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Mazarin (= Giulio Mazzarini) und die französische Königin Anna waren sich zum ersten Mal in Grenoble im Jahr 1630 begegnet: "On this occasion of this visit, Mazarin first bent the knee before Anne of Austria, being presented to her by Richelieu, with the following insolent words - 'Madame, I present to you the Sieur Giulio Mazarin; your Majesty will doubtless approve of this sagacious personage; as he, an agent of his Holiness, bears, as you perceive, a strong resemblance to the late Duke of Buckingham [George Villiers (1592-1628), den Anna sehr geliebt hatte].' Anne blushed, and unfurled her fan to cover her confusion." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Married Life of Anne of Austria, Queen of France, Mother of Louis XIV., and Don Sebastian, King of Portugal. In two Volumes. Vol. 1. id., pp. 210-211).
"Im Dezember des Jahres 1643 übernahm Mazarin in der Nachfolge von Richelieu das Amt des Ersten Ministers. Mazarin verfügte über alle Tugenden des großen Politikers seiner Zeit: hohen Intellekt, Weitblick, höchstes diplomatisches Geschick, Konsequenz, Hartnäckigkeit, Ehrgeiz, persönlichen Mut, Stolz, Höflichkeit, gepaart mit prinzipieller Härte, Raffgier, gemildert durch Mäzenatentum, Skrupellosigkeit, die auch vor Intrige nicht haltmachte. Es konnte durchaus passieren, daß der soeben herzlichst begrüßte Höfling beim Verlassen von Mazarins Amtssitz den Haftbefehl verlesen bekam. ... Vom Äußeren her war Mazarin eine in ihrer hochgewachsenen Statur bemerkenswerte Persönlichkeit mit intellektueller Brillanz, deren starke Anziehungskraft nicht selten sogar Gegner erlagen." (in: Manfred Kossok: Am Hofe Ludwigs XIV., Stuttgart 1990, S. 11-12).
Beschreibung des Kardinals Mazarin von der Hofdame der französischen Königin/Regentin Anna von Spanien/Österreich, Madame de Motteville, die ihn eigentlich nicht sonderlich mochte: "The greatness of his genius [des Kardinals Mazarin] placed him above other men, not only by luck but by the superiority of his knowledge. Never did any of those who were in his confidence and intimacy have power over him, unless some necessity in his affairs or his designs required it. He had great experience in foreign affairs, and was capable of the highest enterprises. He worked hard. His policy was shrewd; he was clever at intrigue; he attained his ends by circumlocutions and wiles that were well-nigh impenetrable. He was not malignant or cruel. At first he had not even an excessive ambition for up to that time he had declined the great establishments that other favourites obtain. He had taken neither places, governments, dignities, nor offices. Nor did his avidity for money appear then such as it really was; and those who accused him of it were unjust. Many who courted him owed him great favours, and of those many were much richer than he. He was quite agreeable in person; and in spite of his defects he will always be spoken of as an extraordinary man. His prodigious power will amaze the whole world, and the marvellous events of his rise to fortune will lift him very high. He has had the destiny of great men, alike in his good and his evil fortunes, he may also have their reputation, for I doubt if all the centuries put together can produce a greater." (in: Memoirs of Madame de Motteville, Volume 1, id., pp. 210-211).
Beschreibung des Kardinals Mazarin von seiner Nichte Hortense Mancini: "Never has a man [wie ihr Onkel, der Kardinal Mazarin] had such gentle manners in public and such harsh ones at home ..." (in: Hortense Mancini and Marie Mancini: Memoirs, Edited and Translated by Sarah Nelson, id. p. 37). Eine Behauptung, die von seinen Untergebenen bestätigt wurde.
"Before taking holy orders, Cardinal Mazarin had served as an officer in the Spanish army, where he had even won distinction. Coming to France in the train of a Roman cardinal, he took service with Richelieu, who remarking in him all the qualities of a supple, insinuating, artificial nature, - that is to say, the nature of a good politician, - appointed him his private secretary, and entrusted him with all his secrets, as if he had singled him out as his successor." (in: Memoirs of Madame la Marquise de Montespan – Being Historic Memoirs of the Court of Louis XIV, Volume 1, p. 49).
