[THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK]: MATTIOLI ERCOLE ANTONIO (1640-1694) Italian politician, a minister ...

[THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK]: MATTIOLI ERCOLE ANTONIO (1640-1694) Italian politician, a minister in the service of Charles IV, Duke of Mantua. Mattioli was kidnapped and imprisoned by King Louis XIV of France, and during much of the 19th century a popular theory abounded that Mattioli was the Man in the Iron Mask. A.L.S., Ercole Mattioli, three pages, folio, Venice, 12th December 1676, to the Duchess of Savoy (´Madama Reale´), in Italian. Mattioli writes a largely social letter to his correspondent, regarding current visitors to Venice, including the Duke of Mantua, measures against the Turks on Zante and the provisioning of the army, the death of some hunters on the mainland from the cold, appointments to ambassadorial posts by the Venetian state, and the work starting on the two opera houses, in part, ´Sono alcuni giorni chi e qui il S. di Mantova; che ha prego ad affitto per Quattro mesi il Pallazzo a Santa Marias Formosa, che gli anni addietro godena il Signore Marchese. Colli continui disordini, che fa e per li infelice sanita che ha, fa molto temere che non sia per perderti......Li quattro Ambasciatori d´obbedienza puo essere che andarano a Roma, se restara stabilito il loro reticcimento nella sala Reggia di S. Pietro conformi qui si pretende.......…essendo in questo porto capitata la galera Morosini sallo che ha condotto... delli armi e di ingegnere sopra la fabrica di quelle fortificazioni... tutti li piu importanti e fortificando quelli che sono piu vicini alli ottomano. La pace di Collonia da molto da temere. Con tall´ocaasione si e inbefo che li indisposizione de Visir e riconoscuita non haver rimedio. Si perdera un gran soggesto di non ordinaria stimo tanto appresso il Sultano, quanto appresso li essercito......…per la prossima settimana si dara principio alla .. dell´opera del teatro di S. Luca e doppo a quella nel teatro Primani a S. Giovanni e Paolo´ (Translation: ´For some days now the Saint of Mantua has been here; he has kindly rented the Palace in Santa Maria Formosa for four months, which years ago was enjoyed by the Lord Marquis. With continuous unrest, and due to his poor health, there is great fear that he will not survive......The four ambassadors may have to go to Rome, if their refusal to enter the hall of St Peter's Palace as requested is upheld.......…as the Morosini galley that he led has arrived in this port... of the weapons and engineer in charge of the construction of those fortifications... all the most important ones and fortifying those that are closest to the Ottomans. The Peace of Cologne is to be feared. On that occasion it was understood that the indisposition of the Vizier was recognised as having no remedy. A great subject of no ordinary esteem, both with the Sultan and with the army, will be lost... ...next week work will begin on the ... of the work of the theatre of S. Luca and after that in the theatre Primani in S. Giovanni e Paolo´). Some very light, extremely minor age wear, and with a small, neat tear to the lower edge of the first page, only very slightly touching a few letters of text, otherwise VG

Marie Jeanne Baptiste of Savoy-Nemours (1644-1724) Duchess consort of Savoy 1665-75 and Regent of Savoy 1675-84.