Abstract: Amongst opponents of Richelieu and Mazarin, bonds of friendship often prevailed over political ideas, even if they had united in order to defend their freedom from the tyranny of the ministers. For them, “cabal” signified a pressure group seeking to impact royal decisions, “faction” evoked the actions of the opposition, and a “party” referred to a movement with an ever greater reach. The alliance of the two great Bourbon princes was qualified as a union, as if it embodied a monarchic legitimacy.