Around 1637 "Richelieu secured the services of Giulio Mazzarini, who was then Vice-Legate of Avignon, and papal Nuncio Extraordinary, sent by his Holiness, Urban VIII., to negotiate peace between the crowns of France and Spain ... Mazarin excelled in the power ... of persuasion, perseverance, and long-suffering without vindictiveness. His education, with all its subtle theories, sophism, and classical lore, had been perfected at the university of Alcalà. His command of his own native Italian, and of the Spanish tongue was perfect; and few orators surpassed him in the gift of eloquence. His temper was sweet and unruffled, his self-possession faultless, his personal appearance handsome and distinguished; and his manner partook of the stately grace derived from his Spanish associations, mingled with the insinuating deference of deportment, which distinguished the highly-bred cavalier of Italy. By each of his early patrons Mazarin was beloved; and each used the utmost influence at command for the promotion of his fortune. ... He could laugh, rhyme, sing, relate gallant adventures, whether true, of composed on the spur of the moment, fence, and frolic. With women his popularity was immense: he had access to the ear of the greatest ladies in Rome ... Mazarin had the art, sooner or later of converting his foes into partisans." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria - Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 1, London 1866, pp. xii-xiii).
"Giulio Mazzarini [Kardinal Jules Mazarin] was born at Piscina, in the Abruzzi, on 14th of July, 1602. His grandfather, Piero Baptiste Mazzarini, was a subordinate emplyé in the service of the papal court ... The mother of Mazarin was Ortensia Buffalini, a woman of great beauty and strength of character. His first patrons were the princes of the house of Colonna, who procured him a commission in the papal army, then invading the Valteline. He soon, however, forsook a military career, and returning to Rome, obtained the patronage of the Cardinals Francesco and Antonio Barbarini, nephews of Pope Urban, as the reward of a clever summary of the pending war, which he composed, and presented to these prelates. Through this powerful protection, Mazarin procured the appointment of secretary to Giovanni Francesco Sachetti, sent by the Pope to the court of the new Duke of Mantua, Charles Duc de Nevers, to whom, being a subject of France, the Emperor Ferdinand II. refused the investiture of the duchy. In the sanguinary war which ensued, Mazarin displayed extraordinary abilities in diplomacy, gaining the confidence in turn of each of the belligerent powers; and proving himself invaluable as a writer of despatches, which he had the privilege of addressing direct to his patron, Cardinal Antonio Barbarini ... Louis XIII. was at length induced to espouse the cause of the oppressed Duke of Mantua; and in 1630, the armies of France, under the conduct of the King in person, and his minister Richelieu, marched to relieve the town, and fortress of Casale. Mazarin was then delegated by the nuncio and by the Duke of Savoy to meet the French court at Lyons ... Introduced by Richelieu to the Queen, Anne of Austria, he obtained favourable notice by his enthusiasm for her native Spain; the easy, though deferential deportment of the young envoy pleased Louis XIII.; while Richelieu, struck by his subtle suggestions, warmly expressed his appreciation." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria - Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 1, London 1866, pp. xiv-xvi).
Seit 1639 war Mazarin nun Minister unter Ludwig XIII. und Richelieu: "The favour of Anne of Austria followed the approval of the minister [Richelieu]; and Mazarin became the ordinary channel which the Queen, and Richelieu communicated. ... On the 16th of December, 1641, the fortunate Mazarin was nominated as a candidate for the cardinalate by Louis XIII. ... On the death-bed, in 1642, Richelieu commended Mazarin to his royal master; advising his Majesty to avail himself of the ability, fortitude, and knowledge of the newly created Cardinal." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria -Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 1, London 1866, pp. xvi-xvii).
Seit dem 10. Dezember 1643 lebten der Kardinal Mazarin und die französische Königin Anna unter "einem Dach", im ehemaligen Palast des Kardinals Richelieu, im Palais Cardinal, denn Anna verließ mit ihren Söhnen Ludwig XIV. und Philippe I. das düstere Schloss Louvre, um ihrem Minister und Kardinal näher zu sein: "The splendid furniture, decorations, and pictures from the Louvre were, transferred to the Palais Cardinal, and there the Queen and her son established themselves about the 10th of December 1643. The Queen's apartments were superb, and consisted of the right wing of the mansion, overlooking la Cour de Prôues ... This formed the west side of the quadrangle of the Cour de Prôues, and communicated with the suite occupied by Mazarin. The Cardinal's apartments opened on the court leading to the Rue de Bons Enfants." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria -Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 1, London 1866, p. 157).
