Olimpia Manchini Countess de Soissons, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. Date of Birth: 11.07.1637 Country: France

1. Olympia Mancini: The Countess de Suasso
2. Early Life and Family
3. A Favorite of the King
4. Exiled from Paris
5. Family and Legacy
6. The Versailles Poisoning Affair
7. Life and Death in Brussels
8. The "Mancini Hairstyle"

Olympia Mancini: The Countess de Suasso

Olympia Mancini, also known as the Countess de Suasso, was a niece of Cardinal Mazarin and gained fame for her eventful life at the French court.

Early Life and Family

Olympia Mancini was born to Michele Lorenzo, Baron di Mancini, and Jeronima Mazarin, the sister of Cardinal Mazarin. She had seven siblings: Laura, Paul, Marie, Philippe, Alphonse, Hortense, and Marie-Anne Mancini. In September 1647, Cardinal Mazarin brought his nieces to France with the intention of finding them suitable husbands. The young Italian women became friends through their interactions with King Louis XIV.

A Favorite of the King

Olympia quickly became one of King Louis XIV's first favorites. The royal court learned about their relationship in late 1654 when Louis made Olympia the queen of all the festivities during the last week of the year. According to the testimony of Queen Anne's lady-in-waiting, Madame de Motville, "he never parted from her for a second, constantly inviting her to dance and treating her as if balls, feasts, and revelries were organized only for her." Rumors soon spread in Paris that Olympia would become the Queen of France.

Exiled from Paris

Louis' mother, Queen Anne of Austria, was deeply angered by the situation. She was willing to turn a blind eye to her son's excessive attachment to Cardinal Mazarin's niece but could not allow such a marriage to take place. Olympia, who had gained too much power over the king, was ordered to leave Paris. Cardinal Mazarin quickly found her a husband - Eugene Maurice of Savoy-Carignano, Count de Soissons (1635-1673). They were married in February 1657.

Family and Legacy

Olympia and Eugene Maurice had eight children together, including Louis Thomas, Philippe, Emmanuel Philibert, Eugene, Maria Giovanna, Louise Philiberte, and Francoise. Eugene, the youngest, became a renowned military commander, while Louis Thomas, possibly the illegitimate son of Louis XIV, was born in August 1657, six months after their wedding.

The Versailles Poisoning Affair

In 1679, Olympia became involved in the infamous "Affair of the Poisons" in Versailles. She was accused of visiting the poisoner La Voisin and purchasing poison from her. It is unclear whether Olympia intended to poison Louise de La Valliere, the king's mistress who had already retired to a convent, or simply wanted to regain the king's favor through enchantment. Olympia was also suspected of poisoning her husband, who had died six years earlier, and Maria Luisa of Orleans, the queen of Spain, with whom she had a close relationship starting in May 1686. Regardless, the king ordered Olympia to no longer appear at court. Despite claiming her innocence and being compromised, she was forced to leave France.

Life and Death in Brussels

Olympia settled in Brussels and later traveled across Europe with her sisters Maria and Hortense, visiting England and Spain. She passed away in Brussels on October 9, 1708.

The "Mancini Hairstyle"

Olympia Mancini's name became associated with a women's hairstyle known as the "Mancini hairstyle." It involved combing the hair in a straight part above the temples and creating voluminous curls that cascaded onto the shoulders.