huguenots. Louis' Chief Minister Cardinal Richelieu declared the suppression of the Huguenot revolt the first priority of the kingdom. Henri, duc de Rohan (1579 - April 13, 1638), French soldier, writer and leader of the Huguenots, was born at the château of Blain, in Brittany. ... Soubise can refer to: Soubise, a commune of the Charente-Maritime département, in France Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise (? 1580-1642), Huguenot leader Charles de Rohan, prince de Soubise (1715-1787), peer and marshal of France This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Events March 27 - Prince Charles Stuart becomes King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... Cardinal Richelieu was the French chief minister from 1624 until his death. ...

English support

The rebels had received the backing of the English king Charles I, who sent his favorite George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham with a fleet of 80 ships. In June 1627 Buckingham organized a landing on the nearby island of Ré with 6,000 men in order to help the Huguenots. Although a Protestant stronghold, Île de Ré had not directly joined the rebellion against the king. Charles I (19 November 1600–30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham by Rubens George Villiers (August 28, 1592 – August 23, 1628) was the 1st Duke of Buckingham of the second creation (1623) of that title and a favourite of King James I of England and then of Charles I. He was born in Brooksby, Leicestershire... The quays at Saint Martin en Ré. ÃŽle de Ré (formerly also ÃŽle de Rhé; in English Isle of Rhé) is an island off the west coast of France near La Rochelle, on the northern side of the Pertuis dAntioche strait. ...

The siege

In September 1627 Royal forces besieged La Rochelle. La Rochelle was the greatest stronghold among the Huguenot cities of France, and the centre of Huguenot resistance. Cardinal Richelieu acted as the commander of the besieging troops (during those times when the King was absent).

On Ile de Re, the English tried to take the small fort of St Martin, but were repulsed. Small French boats managed to supply St Martin in spite of an English blockade. Buckingham ultimately ran out of money and support, and his army was weakened by diseases. After a last attack on St Martin they were repulsed with heavy casualties, and left with their ships.

French engineers further isolated the city with entrenchments 12 kilometers long, fortified by 11 forts and 18 redoubts. They also built with 4,000 workmen a 1,400 meters long seawall, to block the seaward access to the city. The wall was built on top of a foundation made of sunken hulks, filled with rubble. French artillery was used against English ships that tried to supply the city. Seawall protecting homes from storm waves and beach erosion. ...

English relief efforts

In September 1628, another English fleet tried to relieve the city. After bombarding French positions, the English fleet had to withdraw. Following this last disappointment, the city surrendered on October 28, 1628. October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... Events March 1 - writs were issued in February 1628 by Charles I of England that every county in England (not just seaport towns) pay ship tax by this date. ...

Residents of La Rochelle had resisted for 14 months, under the leadership of the mayor Jean Guitton and with the gradually diminishing help from England. During the siege, the population of La Rochelle decreased from 27.000 to 5,000 due to casualties, famine and disease. Jean Guitton at the La Rochelle City Hall, vowing to defend the city to the death Jean Guitton was the mayor of the city La Rochelle during the 1627-1628 Siege of La Rochelle. ...

Surrender was unconditional. By the terms of the Peace of Alais, the Huguenots lost their territorial, political and military rights, but retained the religious freedom granted by the Edict of Nantes. The Peace of Alais, sometimes called the Edict of Alès, was issued by King Louis XIII on 28 June, 1629. ...

The French philosopher Descartes is known to have visited the scene of the siege in 1627. René Descartes René Descartes (IPA: , March 31, 1596 – February 11, 1650), also known as Cartesius, worked as a philosopher and mathematician. ...