Seit dem 11. September 1647 lebten bei dem Kardinal Mazarin von seiner jüngeren Schwester, Madame Mancini, zwei Töchter und ein Sohn und von seiner älteren Schwester, Madame Martinozzi, die älteste Tochter in Paris. "... the Cardinal was congratulated on their grace, and beauty. ... The elder of the girls, Laura Victoria Mancini, was thirteen years old - a bright sparkling brunette, with wonderfully expressive features, and an air of great sensibility. Her manners were timid, and her voice sweet and low. The second of the Cardinal's nieces was named Olympia: she was a girl of nine - awkward, tiny in stature, with large shining eyes, a dingy complexion, pointed chin, and magnificent black hair, which, according to the fashion of the time, enveloped her figure like a mantle. Shy and diffident, this little elf attracted much notice. Marie Anne Martinozzi, the daughter of the Cardinal's elder sister, was introduced as having more pretensions to the august sphere in which she suddenly found herself. She bore the title of La Contessa Mariana; and had been the betrothed bride of Don Carlo Barbarino, Prince of Palestrina, who, on the accession of Pope Innocent X., renounced his title, estates, and promised wife, for a cardinal's hat. Mademoiselle de Martinozzi was a lovely girl of twelve - fair, eyes blue as turquoise, her hair gold colour in hue, and so abundant ... The Cardinal's nephew, Giulio Mancini, was a pretty dark-haired boy of ten; but whose premature death caused all the great dignities in reserve for him, to fall to his younger brother Philip, who was born in the same year as Louis Quartze. ... Shortly after the arrival of these young ladies, Madame de Senécé, late governess of the King [Ludwig XIV.], accepted, with the brevet rank of a duchess, the office of governess to the three 'Mazarinettes', the name by which the Cardinal's nieces were soon nicknamed by the audacious Parisians." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria -Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 1, London 1866, pp. 218-219). Übrigens besaß der Kardinal noch weitere hübsche Nichten: Maria Mancini (1639-1715), Hortense Mancini (1646-1699) und Maria Anna Mancini (1649-1714).
Die Wichtigkeit und Bedeutung von Mazarin für Anna von Spanien/Österreich zeigte sich besonders seit 1649. Seit dem Tod ihres Gatten im Jahr 1643 hatte sie schon jeden Abend mit ihm in politischen Gesprächen verbracht - bei offener Tür, damit keine bösen Gerüchte entstanden. Im Jahr 1649 sah es mittlerweile folgendermaßen aus: "The Cardinal [Mazarin] was now the Queen's constant companion, in the state cabinet, and closet. Anne always kept late hours, and far into the silent watches of the night their conferences extended. Mazarin soothed her distress ... He inspired into her mind prudent words and counselled gracious actions. The greatest master of diplomacy which the world then knew, Mazarin perfected the political education of Anne of Austria; and how well, and how aptly she profited by his instructions Anne showed when, a few months later, deprived of his support, alone, with every faction arrayed against her, she saved the crown by her dexterity, and shrewdness." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria - Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 2, id., p. 93). Ein Brief von Mazarin an Anna von Spanien/Österreich im Mai 1651: "Mon Dieu! how thankful should I be if you could read my heart! Then, indeed, would you be convinced that never friendship equalled the friendship that I bear you! I will even go so far as to assert, that all delight and pleasure leaves me, when I employ my time in other pursuits than in dreaming of you! Neither can I express to you the hate I bear to all those foes who try drive me from your mind, and exhort you to forget me - and this hate rises in proportion to the affection which I bear you. I believe that your friendship is beyond shortcoming; and such as you tell me. Mine for you, however, appears to me finer, and truer; inasmuch as, every moment I reproach myself for not giving you signal proof of it; which raises in my mind strange desires, and bold measures to obtain sight of you. If my dread of compromising you did not restrain me, I would hazard a thousand lives to see you. I cannot answer much longer for myself, unless I speedily descry remedy; for such attachment as I bear you, scorns prudence. I may be wrong and unjust, and I ask pardon - nevertheless, I believe were I in your place I would devise means, and have made some path by which we could meet. Let me know, whether I shall ever see you again, and when. ..." (in: Martha Walker Freer: The Regency of Anna of Austria - Queen Regent of France, Mother of Louis XIV, From numerous unpublished sources, including M88. in the Bibliothèque Impériale, and the Archives du Royaume de France, etc., etc., Vol. 2, id., pp. 395-396).
Für Ludwig XIV. war der Kardinal Mazarin, der "Vater", den er nicht hatte und den er über alles liebte. Als der Kardinal Mazarin im März 1661 im Sterben lag, war Ludwig XIV. daher sehr niedergeschlagen: "... the grief he felt for the state in which he saw the cardinal, whom he greatly loved. It was his first attachment; childhood had set its seal on this affection. ... The king was afflicted by the death of his minister [Kardinal Mazarin], and wept much. ... The king, the queens, and the whole Court went into mourning for the cardinal; a thing which had never before been done; for kings wear mourning for none but sovereigns, or princes who have the honour to be related to them, and he was neither the one nor the other." (in: Memoirs of Madame de Motteville, Volume 3, id., pp. 230/236/240).
Frauen in der Renaissance – 30 Einzelschicksale
seit Oktober 2017 als Buch in überarbeiteter Version bei amazon.de erhältlich, 432 Seiten, mit 304 SW-Bildern, € 20,20; ISBN 978-1-5498-9445-9
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Margarete von Österreich – Die burgundische Habsburgerin und ihre Zeit
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