Olympia Mancini, Countess of Soissons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olympia Mancini |
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| Countess of Soissons | |||||
Portrait by Mignard
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| Born | 11 July 1638 Rome, Papal States |
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| Died | October 9, 1708 (aged 70) Brussels, modern Belgium |
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| Spouse | Eugene Maurice of Savoy | ||||
| Issue | Louis Thomas, Count of Soissons Philippe, "Abbot of Soissons" Louis Jules, Knight of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert, Count of Dreux Prince Eugene Marie Jeanne, Mademoiselle de Soissons Louise Philiberte, Mademoiselle de Dreux Françoise, Mademoiselle de Dreux |
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| Father | Michele Lorenzo Mancini | ||||
| Mother | Geronima Mazzarini | ||||
Olympia Mancini (born July 11, 1638 – died October 9, 1708) was a very important lady at the court of King Louis XIV of France. She was one of five famous Mancini sisters. These sisters, along with two of their cousins, were known as the Mazarinettes. This was because their uncle was Cardinal Mazarin, who was the chief minister for King Louis XIV.
Olympia Mancini later became the mother of a very famous general named Prince Eugene of Savoy. She was also involved in some big events at court, which eventually led to her leaving France.
Contents
Early Life and Family Connections
Olympia Mancini was born in Rome, Italy, on July 11, 1638. Her father was Baron Lorenzo Mancini, an Italian nobleman. After her father passed away in 1650, her mother, Geronima Mazzarini, brought Olympia and her sisters to Paris. Her mother hoped to use the influence of her powerful brother, Cardinal Mazarin, to help her daughters marry important people.
Olympia had several sisters who also became well-known:
- Laura Mancini (1636–1657) was the oldest. She married Louis de Bourbon, a grandson of King Henry IV.
- Marie Mancini (1639–1715) was the third sister. King Louis XIV was very fond of her and even wanted to marry her. However, he could not for political reasons. She later married Prince Lorenzo Colonna.
- Hortense Mancini (1646–1699) was known for her beauty. She later became a close companion of King Charles II in London.
- Marie Anne Mancini (1649–1714) married Maurice Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne, Duke of Bouillon. He was a nephew of the famous general Turenne.
Cardinal Mazarin also brought other family members to the French court. These included Olympia's cousins, Laura Martinozzi and Anne Marie Martinozzi. Laura married Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena, and was the mother of Mary of Modena, who became the second wife of James II of England. Anne Marie married Armand, Prince de Conti.
Olympia also had three brothers: Paul, Philippe, and Alphonse.
Marriage and Royal Connections
On February 24, 1657, Olympia married Prince Eugène-Maurice of Savoy (1633–1673). They had eight children together. Their most famous child was Prince Eugene of Savoy, who grew up to be a celebrated military leader.
At the royal court, Olympia's husband was known as Monsieur le Comte. As his wife, Olympia was called Madame la comtesse.
Life at the French Court
After her sister Marie got married, Olympia received an important position. She was made the Superintendent of the Queen's Household. This meant she had a lot of authority over most other ladies at court.
Olympia was known for being very charming and lively. She had dark hair, bright eyes, and a pleasant figure. She enjoyed being involved in court events and discussions. She became close with Louis XIV's sister-in-law, Henriette, Duchess of Orléans.
The Queen Mother, Anne of Austria, was concerned about King Louis XIV spending a lot of time with other women. Olympia wanted to be the person the King trusted most. However, when the King became interested in Louise de La Vallière, Olympia became upset and turned against Louise.
The Poison Scandal
In 1679, Olympia was accused of being involved in a major scandal known as the Affaire des Poisons. This scandal involved accusations of serious wrongdoings.
Because of these accusations, Olympia was asked to leave the royal court in January 1680. She immediately left France and went to Brussels to avoid being arrested and put on trial.
In 1682, she asked for permission to return to France, but her request was denied.
Life in Exile
From Brussels, Olympia traveled to Spain. She lived there from 1686 to 1689 and was welcomed by Spanish high society. She even hosted French guests in her home. However, in 1690, she faced new accusations and was ordered to leave the Spanish court.
She then moved back to Brussels, where she said she was innocent. Sometimes, she would travel to England to visit her sisters, Marie and Hortense. In Brussels, she supported musicians like Pietro Antonio Fiocco and Henry Desmarest.
Olympia Mancini passed away in Brussels on October 9, 1708. This was just three months after her son Eugene won a big victory at The Battle of Oudenarde. This battle happened on July 11, 1708, which was Olympia's 70th birthday.
Children of Olympia Mancini
Olympia Mancini and Eugène-Maurice of Savoy had eight children:
- Louis Thomas, Count of Soissons (1657–1702)
- Philippe, "Abbot of Soissons" (1659–1693)
- Louis Jules, Cavaliere of Savoy (1660–1683)
- Emanuel Philibert, Count of Dreux (1662–1676)
- Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736), the famous general.
- Princess Marie Jeanne of Savoy (1665–1705)
- Princess Louise Philiberte of Savoy (1667–1726)
- Princess Françoise of Savoy (1668–1671)
In Books
Olympia Mancini is a character in the novel The Oracle Glass (1994) by Judith Merkle Riley.
See also
In Spanish: Olimpia Mancini para niños
