Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Encyclopedia
Alexander Farnese (27 August 1545 — 3 December 1592) was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.
and Margaret, the illegitimate daughter of the Habsburg
Emperor Charles V. He had a twin brother, Charles, who only lived one month. His mother was the half-sister of Philip II of Spain
and John of Austria. He led a significant military and diplomatic career
in the service of Spain
under the service of his uncle the King. He fought in the Battle of Lepanto (1571)
and then in the Netherlands
against the rebels.
He accompanied his mother to Brussels
when she was appointed Governor of the Netherlands
. In 1565 his marriage with Maria of Portugal was celebrated in Brussels
with great splendour. Alexander Farnese had been brought up in Spain with his cousin, the ill-fated Don Carlos, and Don John, both of whom were about the same age as himself, and after his marriage he took up his residence at once in the court of Madrid.
It was seven years, however, before he had again the opportunity to display his great military talents. In the meantime the provinces of the Netherlands had revolted against Spanish rule. Don John, who had been sent as governor-general to restore order, found difficulties in the opposition from William the Silent, who had succeeded in uniting all the provinces in common resistance to King Philip II
. In the autumn of 1577, Farnese was sent to join Don John at the head of reinforcements, and it was his able strategy and prompt decision at a critical moment that won the Battle of Gembloux
in 1578. Shortly afterwards Don John, whose health had broken down, died. Farnese was appointed to take his place. He was confronted with important difficulties, but he proved himself more than equal to the task.
Perceiving that there were divisions in the ranks of his opponents between Catholic and Protestant
, Fleming and Walloon, he skilfully set to work by persuasion, successfully taking advantage and fomenting the growing discord, and bring back the Walloon provinces' allegiance to the king. By the treaty of Arras
, January 1579, he was able to secure the support of the 'Malcontents', as the Catholic nobles of the south were styled, to the royal cause. The reply to the treaty of Arras was the Union of Utrecht
, concluded a few weeks later between the seven northern provinces, who abjured the sovereignty of King Philip and bound themselves to use all their resources to maintain their independence of Spanish rule. As soon as he had obtained a secure basis of operations in Hainaut
and Artois
, Farnese set himself in earnest to the task of reconquering Brabant
and Flanders
by force of arms. Town after town fell into his power. Tournai
, Maastricht
, Breda, Bruges
and Ghent
opened their gates.
He finally laid siege to the great seaport of Antwerp. The town was open to the sea, strongly fortified, and defended with resolute determination and courage by the citizens. They were led by the famous Marnix van St. Aldegonde and assisted by an ingenious Italian engineer named Gianibelli. The siege began in 1584 and called forth all of Farnese's military genius. He cut off all access to Antwerp from the sea by constructing a bridge of boats
across the Scheldt
from Calloo to Oordam, in spite of the desperate efforts of the besieged townspeople to prevent its completion. The terms offered included the clause that all Protestants had to leave the city within two years. This relatively disciplined capture should not be confused with the bloody events of the Spanish Fury on 4 November 1576. Farnese was clearly avoiding the mistakes of his predecessor Don Luis de Requesens, although fear of a repeat of Spanish atrocities could have been a factor in the fleeing of 60,000 Antwerp citizens (60% of the pre-siege population). With the Fall of Antwerp, and with Mechelen
and Brussels already in the hands of Farnese, the whole of the southern Netherlands was once more placed under the authority of Philip. At one stage Holland and Zeeland
, whose geographical position made them unassailable except by water, were hard pressed to retain territory. The poorly supplied English forces, sent by Elizabeth I, were duly defeated by the Duke's.
In 1586, Alexander Farnese became Duke of Parma through the death of his father. He applied for leave to visit his paternal territory, but Philip would not permit him. He could not replace him in the Netherlands. However, while retaining him in his command at the head of a formidable army, the king would not give his sanction to his great general's desire to use it for the conquest of England. Farnese at first believed it possible to successfully invade England with a force of 30,000 troops, without significant naval protection, relying mainly on the hope of a native Catholic insurrection. Philip overruled him, and began the work that led to the Spanish Armada
. As part of the general campaign preparations, Farnese moved against Ostend
and Sluis
. Sluis was taken in August 1587. The Armada reached the area a year later. After its defeat, Farnese broke up his camp in Dunkirk in September.
