Jules Mazarin

James Coons (University of Wisconsin, Whitewater)
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Jules Mazarin (b. Giulio Mazzarini) was the principal figure in French politics during the regency and early reign of Louis XIV. A native Italian and naturalized Frenchman, Mazarin was made a Cardinal in 1641, and succeeded his mentor Cardinal Richelieu as chief minister and ultimately as

de facto

head of government until his death in 1661. The scope of his role is shown in the watershed marked by the Sun King’s choice not to name a new

premier ministre

upon Mazarin’s death

,

a moment seen as inaugurating Louis XIV’s “personal reign”. Though Mazarin’s ministry was scarred by upheaval and civil war, most historians view his administration as a qualified success; it must be noted, however, that scholarly opinions have by no means reached consensus. Mazarin oversaw the prosecution…

1807 words

Citation: Coons, James. "Jules Mazarin". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 December 2019 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3018, accessed 28 March 2024.]

3018 Jules Mazarin 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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