Philippe Jules Mancini

Philippe Jules Mancini (1641, Rome - 1707, Paris), Duke of Nevers, was the nephew of Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister of France immediately after the death of King Louis XIII. He was the brother of the five famous Mancini sisters, who along with two of their female Martinozzi cousins, were known at the court of King Louis XIV of France as the Mazarinettes.

Philippe was born in Rome in 1641. He was the son of Baron Lorenzo Mancini, an Italian aristocrat who was also a necromancer and astrologer. After his father's death in 1650, his mother, Geronima, brought her family from Rome to Paris in the hope of using the influence of her brother, Cardinal Mazarin, to gain them advantageous marriages. Philippe's five famous sisters were:

Philippe's cousins, the Martinozzis, also moved to France at the same time, for the same goal (to marry well). The elder, Laura, married Alfonso IV d'Este, duke of Modena and became the mother of Mary of Modena, second wife of James II of England. The younger, Anne Marie Martinozzi, married Armand de Bourbon, prince de Conti.

He also had two brothers: Paul and Alphonse.

Soon after his arrival in France, his uncle, Cardinal Mazarin, decided to use him as a tool to avert future warfare in the kingdom. Upon the death of King Louis XIII in 1643, the older of his two sons succeeded to the throne of France as King Louis XIV. In order to discourage the type of tempestuous relationship that had developed between Louis XIII and his younger brother Gaston, duc d'Orléans, the young king's mother, Anne of Austria, and chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, decided to protect the future king by making sure that his younger brother, the duc d'Anjou, had no part in any political or military office. During his youth, Anjou's behavior was closely watched by dowager queen and her advisor, who made sure that the young duke had no meaningful financial freedom from the Crown. His income was to be derived solely from his appanage.