Mancini, Marie (1640–1715)
Mancini, Marie (1640–1715)
Princess of Colonna . Name variations: Marie de Mancini. Born in 1640 (some sources cite 1639); died in 1715 (some sources cite 1714); third daughter of Laurent also seen as Lorenzo Mancini and a mother (maiden name Mazarini or Mazarino) who was the sister of Cardinal Jules Mazarin (1602–1661, chief minister to the young Louis XIV); sister of Olympia Mancini (c. 1639–1708), Laure Mancini (1635–1657), Hortense Mancini (1646–1699), Marie-Anne Mancini (1649–1714); cousin of Anne-Marie Martinozzi (1637–1672) and Laura Martinozzi ; married the prince of Colonna, connétable de Naples (High Constable of Naples), in 1661.
As a frequent visitor to the Mazarin house, Louis XIV fell deeply in love with Marie Mancini. But her uncle Cardinal Jules Mazarin was determined that Louis choose a Spanish bride to ensure an alliance with Spain. (In 1660, Louis married Maria Teresa of Spain .) Mazarin sent Marie away and pushed his niece Olympia Mancini into the arms of Louis; he also made sure that Marie was apprised of this. Deeply hurt, the 21-year-old Marie married the prince of Colonna on the rebound in 1661, but she soon left him and returned to France where she was shut up in a convent by Louis XIV. She lived in Spain for most of her life, then returned to France where she died in obscurity in 1714 or 1715. Her Mémoires de Madame la Connétable de Colonna was published in 1678.