France 1661

The Cardinal is dying. He had followed the court to Vincennes in February but there his illness increased. Mazarin suffered for a while already, symptoms of water in the chest, and there on March 9, meeting death with unshrinking firmness, Mazarin rested forever from the toils of state.

Mazarin had scarcely finished making his final dispositions when his malady increased to a violent pitch. On the 5th of March, forty hours' public prayers were ordered in all the churches of Paris, which is not generally done except in the case of kings. The cardinal had sent for M. Jolt, parish-priest of St. Nicholas des Champs, a man of great reputation for piety, and begged him not to leave him. "I have misgivings about not being sufficiently afraid of death," he said to his confessor. He felt his own pulse himself, muttering quite low, "I shall have a great deal more to suffer." The king had left him on the 7th of March, in the evening. He did not see him again and sent to summon the ministers. Already the living was taking the place of the dying, with a commencement of pomp and circumstance which excited wonder at the changes of the world.

During the last days of his life Mazarin endeavoured eagerly to persuade the king to retain in his service Le Tellier, Lionne and Colbert. But at the same time that the Minister endeavoured to secure the fortune of those he had trained in the ways of policy, he gave his sovereign the singular, the wise, and the prophetic advice to dispense the service of a prime minister and to govern himself.
This were some of the cares which agitated the Cardinal upon his death bed; but there were others of a more private nature which did not affect him less. The means which he had taken to accumulate the immense fortune which he left, disturbed his conscience in dying. Mazarin, to quiet his own mind, made a voluntary donation of all that he possessed to the monarch a few days before he passed. Le Roi, as a matter of course, restored to him all his property and gave him permission to dispose of it as he pleased. The Minister, completely satisfied by this piece of acting, divided his enormous wealth amongst his relations.
On the 9th, between two and three in the morning, Mazarin raised himself slightly in his bed, praying to God and suffering greatly; then he said aloud, 'Ah holy Virgin, have pity upon me; receive my soul,' and so he expired, showing a fair front to death up to the last moment.

As Mazarin dies he leaves a kingdom at peace, externally as well as internally. The long war with Spain, conducted since 1635, has ended in 1659 with the treaty of the Pyrenees. France makes useful gains on both her borders with Spain, taking land from Flanders and Luxembourg in the Spanish Netherlands and along the Pyrenees in the south.


sources LOUIS XIV., THE FRONDE, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF CARDINAL MAZARIN; Lives of the Cardinal de Richelieu, Count Oxenstiern--Count Olivarez and Cardinal Mazarin

“Messeigneurs , I have assembled you and my ministers and secretaries in order to tell you that up till now I have willingly let the late Cardinal manage my affairs. It's now time that I manage them myself. You will aid me with your council when I require you. I ask and order you, Monsieur chancellor to sign and seal nothing without my orders. And you my secretaries of state. I order you to sign nothing, not even a safeguard or passport, without my orders. To inform me each day, and not to favor anyone. And you, Monsieur surintendant des finances, I have explained my wishes to you. I ask you to work with Colbert, whom the late cardinal recommended to me.”

On March 30 Philippe de France and Henrietta of England signed their marriage contract, the next day at noon the simple marriage ceremony, the court was still mourning the Cardinal's passing,  took place in the chapel of the Palais Royal. A small supper, held by the bride's mother, ended the small festivities.

On 20 April the court moved to Fontainebleau. The young king was surrounded by a galaxy of rank and beauty. Anne of Austria, the queen mother, and Marie Therese, his wife, were there. Also, Henrietta of England and her ladies. The Duc de Lorraine was there to render homage for his duchy, and among the nobles and princes were to be seen Baufort and Condé, both so celebrated during the king's minority.

It was a time for fetes and dances, of expeditions on land by day, and of entertainments on the lake and promenades in the woods by night, these often lasting until two or three in the morning. The future was bright with many a hope, the present was dazzling and fascinating. Men gambled recklessly with borrowed money, the king himself was not averse to high play. A theater was build in the park and new comedies were played. In the Ballet de Saisons the king himself represented spring and danced with his usual grace and skill.

It was at Fontainebleau that Louis first met Louise, a girl of seventeen.
Louise's family was well-connected and through the distant relative Madame de Choisy, Louise was made a Maid of Honour to the Princess Henrietta who had recently married Philippe, Duc d'Orlèans - the King's brother. Henrietta’s  affection for the king, her brother-in-law, caused some scandal and fed rumors of a romantic affair. To counter these rumors, the King and Madame decided that Louis should pay court elsewhere as a front, and Madame selected three young ladies to “set in his path,” Louise among them.  Of course, Madame did not think of the possibility that the king could find one of her ladies to her liking.
As planned, curious courtier eyes, found the reason for the king's daily visits in Madame's chambers to be one of her ladies. Louis in first pretended to woe Mademoiselle Louise, but soon deep affection started to blossom.

After the lustrous festivities of Fontainebleu the court returns to Paris. Le Roi and La Reine take quarter in the Louvre once again, Monsieur and Madame in the Palais Royal.


Louis, eager to establish his rule, wants his court to become the non plus ultra. He wants France to rule over the rest of the known world.  He wants... everything. His head is full with ideas how to achieve the wanted, but in first he must rule his court before he can rule Europe.

His brother Philippe, on the other hand, struggles with being newly wed to someone he can't love, someone he don't wants to love. His affections are different, but not unusual. He loves someone, in fact, and everyone knows it... but no-one talks openly about this disgraceful affair. The object of his love started to neglect him however. He is seen more in Madame's company than in Monsieur's, but there is other charming creature that his caught his eyes as well... what will he do?  

Madame, is as unhappy as Monsieur about this marriage. She wanted to be Queen, Louis' Queen. Now she is married to his younger brother, a weak person and good for nothing. Furious Louis once again decided for someone else, a stupid little thing, she plans to destroy her... and there is the Comte de Guiche to keep her company, while her husband plans amusements... but what if Monsieur discovers her little secret?

Mademoiselle de La Baume Le Blanc, the new maîtresse-en-titre, does not feel so comfortable in her new role despite the love she feels for her king. She is aware that now, since she is the official mistress, there will be others trying to replace her... and she is right. The Ladies at court are just waiting for a chance.