Breviarium Politicorum

The Breviarium Politicorum Secundum Rubricas Mazarinicas (which translates to The Politician’s Handbook, Leaves from Mazarin’s Notebooks) was published in 1684, 23 years after the death of its proclaimed author: Cardinal Jules Mazarin. Diplomat, politician, and advisor to kings, Mazarin was one of the key political figures of 17th-century France. As such, and regardless of its actual authorship, the text has been a subject of considerable attention.

This book stands as France’s closest counterpart to Machiavelli’s The Prince, and with each passing year, as we are each more and more part of larger hierarchies with superiors and underlings, its distinctive perspective on appearances, treachery, and strategic concessions feels ever more relevant.

In the age of information, the text has something meaningful to offer to anyone willing to listen: it details the construction of a coherent public persona, suitable to be broadcast to all without leaving openings for scandal or weakness, built to give you leverage in collaborating and achieving your goals. It even explains how to gain favors with friends and love interests, get rid of unwanted guests, use various techniques to escape prison or ambushes, and even organize a fantastical banquet! Good, practical stuff.

Before delving into the book, I highly recommend that you read Umberto Eco’s essay The Signs of Power; it is the definitive preface to the Breviarium Politicorum. Finally, if you prefer reading ebooks, you will find an EPUB version of this translation here.

Cardinal Jules Mazarin, National Gallery of Art