an early type of kneehole desk, dating from the 1660s, with two or three tiers of drawers on each side, a small central drawer and a drawer in the kneehole space; it has eight (sometimes four) turned legs, which are connected with X-stretchers or H-stretchers and typically rest on toupie feet; developed in France, and associated with Louis XIV-style furniture, it was usually quite ornate, and lavishly adorned with Boulle marquetry; the name, which literally means "Mazarin's desk" is a 19th-century term, referring to Cardinal Jules Mazarin, who ruled as Louis' regent from 1642-1661