La Rochelle Falls: Richelieu Crushes Huguenot Fortress
Huguenot defenders of La Rochelle surrendered after a 14-month siege that starved the city's population from 27,000 to fewer than 5,000 survivors. Cardinal Richelieu's victory destroyed the last major Protestant military stronghold in France and consolidated royal authority, effectively ending the Huguenots' political independence.
October 28, 1628
398 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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