The Mancini sisters are well-known for his or her connections to the French courtroom, due to the work of their uncle, Cardinal Jules Mazarin.

That is the primary publish within the sequence in regards to the seven Mazarinettes. This publish will discover the temporary lifetime of Laura Mancini, Duchess of Mercœur, however first, we should find out how the ladies got here into the French courtroom.

Cardinal Mazarin’s Energy

Cardinal Jules Mazarin, who served because the chief minister to Kings Louis XIII and XIV, was an influential determine in seventeenth-century France. He was chief minister from 1642 till his loss of life in 1661. Initially hailing from Italy, he relocated to France years earlier than, and his two sisters adopted him there. After having amassed a lot energy, he sought to consolidate it and create a legacy for himself. He possessed no youngsters as a result of he was a Roman Catholic clergyman of excessive rank. So, he turned to his two sisters, Laura Margharita, spouse of Depend Girolamo Martinozzi, and Girolama, spouse of Baron Lorenzo Mancini.

Collectively, the minor noblewomen had seven daughters famend for his or her magnificence. Mazarin hoped that by introducing his seven nieces to the French Royal Court docket, they might make advantageous marriages, and he might encompass himself with these he trusted. In any case, a person with such energy had many enemies. Laura Martinozzi’s daughters have been: Anne Marie and Laura, whereas Girolama Mancini’s daughters have been: Laura, Olympia, Anne Marie, Hortense, and Marie Anne.

The Mazarinettes in France

The widowed Anne of Austria, Queen Regent of France, was receptive to Mazarin bringing his nieces to courtroom. Actually, she allowed the youthful Mazarinettes (“little Mazarins”) to be educated alongside Louis XIV and his youthful brother, Monsieur Philippe, Duke of Anjou.

From the second they arrived at courtroom, these younger ladies precipitated fairly a stir. The usual of magnificence in France was pale pores and skin and a sizeable determine, whereas the Mazarinettes possessed willowy figures and a darker pores and skin tone. The Mazarinades, a political pamphlet, poked enjoyable at these younger ladies, referring to them as “filth princesses” and “stinking snakes.”

The reality is that they didn’t convey a big dowry with them. In accordance with French historian Jacques Hillairet, they weren’t very rich in any respect.

As they have been offered at courtroom, Marshal Nicolas de Neutville de Villeroy famously whispered to his uncle, Gaston, Duke of Orléans: “Voilà des petites demoiselles qui présentement ne sont level riches, mais qui bientôt auront de beaux châteaux, de bonnes rentes, de belles pierreries, de bonne vaisselle d’argent, et peut-être de grandes dignités” or “Listed here are younger girls who simply at current aren’t wealthy in any respect, however who quickly shall have lovely castles, good incomes, valuable stones, substantial silver plate, and perhaps nice dignities.”

Little did he realise simply how prophetic his phrases have been as a result of the Mazarinettes all made advantageous marriages.

Laura Mancini —The First Mazarinette

Like the remainder of the Mazarinettes, Laura was born in Italy; she was born on 6 Could 1636. Her dad and mom, Baron Lorenzo Mancini and his spouse, Girolama, belonged to the minor aristocracy. Collectively the couple produced ten youngsters.

5 of their daughters would belong to the notorious Mazarinettes. The eldest youngster born to this union was Laura Vittoria. She was named for her paternal grandmother, Vittoria Capocci. Historical past doesn’t reveal a lot in regards to the lives of the Mancinis in Italy. 

In accordance with the creator, H. Noel Williams, Laura arrived on the Palais Royal on 11 September 1647 and was described as “a satisfying brunette, with a good-looking face, about twelve or 13 years of age.”

As a result of Queen Anne favoured Cardinal Mazarin and his nieces, she allowed Laura, her siblings, and her cousins to be playmates of younger Louis XIV and his brother, Monsieur.

Marriage

When she was of age to marry, a number of suitors have been proposed for her. One such suitor was Louis-Charles de Nogaret de Foix, Duke of Candale.

In his personal proper, the Duke of Candale was a good-looking man, however he died earlier than the wedding might happen. Laura finally married a Prince of the Blood, Louis, Duke of Mercoeur, on 4 February 1651. Thereafter she can be known as Her Serene Highness, particularly since she was now a Princess of the Blood (Princesse du sang).

