Gloria y desgracia de un virrey francés de Cataluña: El mariscal De La Mothe-Houdancourt (1641-1644)

Abstract

The life story of one of the first French viceroys of Catalonia, Philippe de La Mothe-Houdancourt (1605-1657), will guide us in our study of the intertwined relations among France, Spain, and Catalonia during the first period of the French domination over the Principality A brilliant military man, the viceroy of Catalonia between 1642 and 1644, the head of the Catalan nobility as duke of Cardona, a state prisoner, frondeur and once again viceroy from 1651 to 1652: these are some of the traits of this figure. In this article we emphasize the dynastic relations and clientelism whose center laid on that most important of French viceroys of Catalonia. He was viceroy in the turn of one reign to another and, specially important, during the ministries of Richelieu and Mazarin. Our study covers the years of his first tenure, roughly from his appointment as general-in-chief of the French army in the province in January 1641 to his dismissal in December 1644, which was followed by his arrest, incarceration and trial.