ong other conspicuous men of the day who opposed Mazarin, Chavigny and
Chateauneuf were perhaps the most dangerous. But the association of most
of these heroes of the Fronde with the court ladies ruined all chances
of success. Love-affairs and politics became hopelessly intermingled,
and the New Fronde has remained a ridiculous episode in French history.
Though the Old Fronde was narrow-minded and selfish, and the New Fronde
absurd, the movements were fraught with great danger to the monarchy. In
1648 Mazarin at first failed to recognize the gravity of the situation,
and he thought that he had only to combat the intrigues of some of the
nobles. In the later phases of the struggle he often erred through his
belief in diplomacy and his tendency to follow moderate counsels. But he
never faltered in his determination to preserve the rights of the
French monarchy; he easily outmatched his opponents in intrigue; and
eventually, supported by the _bourgeoisie_ and the mass of the nation,
he triumphed over both the Parliament and the nobles.

Throughout the early months of 1648 the opposition of the Parliament was
intensified by the folly and unpopularity of Emery, the superintendent
of the finances, and by the failure of Mazarin to master the details of
the French administrative system. Moreover, he had given some
justification for the attacks made upon him by the favors which he
showered upon his own relations, and by the means employed in order to
secure for his brother the title of cardinal. The truth is Mazarin cared
little for home affairs, and gave no thought to matters connected with
the commerce and agriculture of France. Unlike Henry IV and Richelieu,
he made no attempt to open up new sources of prosperity for France by
founding colonies, encouraging trade, introducing manufactures, or
protecting agriculture. His neglect of the internal administration was
largely answerable for the financial embarrassments of France, for the
misery of the people, and to a large extent for the outbreak of the
First Fronde.

At the same time it must be remembered that his predecessor was in some
measure responsible for the troubles which ensued after his death.
Richelieu had made no efforts to reform the financial administration of
France, and both the direct and indirect taxes were levied unfairly and
oppressively. The financiers who farmed the indirect taxes made enormous
fortunes out of the taxpayers; fraud and peculation were common;