Farnese was to have turned his attention back to the northern Netherlands, where the Dutch had regrouped, but on 1–2 August 1589, Henry III of France
was assassinated, and Farnese was ordered into France, in support of the Catholic opposition to Henry IV of France
. This enabled the Dutch rebels to turn the tide in favour of the Dutch Revolt
, which had been in ever deeper trouble since 1576. In September 1590 he moved to relieve Paris
from the lengthy siege
it had been placed under by Huguenot
s and Royalists loyal to Henry IV.
On 20 April 1592 he repeated the same deed at Rouen
, but was subsequently wounded in the hand. His health quickly declining, Farnese called his son Ranuccio
to command his troops. Returned to the Flanders
, he was however removed from the position of governor by the Spanish court. He died in Arras on 3 December 1592, aged 47. Farnese became Duke of Parma
and Piacenza
in 1586, but never ruled, naming his son Ranuccio as regent.
----
, a.k.a. Maria of Guimarães, he had three children:
of the House of Roquoi:
Biography
Alessandro was the son of Duke Ottavio Farnese of ParmaOttavio Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ottavio Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1547 and Duke of Castro from 1545 until his death.-Biography:...
and Margaret, the illegitimate daughter of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
Emperor Charles V. He had a twin brother, Charles, who only lived one month. His mother was the half-sister of Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
and John of Austria. He led a significant military and diplomatic career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
in the service of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
under the service of his uncle the King. He fought in the Battle of Lepanto (1571)
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
and then in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
against the rebels.
He accompanied his mother to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
when she was appointed Governor of the Netherlands
Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
The Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands ruled the Habsburg Netherlands as a representative of the Duke of Burgundy .- Habsburg Netherlands :...
. In 1565 his marriage with Maria of Portugal was celebrated in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
with great splendour. Alexander Farnese had been brought up in Spain with his cousin, the ill-fated Don Carlos, and Don John, both of whom were about the same age as himself, and after his marriage he took up his residence at once in the court of Madrid.
It was seven years, however, before he had again the opportunity to display his great military talents. In the meantime the provinces of the Netherlands had revolted against Spanish rule. Don John, who had been sent as governor-general to restore order, found difficulties in the opposition from William the Silent, who had succeeded in uniting all the provinces in common resistance to King Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
. In the autumn of 1577, Farnese was sent to join Don John at the head of reinforcements, and it was his able strategy and prompt decision at a critical moment that won the Battle of Gembloux
Battle of Gembloux
The Battle of Gembloux marked a terrible defeat for the Protestant rebels fighting against Spain in the Eighty Years' War. On 31 January 1578, an advance force of 1,200 cavalrymen from the main Spanish army of 20,000 men attacked the retreating Dutch army of around 20,000 men...
in 1578. Shortly afterwards Don John, whose health had broken down, died. Farnese was appointed to take his place. He was confronted with important difficulties, but he proved himself more than equal to the task.
Perceiving that there were divisions in the ranks of his opponents between Catholic and Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, Fleming and Walloon, he skilfully set to work by persuasion, successfully taking advantage and fomenting the growing discord, and bring back the Walloon provinces' allegiance to the king. By the treaty of Arras
Union of Atrecht
The Union of Arras was an accord signed on 6 January 1579 in Arras , under which the southern states of the Netherlands, today in Wallonia and the Nord-Pas-de-Calais régions in France and Belgium, expressed their loyalty to the Spanish king Philip II and recognized his Governor-General, Don Juan...
, January 1579, he was able to secure the support of the 'Malcontents', as the Catholic nobles of the south were styled, to the royal cause. The reply to the treaty of Arras was the Union of Utrecht
Union of Utrecht
The Union of Utrecht was a treaty signed on 23 January 1579 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, unifying the northern provinces of the Netherlands, until then under the control of Habsburg Spain....
