Duchy of Parma

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Duchy of Parma and Piacenza
Ducato di Parma e Piacenza  (Italian)
Ducatus Parmae et Placentiae  (Latin)
1545–1802 (1808)
1814–1859
Flag of Parma
Flag of the Duchy of Parma (1851-1859).svg
Top: 1545–1731
Bottom: 1851–1859
Coat of arms of Parma
Coat of arms
Motto: Dirige me Domine!
"Lead me, oh Lord!"
The Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (green)
The Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (green)
Northern Italy in 1815.
Northern Italy in 1815.
StatusDuchy
CapitalParma
Piacenza
Common languagesEmilian
Italian
Latin
Religion
Roman Catholicism
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy (Duchy)
Duke 
• 1545–1547
Pier Luigi Farnese (first)
• 1854–1859
Robert I (last)
History 
• Creation and granting of the title of duke to Pier Luigi Farnese by Pope Paul III
16 September 1545
24 April 1748
1 November 1802
• Formal annexation by France
1808
• Restored
11 April 1814
3 December 1859
Population
• Estimate
501,000 in the 19th century
CurrencyParman lira
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Papal States
Taro (department)
Duchy of Guastalla
Kingdom of Etruria
Taro (department)
Kingdom of Etruria
United Provinces of Central Italy

The Duchy of Parma also referred to as Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, was an Italian state created in 1545 and located in northern Italy, in the current region of Emilia-Romagna.[1]

Originally a realm of the Farnese family after Pope Paul III made it a hereditary duchy for his son, Pier Luigi Farnese, it was ruled by the dynasty until 1731, when the last duke, Antonio Farnese, died without direct heirs.[1][2]

It was invaded by Napoleon and annexed by France, having its sovereignty restored in 1814 after Napoleon’s defeat. Napoleon's wife, Marie Louise (Maria Luigia), then ruled as its duchess until her death. Parma was restored to Bourbon rule in 1847, and in 1859, the duchy was formally abolished as it was integrated into the new Italian state.[1]

Early history[]

Duchy of Parma, 8 Doppie (1791) depicting Ferdinando di Borbone

The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, which was conquered by the Papal States in 1512. These territories, centered on the city of Parma, were given as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese.[2]

In 1556, the second Duke, Ottavio Farnese, was given the city of Piacenza, becoming thus also Duke of Piacenza, and so the state was thereafter properly known as the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (Italian: Ducato di Parma e Piacenza). The Farnese family continued to rule until their extinction in 1731, when the Duke Antonio Farnese died without an heir.[1]

House of Bourbon (1731-1738)[]

The duchy was finally inherited by the young son of the King of Spain, Charles III, whose mother Elizabeth Farnese was the Farnese heiress. On the death of Duke Antonio, King of Spain, married to Elizabeth Farnese, asserted the rights that his wife had over the duchies according to the agreements signed in the Treaty of Vienna of 1725 and in the Treaty of Seville (1729), and he claimed both for the House of Bourbon, putting his son Don Charles in the government, as Charles I . He ruled in Parma and Plasencia until the end of the War of the Polish Succession, when, according to what was established in the Treaty of Vienna of 1738, it handed over both duchies to the House of Habsburg in exchange for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

House of Habsburg (1738-1748)[]

The Habsburgs only ruled until the conclusion of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, when it was ceded back to the Bourbons in the person of Don Philip, Don Charles's younger brother, who received also the little Duchy of Guastalla.

House of Bourbon-Parma (1748-1801)[]

Philip, Duke of Parma became the founder of the House of Bourbon-Parma reigning over the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla (Italian: Ducato di Parma, Piacenza, e Guastalla).

In 1796, the duchy was occupied by French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte, and the political situation of the State became extremely confused. Duke Ferdinand maintained his throne under French military governors until the Treaty of Aranjuez of 1801, when a general agreement between the House of Bourbon and Napoleon formally decided the cession of the duchy to France in exchange for Tuscany, but the Duke lasted in Parma until he died in 1802.

Napoleonic era (1796-1814)[]

Napoleon Bonaparte was undecided about the future of the duchy, aspiring to a total engagement of the Bourbons in the European wars as his allies. Even as French laws and administration were gradually introduced, the formal annexation to the French Empire was declared only in 1808 after the outbreak of the conflict against bourbonic Spain. The duchy was reformed as the département of Taro.

Post-Napoleonic era (1814-1860)[]

In 1814, the duchies were given to Napoleon's Habsburg wife, Marie-Louise, styled Maria-Luigia, who ruled them for the rest of her life. After Maria-Luigia's death in 1847, the Duchy was restored to the Bourbon-Parma line, which had been ruling the tiny Duchy of Lucca. Guastalla was ceded to Modena. The Bourbons ruled until 1859, when they were driven out by a revolution following the French and Sardinian victory in the war against Austria (called Austrian War in France and Second War of Independence in Italy).

The Duchy of Parma and Piacenza joined with the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Duchy of Modena to form the United Provinces of Central Italy in December 1859, and merged with the Kingdom of Sardinia into the Kingdom of Italy in March 1860 after holding a referendum.

Modern era[]

A member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon continues to claim the title of duke of Parma to this day.

In 1964, Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma married Princess Irene of the Netherlands, daughter of Queen Juliana. Their son Carlos has claimed the title of “Duke of Parma” since 2010.

Historical flags and coat of arms[]

  • State Flags

  • 1545-1731
    (Farnese)

  • 1815-1847
    (Habsburg-Lorraine)

  • 1848-1849
    (Bourbon-Parma)

  • 1850-1851
    (Bourbon-Parma)

  • 1851-1859
    (Bourbon-Parma)

  • Civil ensign
    1851-1859
    (Bourbon-Parma)

  • Coat of arms

  • 1748-1802

  • 1814-1847
    (Habsburg-Lorraine)

  • 1847-1860
    (Bourbon-Parma)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Duchy of Parma and Piacenza | historical duchy, Italy". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Parma e Piacenza, ducato di nell'Enciclopedia Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-08-05.

External links[]

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