- Joseph, Father
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born Nov. 4, 1577, Paris, Francedied Dec. 18, 1638, RueilFrench mystic and religious reformer.He joined the Capuchins in 1599. His fervent ambition to convert European Protestants to Roman Catholicism coincided with cardinal de Richelieu's plans for French domination of Europe, and he became Richelieu's secretary in 1611. He became known as the "Gray Eminence" (for his gray Capuchin cloak), and his close collaboration with Richelieu (the "Red Eminence") gave him powers akin to those of a foreign minister, especially during Richelieu's campaign to finance France's participation in the Thirty Years' War, which Joseph's policies did much to bring about.
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▪ French mystic and religious reformerbyname the Gray Eminence, French Père Joseph, or l'Éminence Grise, original name François-Joseph le Clerc du Tremblayborn Nov. 4, 1577, Parisdied Dec. 18, 1638, Rueil, Fr.French mystic and religious reformer whose collaboration with Cardinal de Richelieu (the “Red Eminence”) gave him powers akin to those of a foreign minister, especially during Richelieu's (Richelieu, Armand-Jean du Plessis, cardinal et duc de) ambitious campaign to finance France's participation in what became known as the Thirty Years' War.In 1599 Joseph joined the Capuchins, a strict branch of the Franciscans, and devoted himself to prayer, preaching, and the conversion of heretics. While reforming part of Notre-Dame de Fontevrault abbey (near Saumur) into a new order of nuns, he met Richelieu, who in 1611 made him his secretary. Joseph's ambition to convert European Protestants to Roman Catholicism coincided with Richelieu's political plans for French domination of Europe. Thus, Joseph devoted himself to a policy that imposed on Europe the miseries and crimes of the Thirty Years' War. He died hated by his countrymen.Additional ReadingAldous Huxley, Grey Eminence (1941, reprinted 1975).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