, concluded a few weeks later between the seven northern provinces, who abjured the sovereignty of King Philip and bound themselves to use all their resources to maintain their independence of Spanish rule. As soon as he had obtained a secure basis of operations in Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
and Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, Farnese set himself in earnest to the task of reconquering Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
by force of arms. Town after town fell into his power. Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
, Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, Breda, Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
and Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
opened their gates.
He finally laid siege to the great seaport of Antwerp. The town was open to the sea, strongly fortified, and defended with resolute determination and courage by the citizens. They were led by the famous Marnix van St. Aldegonde and assisted by an ingenious Italian engineer named Gianibelli. The siege began in 1584 and called forth all of Farnese's military genius. He cut off all access to Antwerp from the sea by constructing a bridge of boats
Bridge of boats
A "bridge of boats" istype of bridge which floats on water instead of having permanent pillars. It is built by linking boats and the first and last being anchored to the shores. It was used as a military technique since ancient times, being the fastest method for an army to construct a water crossing...
across the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
from Calloo to Oordam, in spite of the desperate efforts of the besieged townspeople to prevent its completion. The terms offered included the clause that all Protestants had to leave the city within two years. This relatively disciplined capture should not be confused with the bloody events of the Spanish Fury on 4 November 1576. Farnese was clearly avoiding the mistakes of his predecessor Don Luis de Requesens, although fear of a repeat of Spanish atrocities could have been a factor in the fleeing of 60,000 Antwerp citizens (60% of the pre-siege population). With the Fall of Antwerp, and with Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
and Brussels already in the hands of Farnese, the whole of the southern Netherlands was once more placed under the authority of Philip. At one stage Holland and Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
, whose geographical position made them unassailable except by water, were hard pressed to retain territory. The poorly supplied English forces, sent by Elizabeth I, were duly defeated by the Duke's.
In 1586, Alexander Farnese became Duke of Parma through the death of his father. He applied for leave to visit his paternal territory, but Philip would not permit him. He could not replace him in the Netherlands. However, while retaining him in his command at the head of a formidable army, the king would not give his sanction to his great general's desire to use it for the conquest of England. Farnese at first believed it possible to successfully invade England with a force of 30,000 troops, without significant naval protection, relying mainly on the hope of a native Catholic insurrection. Philip overruled him, and began the work that led to the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
. As part of the general campaign preparations, Farnese moved against Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and Sluis
Sluis
Sluis is the name of both a municipality and a town located in the west of Zeelandic Flanders, in the south-western part of the Netherlands....
. Sluis was taken in August 1587. The Armada reached the area a year later. After its defeat, Farnese broke up his camp in Dunkirk in September.
Farnese was to have turned his attention back to the northern Netherlands, where the Dutch had regrouped, but on 1–2 August 1589, Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
was assassinated, and Farnese was ordered into France, in support of the Catholic opposition to Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
. This enabled the Dutch rebels to turn the tide in favour of the Dutch Revolt
Dutch Revolt
The Dutch Revolt or the Revolt of the Netherlands This article adopts 1568 as the starting date of the war, as this was the year of the first battles between armies. However, since there is a long period of Protestant vs...
, which had been in ever deeper trouble since 1576. In September 1590 he moved to relieve Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from the lengthy siege
Siege of Paris (1590)
The Siege of Paris took place in 1590 during the French Wars of Religion when the French Royal Army under Henry of Navarre, and supported by the French Huguenots, failed to capture the city of Paris defended by the Catholic League, and finally successfully relieved by the Spanish-Catholic army...
it had been placed under by Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
s and Royalists loyal to Henry IV.
On 20 April 1592 he repeated the same deed at Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, but was subsequently wounded in the hand. His health quickly declining, Farnese called his son Ranuccio
Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ranuccio I Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1592. A firm believer in absolute monarchy, Ranuccio, in 1594, centralised the administration of Parma and Piacenza, thus rescinding the nobles' hitherto vast prerogative...
to command his troops. Returned to the Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, he was however removed from the position of governor by the Spanish court. He died in Arras on 3 December 1592, aged 47. Farnese became Duke of Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
and Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
in 1586, but never ruled, naming his son Ranuccio as regent.
