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 I30 HISTORY OF FRANCE. [chap. for his plans. This was in truth the end of the sixty years of desolating religious wars. Huguenots were still numerous, especially in the South ; but with the taking of Rochelle their political importance ended. The Church of France was also infinitely improved. Men of great piety and talent were working hard to purify her clergy, and doing wonderful deeds of charity. Thus many of the conscientious and high-minded among the Huguenot nobility were converted, while many others became Catholics from lessjvorthy motives. CHAPTER VIII POWER OF THE CROWN. I. The Mantuan War, 1628. — Just as the wars with England had resulted in the increase of the strength of the crown of France, so the Huguenot wars had broken the strength of the nobles and of many of the cities. The king could not but reap the benefit when all his interests were in the hands of such a man as Richelieu, who deemed it his highest duty to gather all power in the hands of the sovereign. He himself was ruler in the king's name, hated by every one, but felt to be indispen- sable. He did not fear to revive the old national policy ot resistance to the House of Austria. On the death of the Duke of Mantua, the heir to his duchy was Charles of Goiizaga, the head of a branch of that family which held the duchy of Nevers and had become wholly French. But both the King of Spain and the Emperor were alike bent on preventing any French prince from again getting a footing in Italy ; the Spanish garrison of Milan therefore seized Mantua, and Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy, was encouraged to set up a claim to Montferrat, so that Casal alone was left to the Duke of Nevers. No sooner had Rochelle surrendered than Lewis XIII. and Richelieu hurried to relieve Casal. And as a Spanish and a German a.niy advanced at the same time, unfortunate Savoy was so wasted between them that the duke is said to have died of grief in 1630. Moreover the plague bioke out, and so reduced all the armies that all parties weie giad to