He was the son of César, Duke of Vendôme (the illegitimate son of King Henry IV of France) and his spouse, Françoise of Lorraine. Whereas César was born of an illegitimate union between Henry IV and Gabrielle d’Estrées, he was legitimised on 4 February 1595.

By all accounts, the Duke of Mercoeur was an honourable and pious man. He fought within the Thirty Years’ Conflict and was injured on the Siege of Arras. Not solely was he the Duke of Mercoeur, however he was the Viceroy of Catalonia as properly. Historical past tells us that he was interested in Laura Mancini and favoured this marriage.

Cardinal Mazarin, lurking within the background pulling the strings, promised the Duke of Vendôme a large dowry of 600,000 livres if he would endorse this marriage.

In the meantime, in France, Cardinal Mazarin was dealing with quite a lot of opposition. In accordance with Jacques de Bourbon-Busset, Mazarin willingly entered exile whereas the Fronde Civil Wars happened in France. He lived for some time at Brühl as a visitor of the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, Maximilian Henry of Bavaria. Whereas he was in exile, Mazarin privately blessed the wedding of Laura and Mercoeur at a chapel within the fortress the place he was staying. She elected to stick with her uncle at Brühl whereas Mercoeur returned to France, the place battle was constructing.

Mercoeur was referred to as earlier than Louis, Prince of Condé and the Parliament. They demanded solutions about his marriage and relationship with the controversial Mazarin household. In accordance with Jacques Hillairet, they launched the declaration that Laura Mancini wasn’t to enter the dominion or to stay inside its borders. Mercoeur refused to have his marriage annulled as the wedding was respectable. Consequently, Laura remained the Duchess of Mercoeur, and Cardinal Mazarin would win his first victory in opposition to Condé.

On 3 February 1653, Mazarin referred to as upon the Duke of Mercoeur and Duke of Modena to assist restore order in Provence after the Prince of Condé inspired a revolt, said Jacques Hillairet. Whereas her husband was away combating the Spanish, Laura returned to France and lived a pious life. She was nonetheless a lot beloved by Queen Anne. Moreover, she would go to the Fortress of Anet, the place she would spend time together with her mother-in-law, the Duchess of Vendôme.

At the moment, Laura was a favorite of King Louis XIV. In an anecdote shared by modern memoirist Madame Françoise Bertaut de Motteville, Louis was accustomed to and loved opening the ball with the Mazarinettes. When a ball was about to start, he routinely referred to as for Laura to open the ball alongside him. Queen Anne disapproved of this etiquette fake pas and referred to as for her niece, Princess Henrietta of England, to open the ball with him as a substitute. The Queen said an ultimatum that he would open the ball with Princess Henrietta or he wouldn’t dance in any respect. The King, resolute in his methods, rejected the concept as he didn’t need to dance with slightly lady, reported Jacques Hillairet. Nonetheless, he did as his mom commanded him.

Youngsters and Her Demise

The Duke and Duchess Mercoeur had three sons: Louis Joseph, Philippe, and Jules César. The 2 eldest sons lived to maturity and had no youngsters. The third son died on the age of three. Laura suffered nice sorrow as proper earlier than her third son was born, she misplaced her mom, who died on 29 December 1656 on the Louvre Palace. She was beside herself with unhappiness.

The start of her son Jules César put her in nice hazard. In accordance with Madame de Motteville, Cardinal Mazarin was not fearful at first, however finally, he rushed to her facet and “discovered that she was dying, and that, unable to talk, she might solely smile.”

The little boy was born on 27 January 1657 and named after Cardinal Mazarin. Mazarin and the Duke of Mercoeur have been heartbroken by this flip of occasions. Then, on 8 February 1657, Laura died. In accordance with Jacques Hillairet, the Archbishop of Aix wrote in his memoirs of this sorrowful scene: “The cardinal got here to offer her the sacraments himself. She appeared so lovely on this unhappy state that one couldn’t think about that she had died.”

Laura was 20-years-old; her physique was interred in Paris.

The one who took her loss of life the toughest was the Duke of Mercoeur. Not lengthy after her loss of life, he put his three sons within the care of Laura’s sister, Anne-Marie Mancini, Duchess of Bouillon. He determined to enter a Capuchin convent. Ten years after the loss of life of his spouse, he was made a Cardinal. Together with his father, the Duke of Vendôme, passing away in 1665, the title handed instantly to him. As an alternative of being a duke, he was recognized thereafter because the Cardinal of Vendôme.