Ben Wilson
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
And he ends by saying, he might well have passed for the most polished courtier and the finest gentleman in private life, which this age has produced. And the guy who writes this of Rochefoucauld, his name is de Retz. And this is the guy who I mentioned at the beginning that Rochefoucauld kind of shuts him in a door and tries to have someone stab him from behind.
And he ends by saying, he might well have passed for the most polished courtier and the finest gentleman in private life, which this age has produced. And the guy who writes this of Rochefoucauld, his name is de Retz. And this is the guy who I mentioned at the beginning that Rochefoucauld kind of shuts him in a door and tries to have someone stab him from behind.
Okay, so Rochefoucauld is so charming and talented that even his enemies, who he has tried to like personally hand-to-hand assassinate, cannot fully resist his charms. So Richelieu, who Rochefoucauld plots against, lets him out of the Bastille after only eight days, and he tries to convert him to the royalist side.
Okay, so Rochefoucauld is so charming and talented that even his enemies, who he has tried to like personally hand-to-hand assassinate, cannot fully resist his charms. So Richelieu, who Rochefoucauld plots against, lets him out of the Bastille after only eight days, and he tries to convert him to the royalist side.
He recognizes this is a talented and potent young man, and he wants to involve him in the future administration of France. And he's basically telling him, hey, don't throw your life away. Stop plotting against me. Come on our side. This is the direction France is going, and you should be involved in it. We'd love to have you involved in it. One of the main people who he plots with
He recognizes this is a talented and potent young man, and he wants to involve him in the future administration of France. And he's basically telling him, hey, don't throw your life away. Stop plotting against me. Come on our side. This is the direction France is going, and you should be involved in it. We'd love to have you involved in it. One of the main people who he plots with
is Anne of Austria, the king's own wife. In fact, Rochefoucauld steals her away from the court because she is in opposition to her husband on a number of different matters and is very much friendly with the old nobility like Rochefoucauld is. He writes of this kind of adventure.
is Anne of Austria, the king's own wife. In fact, Rochefoucauld steals her away from the court because she is in opposition to her husband on a number of different matters and is very much friendly with the old nobility like Rochefoucauld is. He writes of this kind of adventure.
He says, however difficult and perilous this adventure might seem to me, I may say that never in all my life have I enjoyed anything so much.
He says, however difficult and perilous this adventure might seem to me, I may say that never in all my life have I enjoyed anything so much.
I was at an age, 24, at which one loves to do extravagant and startling things, and I felt that nothing could be more startling and more extravagant than to snatch at the same time the queen from the king, her husband, and from the cardinal de Richelieu, who was so jealous. OK, like what? What an amazing adventure. You know, he literally he kind of she so she's on his side.
I was at an age, 24, at which one loves to do extravagant and startling things, and I felt that nothing could be more startling and more extravagant than to snatch at the same time the queen from the king, her husband, and from the cardinal de Richelieu, who was so jealous. OK, like what? What an amazing adventure. You know, he literally he kind of she so she's on his side.
She's going along willingly with this kidnapping, kidnapping. She wants to go to kind of friendly territory. And, you know, he's sneaking around through France. They're dressed up like commoners so they don't get noticed. You know, he's going from safe house to safe house like crazy. It's an amazing adventure, the kind of thing that you would make a movie of.
She's going along willingly with this kidnapping, kidnapping. She wants to go to kind of friendly territory. And, you know, he's sneaking around through France. They're dressed up like commoners so they don't get noticed. You know, he's going from safe house to safe house like crazy. It's an amazing adventure, the kind of thing that you would make a movie of.
And frankly, I think an action like this justifies an entire lifetime. People will go their entire lives without living as much as Rochefoucauld did in a few short weeks when he is roughing it across France, dodging guards, and trying to whisk away the Queen of France. Okay, well, this plot fails as do all his other plots.
And frankly, I think an action like this justifies an entire lifetime. People will go their entire lives without living as much as Rochefoucauld did in a few short weeks when he is roughing it across France, dodging guards, and trying to whisk away the Queen of France. Okay, well, this plot fails as do all his other plots.
There is, however, one brief moment when it looks like he might be successful. Richelieu dies and the nobles begin to fancy that, hey, maybe this is our opportunity to restore our power and return things to the way they were before. But an important rule for those of you who are trying to take over the world, things never go back to the way they were, right?
There is, however, one brief moment when it looks like he might be successful. Richelieu dies and the nobles begin to fancy that, hey, maybe this is our opportunity to restore our power and return things to the way they were before. But an important rule for those of you who are trying to take over the world, things never go back to the way they were, right?
Like things might swing back in your direction in some way, but they can never be just the way they were before. So if you've been listening to How to Take Over the World for a while, you know how important it is to have the best team around you. Great, great performers can give 100 or 1,000x returns on your investment.
Like things might swing back in your direction in some way, but they can never be just the way they were before. So if you've been listening to How to Take Over the World for a while, you know how important it is to have the best team around you. Great, great performers can give 100 or 1,000x returns on your investment.