Laura Martinozzi

Laura Martinozzi, Duchess of Modena and Reggio (22 April 1639 – 19 July 1687), niece of the Chief minister of France Jules Cardinal Mazarin and one of the Mazarinettes, by marriage became Duchess consort of Modena and Reggio, and following the death of her husband, she acted as regent for her minor son during 1662–1674. She was the mother of Mary of Modena, Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Biography Family and early years Born in Fano on 22 April 1639 as the second daughter of Count Girolamo Martinozzi and his wife Laura Margherita Mazzarini, Laura spent her childhood in Rome, where her father served as Mayor in the palace of the Roman Curia. In 1653, Laura, her older sister Anna Maria (1637 – 4 February 1672) and their widowed mother moved to Paris to live with her maternal uncle, Cardinal Mazarin.

The Cardinal thought of marrying Laura to Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy, but then he began to plan her marriage to Alfonso d'Este, heir of the Duchy of Modena. This union, like the marriage of King Louis XIV to Isabella d'Este, were conceived with the purpose to strengthen the allied relationship between France and Modena. However, in the case of the marriage between the French king and the Modenese princess, it was never materialized due to Cardinal Mazarin's decisive opposition to the marriage (which took place in 1654) between Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and Lucrezia Barberini, great-niece of Pope Urban VIII. Initially, Laura was against this marriage, and the bride herself wanted to become a nun. The wedding ceremony took place in London on 5 October 1673. During her absence, the Dowager Duchess entrusted her son to the care of ministers; however, Marquess Cesare Ignazio d'Este, taking advantage of the situation, was able to win over the young duke and turn him against his mother. Laura returned to Modena on 5 March 1674, and the next day, celebrating his fourteenth birthday, Francesco II dissolved the regency council and assumed his personal rule. The Dowager Duchess did not immediately, but nevertheless, submit to pressure from her son and surrendered the regency. In 1925, Laura's remains were transferred from the former convent to the Este Chapel in San Vincenzo, Modena. The Dowager Duchess bequeathed large sums of money to the poor and temples. Almost all of her property in Italy was received by Francesco II. Maria Beatrice got Laura's capital in France.

Issue Francesco d'Este (8 November 1657 – 10 April 1658), died in infancy. Maria Beatrice Anna Margherita Isabella d'Este (5 October 1658 – 7 May 1718) married James II of England and had issue; known as Mary of Modena. Francesco II d'Este, Duke of Modena (6 March 1660 – 6 September 1694), married Margherita Maria Farnese, no issue.

Ancestry