Richelieu's position was much strengthened by these incidents, but to the end of life he had to struggle against conspiracies which were designed to deprive him of the king's support, and usually Gaston of Orleans had some share in these movements. In 1632 the duke of Montmorency's conspiracy brought its leader to the scaffold. But the last great effort to overthrow Richelieu was closely connected with the king. Louis XIII. had from the beginning of his reign had favourites--young men for the most part with whom he lived freely and intimately and spoke of public affairs lightly and unreservedly; and who in consequence often exaggerated their influence over him. Henri d'Effiat, marquis de Cinq-Mars, was the last of these favourites. The king is said to have allowed him to speak hostilely of Richelieu and even to recall the assassination of Marshal d'Ancre. Cinq-Mars believed himself secure of the king's favour. He entered into negotiations with Spain and was secretly supported by Gaston of Orleans. But Richelieu discovered his treasonous relations with Spain and by this means defeated his plot. Louis was reconciled to his minister. "We have lived too long together to be separated" he is reported to have said (September 1642). Yet when Richelieu died in December of the same year he allowed himself to speak of him in a jealous and satirical tone. He died himself a few months later (May 1643). His nature was timid, lethargic and melancholy, and his court was not marked by the scandals which had been seen under Henry IV. Yet Mademoiselle de la Fayette and Madame d'Hautefort and others are said to have been his mistresses. His brother Gaston survived him, but gave unexpectedly little trouble during the wars of the Fronde which ensued on the death of Louis XIII. The chief source of information on Louis XIII.'s life is to be found in the contemporary memoirs, of which the chief are: Bassompierre, Fontenay-Mareuil, Gaston d'Orléans, Montrésor, Omer Talon. Richelieu's own Memoirs are chiefly concerned with politics and diplomacy. Of modern works those most directly bearing on the king's personal life are R. de Beauchamp, _Louis XIII. d'après sa correspondance avec le cardinal de Richelieu_; G. Hanotaux, _Histoire du cardinal de Richelieu_ (1893-1896); Rossignol, _Louis XIII. avant Richelieu_; M. Topin, _Louis XIII. et Richelieu_ (1876). See too Professor R. Lodge, _Richelieu_; J. B. H. R. Capefigue, _Richelieu, Mazarin et la Fronde_ (1835-1836); and Dr J. H. Bridges, _Richelieu, Mazarin and Colbert_ (1866). For full bibliography see G. Monod, _Bibliographie de l'histoire de France_; _Cambridge Modern History_, vol. iv. ("The Thirty Years' War"); Lavisse et Rambaud, _Histoire générale_, vol. v. ("Guerres de religion"). (A. J. G.*)