Anne of Austria

Also known as: Anne / her majesty / my queen / the queen / the queen regent · Family: French monarchy · Role: queen of France · First appears: Chapter 1

In chapter 1, Anne of Austria was reportedly secretly married to Mazarin. By chapter 2, Guitant had served for twenty years in the queen’s guards, while De Tréville was counted among her greatest friends; Mazarin believed that, during serious tumults, no one but the queen might support him, though her support seemed uncertain. In chapter 4, Anne was seen with her son Louis XIV, courted by Mazarin, and opposed to Rochefort, a faithful friend of Richelieu. She remembered her friendship with Madame de Hautefort, defended herself against accusations concerning Buckingham, and acknowledged that D’Artagnan had conveyed her letter and returned Buckingham’s ornaments in time. “I swear,” she said, “by these sacred relics that Buckingham was not my lover.”

She also recalled sending away Madame de Chevreuse, ordering the arrest of Duc de Beaufort, and receiving help against Richelieu. Later, she called Marie Michon her sister, made Abbé Scarron the queen’s invalid with a pension, and sent Duc de Beaufort to a place with good air, a promenade, and a tennis court. She placed her influence at the service of D’Artagnan and Monsieur de Retz, though she also turned Monsieur de Retz over to her favorites, and she employed Comminges and Guitant during the unrest.

In chapters 47–52, Paris revolted against Mazarin and demanded Broussel’s release. Anne ordered Maréchal de la Meilleraie to investigate, summoned Gondy, commanded Comminges to deploy troops around the king and against the mob, and signed Broussel’s release; she later restored Broussel and Blancmesnil to the people. She secretly planned to take Louis XIV from Paris with Mazarin, consulted Prince de Condé, and recruited D’Artagnan, whom she had long forgotten but now trusted. “I will take upon myself the making of your fortune.” She authorized D’Artagnan to command in her name, and he led the royal party from Paris to rejoin Mazarin.

By chapters 79–81, Anne remained both patron and employer to those around her. She ordered Mazarin to fulfill Athos’s request concerning his arrested friends, then secretly ordered Athos’s arrest after he left her presence. She directed Séguier to open conferences at Rueil, and later signed consent to the treaty proposed by the Parisians. In chapter 88, D’Artagnan and Porthos returned Mazarin to her; the royal procession then began its return to Paris with Louis XIV and Mazarin.