Denis Charpentier (c. 1580-1647) : A social study of Cardinal Richelieu's first secretary

The primary aim of this article is to make a modest contribution to our understanding of Cardinal Richelieu's inner circle-and, specifically, to our knowledge of his first secretary, confidant, informant and advisor, Denis Charpentier (c. 1580-1647). This social study explores an instance of a meteoric social rise on the part of a servant during the first half of the seventeenth century. Above all, we explore his personality and his work as the head of Richelieu's private cabinet. This is just a first step in a much broader project examining the political role played by the secretaries who served the cardinal-minister.