Mazarin

Also known as: Cardinal Mazarin / Cardinal de Mazarin / JULES / Jules Mazarin / M. Mazarin / M. de Mazarin / M. le Cardinal / M. le Cardinal Mazarin / M. le Cardinal de Mazarin / Mazarino Mazarini / Monsieur Mazarin / Monsieur le cardinal / Signor Mazarin / del Signor Giulio Mazarini / his eminence / monsieur le cardinal / my lord cardinal / the cardinal / the dying man · Family: royal court · Role: cardinal · First appears: Chapter 3

In chapter 8, Mazarin was mentor to Louis XIV and minister to Anne of Austria, having taken the regency from the queen and royal authority from the king. He declared his intention to arrange advantageous marriages for Mary de Mancini and her sisters: “I have a full and fixed intention to marry them, and that as well as I shall be able.” By chapter 10, he refused Louis XIV’s request for money and soldiers to aid Charles II, citing France’s treaty obligations, though he privately permitted the king to shelter Charles II. He later promised to advance the royal marriage, while D’Artagnan, once his favorite and beneficiary, received a captaincy after serving him and then had the commission revoked when peace made it unnecessary.

In chapter 39, Bernouin served him as he received news of an envoy from Charles II, while Anne of Austria and the Comtesse de Soissons held the cards against him. By 1630, Mazarin had held Beaufort in the dungeon of Vincennes; in 1644, Theatin refused him absolution until he returned money to the king. In 1648, he was entangled with Anne of Austria’s compromising letter, which Colbert carried to him and recovered, yet Mazarin admired Colbert’s fidelity, appointed him to Joubert’s post, and made him his other confessor. Colbert became indispensable through his knowledge of Mazarin’s accounts, including thirteen million livres beyond his known wealth.

In chapters 42–48, Mazarin gave Philip, Duc d’Anjou fifty thousand crowns, suffered severe and then fatal attacks of gout, and summoned Guenaud, who gave him a fortnight to live. He ordered Brienne to send Colbert to him, signed a donation of his wealth to Louis XIV, and later recommended Colbert: “His name is yet almost unknown, sire; it is M. Colbert, my attendant. Oh! try him” Louis XIV destroyed the donation and received Mazarin’s advice never to appoint a prime minister. Mazarin died after mortal agony; Colbert brought Louis XIV his last adieu, disclosed the thirteen million livres entrusted to him, and inherited a house by a clause in Mazarin’s will.