Product Description
This is the fourth and last book in the series devoted to Giulio Mazarini. After Mazarini's arrival in France Richelieu sends him to negotiate a peace agreement between France and Spain whose armies face each other in Savoy. Mazarini finds an ingenious way to obtain cessation of hostilities. For bringing peace to Northern Italy Mazarini is rewarded by the Pope of Rome with the rank of cardinal. Richelieu, on his deathbed, recommends to Louis XIII that he make Mazarini a member of the Royal Council. The king agrees and when he dies the queen keeps Mazarini in her Regent's Council. Feeling that Mazarini is her staunch supporter, the queen appoints him prime minister to the consternation of most aristocrats. As a result a civil war starts known in history as the Fronde. But Mazarini defeats his enemies and becomes the uncontested ruler of France.
About the Author
Arkady Alexeev was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1937. He spent many years studying European languages and history. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Herzen Institute he taught English at that school where he received the degree of Candidate of Sciences in English linguistics. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1975. He received a doctorate from the University of California - Berkeley and teaches Russian and history there. Alexeev has written some articles, a historical play and has done a number of translations of Russian poetry into English, "The Lay of Prince Igor's Host" being a recent example.






