MAZARIN, Jules, or GIULIO MAZA RINI, French cardinal and minister of Louis XIII, Anne of Austria and Louis XIV : b. Pis cina, in the Abruzzi, Italy, 14 July 1602; d. Vincennes, 9 March 1661. He came of a Si cilian family, his father being intendant of Philip Colonna. The first part of his life was spent in reaching out for power and the second part in maintaining that power. Young Ma zarin first attempted fortune in a military career. After brilliant studies under the direc tion of the Jesuits at Rome and afterward at the universities of Alcala and Madrid, he en tered the papal military service as captain of infantry in 1625. His talents, however, lay in diplomacy to which he soon turned and wherein he distinguished himself by his ability. He was rewarded for his services by being made vice legate to Avignon, in 1634, and as nuncio at Paris in 1634-36. At Paris he gained the favor of Richelieu, who persuaded him to enter the service of France, which he did in 1640. He became a naturalized citizen of France; was made a cardinal (although not a priest) in recognition of his diplomatic services in Savoy; and in 1642 was designated by Richelieu as his successor. On the death of Louis XIII the queen, Anne of Austria, became regent for her young son, Louis XIV, and it was thought that Mazarin would be dismissed, but instead he gained over the queen-regent, to whom he be came bound by mutual ties of affection, and perhaps by a secret marriage. By her he was confirmed in the office of Prime Minister, in May 1643, and this office he continued to oc cupy, with the exception of two brief periods of exile, until his death. His activities were first directed toward the Cabale des Import ants, which he soon suppressed, and to the prosecution of the Thirty Years' War. The war was carried on with success due mostly to the soldierly qualities and ability of Turenne and Conde. The victories of Rocroi, Fribourg, Nordlingen and Lens and the revolt at Naples forced the German emperor to terms and obliged him to cede Alsace to France by the Treaty of Westphalia, in 1648. While prose cuting these enterprises abroad, Mazarin had unfortunately neglected home affairs and finan cial embarrassments resulted in a general revolt and civil war known to history as the Fronde. The Parliament of Paris denounced the increas ing taxation, while the nobility dreaded the su premacy of Mazarin. As the immediate result of the conflict Mazarin quitted Paris with the court and took up his residence at Saint-Ger main, in January 1649. In April he concluded an amnesty with the Parliament, hut further opposition developed from the younger mem bers of the aristocracy (petits-mitres) and in particular from Conde, who had hitherto re mained faithful to the royal authority. With the support of the parliamentarians, Mazarin was enabled to put down the Fronde des princes, imprisoned Conde at Vincennes and crushed the revolt of the latter's friends at Rethel and Guyenne, in 1650. Mazarin's ingratitude to his
late allies, the parliamentarians, caused all his adversaries to unite against him and in Feb ruary 1851 he was obliged to go into exile near Cologne. His activity, however, was nowise at an end. He continued to direct the policy of Anne of Austria from his exile and, in Septem ber, rejoined the court at Poitiers, and soon afterward was about to enter Paris with it when he saw that his presence was an obstacle to the young king's entry to the capital. He again went Into exile, in October 1652, but returned to Paris on 13 Feb. 1653, and through means of intrigue formed a powerful royal i party in the state, gained General Turenne to his cause and returned to his position at court.
Untroubled now with troubles from within, Mazarin set about winding up the war with Spain. The outcome of this conflict remained in doubt until 1655, when French victory be came assured through the alliance with Crom well and the help of English soldiers. The Spaniards, beaten at the Dunes, at Dunkirk, threatened in the Netherlands and menaced at home by the capture of Barcelona, were obliged to sue for peace. By the Treaty of the Py renees (1658) the Spaniards lost to France, Roussillon, Artois and parts of the duchy of Luxembourg and of Hainaut. Not satisfied with this splendid result, Mazarin formed, in 1658, the League of the Rhine against Austria and diverted the succession to the throne of Spain by bringing about the marriage of Louis XIV with the Infanta Maria Theresa. With the completion of these projects his career ended. Mazarin was very avaricious, and through every kind of financial dealing am aed the huge fortune of over 50,000,000
To the Royal Library he bequeathed his ma_ iifi cent collection of 'nolcc He founded the Col lege de Quatre-Nations, later known by his name as the College Mazarin. He has been blamed for the favors shown his family and the project, once entertained by him, of marry ing his niece, Maria Mancini, to Louis XIV. These, however, are but the smaller side of a great character. They cannot make one for get the great political genius who extended the territory of France from the Pyrenees to the Rhine and which
her from a danger ous internal crisis. Consult Cheruel, 'Lewes du cardinal Mazarin pendant son ministere' (in