|
Dromo's Den
|
|
[Up] [Dromo's Den] Cardinal Mazarin Biography MAZARIN, Jules (1602–61). A Cardinal and Prime Minister of France during the minority of Louis XIV. He was born July 14, 1602, at Piscina in the Abruzzi, Italy, his father being intendant of the household of Philip Colonna. He was educated in the Jesuit College at Rome, and later accompanied Jerome Colonna to the Spanish University of Alca'la, where he studied law, but also indulged in gambling and love-making—practices which were continued at Salamanca. On returning to Rome Mazarin became a doctor of canon and civil law and entered the Pope's military service as a captain of infantry in the Colonna regiment. His talents, however, were more diplomatic than military, and after being employed on several political missions in Italy he accompanied the Papal Legate to the court of France and there, about 1628, became known to Richelieu, who perceived his peculiar talents and engaged him to maintain the French interests in Italy. This he did while still employed by the Pope as Vice Legate to Avignon (1632) and Nuncio to the French court, an office to which he was appointed in 1634. The Spaniards complained of his partiality for France, and the Pope was obliged to recall him. In 1639, however, he openly entered the service of Louis XIII, was naturalized a Frenchman, and in 1641, received a cardinal's hat, through the influence of Richelieu, who, when dying, recommended Mazarin to the King as the only person capable of carrying on his political system. Mazarin's position was one of great difficulty amid the intrigues, jealousies, and strifes of the earlier years of Louis XIV's minority. The Queen mother, Anne of Austria, was at first hostile to him, but although she was declared sole Regent and guardian of the young King, Mazarin kept his place as Minister, and soon made himself indispensable to her by his wonderful business qualities, while the exquisite charm of his manner eventually gained her heart. It is said, in fact, that a secret marriage took place between the Queen Regent and her Prime Minister, but this has never been absolutely proved. The result of the close alliance between the Queen and himself was that Mazarin ruled with almost as unlimited sway as Richelieu had done. The Parlement of Paris, thinking to conquer political power, resisted the registration of edicts of taxation; but Mazarin caused the leaders of the opposition to be arrested; whereupon began the disturbances of the Fronde (q.v.). Twice compelled to retire from court, he made a triumphant entry into the capital in 1663 and in a short time had regained his former power. In the internal government of the country those principles of despotism were established on which Louis XIV afterward acted. Mazarin continued Richelieu's foreign policy, waging war vigorously against the Hapsburg power in Austria and Spain; his most important diplomatic acts were in connection with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 and that of the Pyrenees in 1659. The administration of justice in France under Mazarin became very corrupt, and the commerce and finances of the country underwent a great depression. As a financier, Mazarin was far inferior to Richelieu. He was avaricious and enriched himself at the expense of the country. He died at Vincennes, March 9, 1661. His magnificent library he bequeathed to the Collège Mazarin at Paris. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. XV (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 289. |