Richilieu sides with the Catholics

Simply put, IMO, I don't see it happening very easily. France had far too much to gain by siding with the Protestants, especially considering her past rivalries with the Habsburgs in previous decades. Besides, increasing Imperial power was not in King Louis XIII's interests: it would a stronger Austria--not something so positive when the war ends, and you have the Emperor's cousin King Philip IV of Spain on the other side of the Pyrenees (not to mention knocking at your backdoor in the Low Countries).
 
Simply put, IMO, I don't see it happening very easily. France had far too much to gain by siding with the Protestants, especially considering her past rivalries with the Habsburgs in previous decades. Besides, increasing Imperial power was not in King Louis XIII's interests: it would a stronger Austria--not something so positive when the war ends, and you have the Emperor's cousin King Philip IV of Spain on the other side of the Pyrenees (not to mention knocking at your backdoor in the Low Countries).

Indeed. France has everything to gain by siding with the Protestants, and nothing to gain from siding with the Catholics. France in this period would always cry of Habsburg 'encirclement' and although there was a tradition of royal marriages between the Valois and Habsburg dynasties, and later the Bourbons, they remained bitter rivals.

I don't see it happening either. Unless the Imperialists can offer France something to make it tempting, such as the secession of territory. Seems like they'd probably gain Alsace either way. France would probably turn against the Habsburgs as soon as possible though... it's just not in their interests to be allied for long.
 
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