Jules Mazarin

French Prime Minister and Cardinal. Born in Pessina in central Italy. His father was an Italian of Sicilian descent and a Papal official. After graduating from the Jesuit academy in Rome, he broadened his horizons by studying at the University of Alcala in Spain. In 1623 he was appointed captain of the papal army, but because he had a flexible mind and was also sociable and eloquent, he was recognized by the Pope, who was working hard to promote harmony within the Catholic world, and was appointed as a diplomat. He traveled to Paris in 1630, and was appointed as a papal envoy in 1634. Through these activities, his diplomatic skills were recognized by Richelieu, and he traveled to Paris in 1639 and became a French citizen in the same year. He became a cardinal at the end of 1641. After the death of Louis XIII, he gained the trust of the regent and mother, Anne of Austria, and became chancellor in 1643. He demonstrated his skill in resolving many diplomatic problems, but he was particularly keen to end the Thirty Years' War in a favorable way, and succeeded in concluding the Treaty of Westphalia in October 1648.

However, Mazarin also faced strong resentment from the old nobility and the Parlement bureaucrats, and in 1643 the Cabale des Importants incident occurred, a plot by important men to bring about his downfall. In addition, various taxes were increased to raise funds for the Thirty Years' War, and this discontent was focused on Mazarin. The Fronde (1648-1653), which spread across almost the entire country, was triggered by this resentment against Mazarin. Anti-Mazarin sentiment was particularly strong among the old nobility, centered around the Parlement and Prince Condé, and satirical writings and poems critical of Mazarin, known as "Mazarinades," were circulated. During the rebellion, Mazarin traveled from place to place, returning to Paris in February 1653. Mazarin, who is said to have had a close relationship with the regent, seized real power after the Fronde and, using his confidants Fouquet, Colbert, and Le Tellier, worked to establish a centralized administrative control system and financial system like those of Richelieu. Externally, he allied with the British republican government, defeated the Spanish army, and concluded the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, which established the superiority of the Bourbon dynasty over the Habsburg dynasty, and successfully arranged a political marriage between Louis XIV and a Spanish princess. He also fully demonstrated his diplomatic skills, forging an international order in which France was superior, such as by concluding the Confederation of the Rhine (1658) between the West German states and the Oliver Treaty (1660), which guaranteed peace in the Baltic Sea. Mazarin left behind a huge legacy, including numerous works of art, jewelry, furniture, and books, and the Mazarine Library currently in Paris was built based on Mazarin's private collection of books. He died at Vincennes on March 9, 1661.

[Haruo Chiba]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランスの宰相、枢機卿(すうききょう)。イタリア中部のペシナに生まれる。父はシチリア系イタリア人で教皇庁官吏。ローマのイエズス会の学院卒業後、スペインのアルカラ大学に学び視野を広げた。1623年教皇軍の隊長に任命されたが、柔軟な頭脳の持ち主で、しかも社交的で雄弁という素質をもっていたので、旧教世界内の協調に腐心していた教皇に認められ、外交官に起用された。1630年のパリ行、1634年の教皇特使としてのパリ赴任とその活動を通じて、リシュリューに外交手腕を認められ、1639年にパリに渡り、同年フランスに帰化した。1641年末、枢機卿となった。ルイ13世の死後、摂政(せっしょう)母后アンヌ・ドートリッシュの信頼を得て、1643年宰相となり、多くの外交問題の解決に手腕を振るったが、とくに三十年戦争の有利な終結に意欲を燃やし、1648年10月、ウェストファリア条約の締結に成功した。

　しかし、マザランに対する旧貴族や高等法院官僚たちの反感も強く、1643年にはマザラン失脚を図る「要人の陰謀」cabale des Importants事件が起こった。また、三十年戦争の戦費調達のため各種の租税が増徴され、その不満がマザランに集中した。ほぼ全国に及んだフロンドの乱（1648～1653）はこのマザランに対する反感を契機としている。とくに高等法院とコンデ親王を中心とする旧貴族の反マザラン感情が強く、「マザリナード」とよばれるマザラン批判の風刺文書や詩歌が流布された。乱の間、マザランは各地を転々として、1653年2月にパリに帰った。摂政母后と親密な関係にあったといわれるマザランは、フロンドの乱後の実権を握り、腹心フーケ、コルベール、ル・テリエを用いて、リシュリュー以来の集権的行政支配機構の整備と財政確立に努めた。対外的には、イギリス共和政府と結び、スペイン軍を撃破して、1659年ピレネー条約を結び、ハプスブルク王家に対するブルボン王家の優位を決定づけ、ルイ14世とスペイン王女との政略結婚を成功させた。また、西ドイツ諸邦間のライン同盟（1658）、バルト海の平和を保障するオリバー条約（1660）を結ばせるなど、外交的力量を十分に発揮してフランス優位の国際秩序をつくりあげた。マザランは、多数の美術品、宝石類、家具類、図書を含む莫大(ばくだい)な遺産を残したが、現在パリにあるマザリーヌ図書館はマザランの私蔵本を基にしてつくられたものである。1661年3月9日バンセンヌで死去。

［千葉治男］

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