Olympia Mancini

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Olympia Mancini

Portrait by Pierre Mignard
Born July 11, 1638
Rome, Italy
Died October 9, 1708 (aged 70)
Brussels, modern day Belgium
Spouse Prince Eugène-Maurice of Savoy-Carignan
Children Louis-Thomas
Philippe
Louis-Jules
Emanuel-Philbert
François-Eugène
Marie-Jeanne
Louise-Philberte
Françoise
Parents Michele Lorenzo Mancini
Geronima Mazzarini

Olympia Mancini, in France Olympe Mancini (July 11, 1638 — 9 October 1708) was the second of five famous Mancini sisters, nieces of Cardinal Mazarin; she was also the mother of the famous general Prince Eugene of Savoy.

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[edit] Youth

Olympia Mancini grew up in Rome. Her father was baron Michele Lorenzo Mancini. After his death in 1650, her mother, Geronima, brought her daughters from Rome to Paris in hopes of using Cardinal Mazarin's influence to gain them advantageous marriages.

The other Mancini sisters were:

The Mancinis were not the only female family members that Cardinal Mazarin brought to the French court. The others were Olympia's first cousins, daughters of Mazarin's eldest sister. The elder, Laura Martinozzi, married Alfonso IV d'Este, duke of Modena and was the mother of Mary of Modena, second wife of James II of England. The younger, Anne Marie Martinozzi, married Armand, Prince de Conti. Altogether, the seven girls were referred to as the Mazarinettes.

The Mancini also had three brothers: Paul, Philippe, and Alphonse.

[edit] Marriage

Olympia was married on February 21, 1657 to Prince Eugène-Maurice of Savoy-Carignano (1633-1673), by whom she had eight children, amongst whom was the famous soldier Prince Eugene of Savoy. At court, the Comte de Soissons was addressed as Monsieur le Comte. As his wife, Olympia was referred to at court as Madame la Comtesse.

[edit] Intrigues

Olympia was an intriguer of the first order. It is possible that prior to her marriage, she was briefly the mistress of Louis XIV. After her marriage, she allied herself with Louis' new mistress, his sister-in-law, Henriette-Anne, duchesse d'Orléans, who was known at court as Madame. When Henriette and Louis sought to hide their relationship from others, Olympia is said to have introduced one of Henriette's ladies-in-waiting, Louise de La Vallière, to the King in order that he might claim that his attendance upon Henriette and her ladies was based on his affection for Louise and not Henriette. She turned against Louise, however, after the King fell in love with her at the expense of Henrietta Anne.

[edit] The Affaire des Poisons

Main article: Poison affair

Olympia was accused in 1679 in the Affaire des Poisons of having plotted with La Voisin to poison Louise de La Vallière. She was even said to have threatened the King himself with the words, "come back to me, or you will be sorry". In addition, she was suspected of poisoning her own husband, and Queen Maria Luisa of Spain, the daughter of Henriette-Anne and niece of Louis XIV.

[edit] Later life

On January 23, 1680, she was asked to leave the court; she moved to Brussels, claiming her innocence. Now and then she traveled to Spain and England with her two sisters Marie and Hortense. In Brussels she supported musicians Pietro Antonio Fiocco and Henry Desmarest. She died in Brussels October 9, 1708.

[edit] References