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* MAZANDEBANI. 223 MAZATLAN. MAZANDERANI, ma'zan-tlc-ra'ne. The na- tives of .Uazaiuleraii, or Tabeiistan, iu Xorthem Persia, on the Caspian ^ea. Tlicy speak a dialect of Persian which, like the speech of the neighboring,' Province of GhiUm, has peculiaritie3 justifyinj; its classification as a special form of the Persian tonj;ue. The ilazandirani are of smaller stature than the people of the highlands, welljjroportioned, with regular features, bushy eyebrows, and abundant hair. MAZAEIN, ma'za'raN', Jitles (1G02-61). A Cardinal and Prime Minister of France during the minority of Louis XIV. He was bnrn July 14, l(i2, at Piscina, in the Abruzzi, Italy, his father being intcndant of the household of Philip Colonna. lie was educated in the Jesuit College at Rome, and later accompanied Jerome Colonna to the S])anish University of AlcalS, where he studied law, but also indulged in gambling and love-making — |)ractices which were continued at Salamanca. On returning to Rome, ilazarin became a doctor of canon and civil law, and en- tered the Pope's military service as a captain of infantry in the Colonna regiment. His talents, however, were more diplomatic than militarj', and after being employed on several political, missions in Italy he accompanied the Papal legate to the Court of France, and there, about 1628, became known to Eichelieu, who perceived his peculiar talents and engaged him to maintain the French interests in Italy. This he did while still employed by the Pope as vice-legate to Avignon (l(i32) and nuncio to the French Court, an oilu-c to which he was appointed in 1034. The Spaniards eomi)lained of his partiality for France, and the Pope was obliged to recall him. In 103!), however, he openly entered the service of Louis XIII., was naturalized a Frenchman, and in llUI received a cardinal's hat, through the influence of Richeliei, who, when dying, recommended JIazarin to the King as the only person capable of carrying on his political sys- tem. JIazarin's position was one of gieat diffi- culty amid the intrigues, jealousies, and strifes of the earlier years of Louis XIV.'s minority. The Queen mother. Anne of Austria, was at first hostile to him, hut although she was declared Eole regent and guardian of the young King, Mazarin kept his place as Jlinister, and soon made himself indispensable to her by his won- derful business qualities, while the exquisite charm of his manner eventually gained her heart. It is said, in fact, that a secret marriage took place between the Queen Regent and her Prime Minister, but this has never becTi absolutely proved. The result of the close alliance between the (^lueen and himself ^xns that ilazarin ruled with almost as unlimited sway as Richelieu had done. The Parlement of Paris, thinking to con- quer political power, resisted the registration of edicts of taxation: but Mazarin caused the lead- ers of the opposition to be arrested, upon which began the disturbances of the Fronde (q.v.). Twice compelled to retire from Court, he made a triumphant entry into the capital in l(i.53. and in a short time had regained his former power. In the internal government of the country those principles of despotism were established on which Louis XIV. afterwards acted, ilazarin continued Richelieu's foreign policy, waging war vigorously against the Hapsburg power in Aus- tria and Spain; his most important diplomatic acts were in connection with the Peace of West- phalia in 1048, and that of the PjTenees in 1059. The administration of justice in France under ilazarin became very corrupt, and the commerce and finances of the country underwent a great depression. As a financier Mazarin was far in- ferior to Richelieu. He was avaricious, and en- riched himself at the expense of the country. He died at Vineemies, March 9, lOGl. Ilis magnifi- cent library he bequeathed to the CollJ>ge Mazarin at Paris. The best idea of Mazarin is obtained from his correspondence, published by ChCruel, "Lettres du cardinal JIazarin pendant "son minis- t6re," in the Collection dc documents bu'dits sur I'histoire de France, first .series (Paris, 1872-94). Consult, also: ilason, Masaiin (London, 18SG) ; Cousin, Jeunesse de Mazarin (Paris, 1803) ; Per- kins, France Under Mazarin (Xew York, 1894) ; Cheruel, Ilistoire de France sous le ministcre de Mazarin, IGol-lGiU (Paris, 1882), MAZAR-I-SHERIF, ma-zar'-e-she-ref. A fortified town of Afghan Turkestan, situated about 20 miles southeast of Balkh (Map: Af- ghanistan. K 3). It manufactures swords and other weapons, and attracts manv pilLrrims on account of the tomb of the Prophet Ali, which it contains. In the vicinity are mineral springs. Population, estimated at 20,000. MAZARRON. ma'thiir-ron'. A town of South- eastern Spain, in the Province of Murcia, sit- uated iYi miles from the Mediterranean coast, 16 miles west of Cartagena (Map: Spain, E 4). In the neighboring mountains are mines of iron and argentiferous lead, and the town contains several metallurgical establishments, besides soap factories and flour mills. A railroad five miles long connects it with its port in the small Bay of Mazarron. where there is a good road- stead and a lighthouse. At this port is located one of the largest and best lead-smelting estab- lishments of Spain, capable of producing l25 tons of lead daily. There is also considerable trade in lead and ores, machinery, coal, and timber. Population, in 1887, 16,445;" in 1900, 23,362. MAZAS, mii'za', Prlson of. A prison in Paris in which the first trial of solitary confinement was made in France. It was built between 1845 and 1850 to replace the prison of La Force, and contained 1200 cells arranged in six converging galleries. It stood on the Boulevard ilazas (now the Boulevard Diderot), and was officially known as Maison d'arret cellulaire. The build- ing was demolished in 1900. MAZATEC, mii'zi-tek'. A Zapotecan tribe occupying the districts of Teotitlan and Cui- catlan. in Xortheastern Oaxaca. ilexico. They are agricultural and are noted silk-raisers, weav- ing gorgeous fabrics of that material, and hav- ing many curious beliefs and tabus in connection with the tending of the silkworms. MAZATLAN, ma'sa-tlan'. A seaport in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico, situated at the en- trance of the Gulf of California (Map: Mexico, F 0), It is a well-built and picturesque town, and has a handsome city hall, a nautical school, and two hospitals. A street railroad runs through the town, which is lighted by gas. The harbor is the best on the Pacific coast, and has direct steamship communication with San Fran- cisco and other towns along the coast. The chief exports are silver, pearls, copper, lead, dj'ewoods.