Mazarin

Richelieu, dying, entrusts Mazarin with the mission of continuing his political work. After the cardinal’s death, followed by that of Louis XIII, Mazarin helps Anne of Austria have the king’s will annulled, allowing her to become full regent. Mazarin then establishes himself as the true head of government and protector of the young Louis XIV. But from his very first days in power, he faces the hostility of the great nobles and the first mazarinades, foreshadowing the troubles to come.

Mazarin governs alongside Anne of Austria, continuing the authoritarian policies inherited from Richelieu. The great nobles, frustrated at being pushed aside, gather in secret and fuel popular discontent. The Parlement, already hostile, joins the critics and strengthens the opposition. Aristocratic salons become centers of intrigue against the cardinal. This part establishes a climate of political suffocation in which the “princes in a cage” search for a way out.

Mazarin decides to strike hard by arresting Condé, Conti, and Longueville, a dramatic move meant to crush the emerging rebellion. The decision shocks the entire kingdom and reignites the ambitions of the princely families. Parlement and the nobles unite against the cardinal, while Paris grows restless and begins to rise up. Mazarin finds himself isolated, besieged by pamphlets and public anger. The situation escalates until the Fronde breaks out, plunging France into crisis.