R1317th

Richelieu, a powerful Cardinal of France, developed a new administrative system in 1634 composed of thirty-two districts which were each ruled by an intendant that he selects. These men sent reports of the on-goings of the cities to Paris, as well as impose royal orders on their communities. By choosing these intendants himself, the Cardinal is sure to have a strong influence over them and, in turn, the districts. As these intendants are granted more power by the state, France is further centralized through Richelieu’s covert control over these leaders. This administrative development transformed the traditional political parties of France.

McKay, John P. __A History of Western Society__. 7th ed. New York City: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.