MARIA THERESA OF AUSTRIA (1638-1683); daughter of Philip IV of Spain and Elizabeth of France. After 1658; after the War of the Pyrenees; the royal families of France and Spain hoped for a lasting peace; who wanted to consolidate the marriage of Maria Theresa and the French king Louis XIV. Cardinal Mazarin had a decisive role in the negotiations; flaunting a parallel interest in the Savoy family when Spain tergiversava; resulting in short the achievement of an agreement providing; inter alia; the resignation of the Infanta to the succession to the Spanish throne; and the donation of a large dowry. Failure to pay the dowry; however; was the cause of a new conflict. The queen was sweet and pious and never had any influence at court; had a loving relationship only with the mother-in-law (and aunt) Anne of Austria; he had to endure the presence of the many lovers of her husband; and exercised the role of regent only on rare occasions; when the distance of the sovereign for border wars. Representation inspired by the portrait painted by Henri and Charles Beaubrun. Colored lithograph; nineteenth century France