Cardinal Mazarin
The shrewd Italian diplomat who steered France through the turbulent close of the Thirty Years' War and laid the groundwork for Louis XIV's absolute monarchy.
1602–1661 (age 59)·Italian clergyman and politician·Birthday: July 14
Biography
Jules Mazarin, born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino in Pescina, was a diplomat whose sharp intellect caught the eye of Cardinal Richelieu. Succeeding his mentor as chief minister to the French crown, Mazarin navigated the treacherous final years of the Thirty Years' War, securing the landmark Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which vastly expanded French territory and influence. His accumulation of power and wealth, however, sparked the Fronde, a series of aristocratic and parliamentary revolts that forced the royal court to flee Paris. With cunning and patience, he outlasted his opponents, crushing the rebellions and in the process strengthening the monarchy's authority. As the guardian and tutor to the young Louis XIV, Mazarin imparted lessons in statecraft and centralized power, directly shaping the Sun King's future reign. He died the wealthiest man in Europe, having secured France's position as the continent's dominant power.
#1 When Cardinal Was Born
The biggest hits of 1602
Cardinal's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1602Born
1607Started school
1615Became a teenager
1618Could drive
1620Could vote
1623Turned 21
1632Turned 30
1642Turned 40
1652Turned 50
1661Died at 59
Key Achievements
- Negotiated the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, ending the Thirty Years' War and significantly enhancing French territorial and political power.
- Successfully managed the French state through the internal civil wars known as the Fronde, preserving the monarchy.
- Served as the de facto ruler of France during the regency of Anne of Austria for the child-king Louis XIV.
- Built an immense personal art collection, much of which forms the nucleus of the Louvre's collection of Italian paintings.
Did You Know?
He was never ordained as a priest; he was a cardinal-deacon, a political appointment made at the request of King Louis XIII.
Mazarin amassed one of the greatest personal fortunes in European history, largely through state finances.
He introduced the genre of Italian opera to Paris.
The Mazarinettes were his seven nieces, whom he strategically married into the highest French nobility to secure his influence.
“The state must be saved, by whatever means necessary.”