Ancestors
| Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma | Father: Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma Ottavio Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1547 and Duke of Castro from 1545 until his death.-Biography:... |
Paternal Grandfather: Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma Pier Luigi Farnese was the first Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro, from 1545 to 1547.Born in Rome, Pier Luigi was the illegitimate son of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese... |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Pope Paul III Pope Paul III Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation... |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Silvia Ruffini |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Girolama Orsini |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Luigi Orsini |
||
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Giulia Conti |
|||
| Mother: Margaret of Parma Margaret of Parma Margaret, Duchess of Parma , Governor of the Netherlands from 1559 to 1567 and from 1578 to 1582, was the illegitimate daughter of Charles V and Johanna Maria van der Gheynst... |
Maternal Grandfather: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Philip I of Castile Philip I of Castile Philip I , known as Philip the Handsome or the Fair, was the first Habsburg King of Castile... |
|
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Joanna of Castile Joanna of Castile Joanna , nicknamed Joanna the Mad , was the first queen regnant to reign over both the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon , a union which evolved into modern Spain... |
|||
| Maternal Grandmother: Johanna Maria van der Gheynst Johanna Maria van der Gheynst Johanna Maria van der Gheynst was in 1521 for a short time the mistress of the Emperor Charles V and bore him a daughter, Margaret of Parma, who was Governor of the Netherlands from 1559 to 1567 and from 1580 to 1583.-Life:Johanna Maria van der Gheynst was the daughter of the... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Gilles Johann van der Gheynst |
||
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Johanna van der Caye van Cocambi |
----
Issue
From his marriage with Infanta Maria of PortugalInfanta Maria of Guimarães
Maria of Portugal was a Portuguese infanta daughter of Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães , and Isabel of Braganza. She married Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza on November 11, 1565. She was a princess of Parma by marriage.-Issue:-Ancestry:-See also:...
, a.k.a. Maria of Guimarães, he had three children:
| Name | |Death | Ranuccio Farnese Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma Ranuccio I Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1592. A firm believer in absolute monarchy, Ranuccio, in 1594, centralised the administration of Parma and Piacenza, thus rescinding the nobles' hitherto vast prerogative... | 28 March 1569 | 5 March 1622 | succeeded as Duke of Parma married, 1600, Margherita Aldobrandini Margherita Aldobrandini Margherita Aldobrandini was a Duchess consort of Parma. She was the regent of Parma 1626-1628.-Life:... ; had issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margherita Farnese Margherita Farnese Margherita Farnese was a daughter of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma and Infanta Maria of Guimarães. She was named after her father's mother Margaret of Parma, natural daughter of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.... |
7 November 1567 | 13 April 1643 | married, 1581, Vincenzo I, Duke of Mantua; no issue | ||
| Odoardo Farnese | 7 December 1573 | 21 February 1626 | became a Cardinal Cardinal (Catholicism) A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and... |
Illegitimate issue
After his wife's death he had a natural daughter by Catherine de Roquoi, a main lady from FlandersCounty of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
of the House of Roquoi:
- Isabella Margherita Farnese (Luxembourg, 1578 - LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, 1610), married RouenRouenRouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, April 1592 (some say there was no marriage) to PortuguesePortuguese peopleThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
DomDom (title)Dom is a title of respect prefixed to the given name. It derives from Latin Dominus.It is used in English for certain Benedictine and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation...
João de Meneses, o Roxo (the PurplePurplePurple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
) (PenamacorPenamacorPenamacor is a municipality in Portugal with an area of 563.9 km² and a population of 6,160 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 12 parishes and is located in the district of Castelo Branco....
, c. 1550 - MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, 1604), ?th LordLordLord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
of the MajoratMajoratMajorat is the right of succession to property according to age . A majorat would be inherited by the oldest son, or if there was no son, the nearest relative. This law existed in some of the European countries and was designed to prevent the distribution of wealthy estates between many members of...
of Penamacor, ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Spanish ArmySpanish ArmyThe Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
, Field Master in the Netherlands, only child and son of Dom Simão de Meneses, Alcaide-MórAlcaldeAlcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
of Penamacor and Commander of the mentioned village, son of the 2nd Lords of o Louriçal and of the Lords of Cantanhede (formerly Counts of Neiva Lords of FariaFaria (Barcelos)Faria is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Barcelos. It has a population of 583 inhabitants and a total area of 3.01 km²....
), and wife and relative DonaDom (title)Dom is a title of respect prefixed to the given name. It derives from Latin Dominus.It is used in English for certain Benedictine and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation...
Leonor de Castro, of the Counts (formerly Lords) of TaroucaTaroucaTarouca is a municipality in Portugal and a city with a total area of 100.1 km² and a total population of 8,303 inhabitants, locatede in Norte Region and Douro Subregion.The municipality is composed of 10 parishes and is located in Viseu District....
, of the Counts of Viana do AlentejoViana do AlentejoViana do Alentejo is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 393.0 km² and a total population of 5,581 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 3 parishes, and is located in the District of Évora....
and Viana da Foz do LimaViana do CasteloViana do Castelo is a municipality and seat of the Viana do Castelo District in the Norte Region of Portugal. The city proper has 36,148 inhabitants and the municipality has a total population of 91,238 inhabitants over a total area of 318.6 km².It is located at the mouth of the Lima...
and of the Counts (formerly Lords) of Vila RealVila Real, PortugalVila Real is a city in Vila Real Municipality, Trás-os-Montes, northern Portugal.According to the 2001 census, the city had a total of 24,481 inhabitants.- History :...
(formerly Counts of BarcelosBarcelos, PortugalBarcelos is a city in Barcelos Municipality in Braga District. The city has a population of 20,625.-History:Originally a Roman settlement, it expanded and became the seat of the First Duke of Bragança in the 15th century...
and Counts of OurémOurémOurém is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 416.6 km² and a total population of 49,269 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of about 12,000.The municipality is composed of 18 parishes, and is located in the district of Santarém...
), and had one daughter and heiress:- Dona Leonor de Meneses (c. 1600 - ?), married in Penamacor bef. 1630 her relative Pedro Álvares Cabral, 13th Lord of Azurara and 12th Alcaide-Mór of Belmonte and Lord of its House (c. 1600 - c. 1655), son of Nuno Fernandes Cabral (c. 1565 - bef. 1613), 10th Lord of Azurara and 9th Alcaide-Mór of Belmonte, and wife Dona Margarida de Meneses (c. 1570 - ?) and great-great-great-nephew in male line of Pedro Álvares CabralPedro Álvares CabralPedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal. While details of Cabral's early life are sketchy, it...
, and had issue, though extinct in male line, Family de Figueiredo Cabral da Câmara (Dom) Lords of the Majorat of a OtaOta (Alenquer)Ota is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Alenquer. It has a population of 1,198 inhabitants and a total area of 46.36 km².-Ota airport:...
, Alcaides-Móres then CountCountA count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
s of Belmonte and Lords of Azurara and by bastardy Family de Brito Cabral de Meneses de Alarcão.
- Dona Leonor de Meneses (c. 1600 - ?), married in Penamacor bef. 1630 her relative Pedro Álvares Cabral, 13th Lord of Azurara and 12th Alcaide-Mór of Belmonte and Lord of its House (c. 1600 - c. 1655), son of Nuno Fernandes Cabral (c. 1565 - bef. 1613), 10th Lord of Azurara and 9th Alcaide-Mór of Belmonte, and wife Dona Margarida de Meneses (c. 1570 - ?) and great-great-great-nephew in male line of Pedro Álvares Cabral
External links
- Farnese is a leading player in John Lothrop MotleyJohn Lothrop MotleyJohn Lothrop Motley was an American historian and diplomat.-Biography:...
's [ftp://sailor.gutenberg.org/pub/gutenberg/etext04/jm36v10.txt The Rise of the Dutch Republic]