Robert I, Duke of Parma
Encyclopedia
Robert I was the last sovereign Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1854 to 1859, when the duchy was annexed to Sardinia-Piedmont during the unification of Italy. He was a member of the House of Bourbon
, descended from Philip, Duke of Parma
the third son of King Philip V of Spain and Elizabeth Farnese.
, Robert was the son of Charles III, Duke of Parma
and Louise Marie Thérèse d'Artois, daughter of Charles Ferdinand, duc de Berry
and granddaughter of King Charles X of France
. He succeeded his father to the ducal throne in 1854 upon the latter's assassination, when he was only six, while his mother stood as regent.
When Duke Robert was eleven years old he was deposed, as Piedmontese troops annexed other Italian states, ultimately to form the Kingdom of Italy
.
Despite losing his throne, Robert and his family enjoyed considerable wealth, traveling in a private train of more than a dozen cars from his castles at Schwarzau am Steinfeld near Vienna
, to Villa Pianore in northwest Italy, and the magnificent château de Chambord
in France.
Less than four months after Duke Robert's death in 1907 the Grand Marshal of the Austrian court declared six of the children of his first marriage legally incompetent (they were mentally retarded), at the behest of his widow, Duchess Maria Antonia. Nonetheless, Robert's primary heir was Elias of Parma (1880–1959), the youngest son of his first marriage and the only one of his sons by that marriage to beget children of his own. Elias also became the legal guardian of his six elder siblings. Although the eldest half-brothers, Sixte and Xavier, eventually sued their half-brother Elias for trying to obtain a greater share of the ducal fortune, they lost in the French courts, leaving the issue of Robert's second marriage with modest prospects.
Some of his younger sons served in the Austrian armed forces.
. She was his half first cousin once removed, as her father (Ferdinand II) and Robert's maternal grandmother (Princess Caroline Ferdinande of Bourbon-Two Sicilies) were half-siblings, both children of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
.
Maria Pia belonged to the deposed Royal Family of the Two Sicilies, and was thus a Bourbon, like her husband. She bore him 12 children, before dying in childbirth:
It is not clear whether the last two children had learning difficulties also, like six older siblings.
After his first wife's death in childbirth, he remarried in 1884 to Maria Antonia of Portugal, daughter of the deposed Miguel I of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
. Maria Antonia was his second cousin once removed, as her paternal grandmother (Charlotte of Spain
) and Robert's paternal great-grandmother (Maria Luisa of Spain) were siblings, both children of Charles IV of Spain
and Maria Luisa of Parma
.
She bore him another 12 children:
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
, descended from Philip, Duke of Parma
Philip, Duke of Parma
Philip of Spain was Duke of Parma from 1748 to 1765. He founded the House of Bourbon-Parma , a cadet line of the Spanish branch of the dynasty...
the third son of King Philip V of Spain and Elizabeth Farnese.
Biography
Born in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Robert was the son of Charles III, Duke of Parma
Charles III, Duke of Parma
-Early life:Charles III was born at the Villa delle Pianore near Lucca, the only son of Charles Louis, Prince of Lucca and his wife Princess Maria-Theresa of Savoy . He was given the baptismal names Ferdinando Carlo Vittorio Giuseppe Maria Baldassarre...
and Louise Marie Thérèse d'Artois, daughter of Charles Ferdinand, duc de Berry
Charles Ferdinand, duc de Berry
Charles Ferdinand d'Artois, Duke of Berry was the younger son of the future king, Charles X of France, and his wife, Princess Maria Theresa of Savoy....
and granddaughter of King Charles X of France
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
. He succeeded his father to the ducal throne in 1854 upon the latter's assassination, when he was only six, while his mother stood as regent.
When Duke Robert was eleven years old he was deposed, as Piedmontese troops annexed other Italian states, ultimately to form the Kingdom of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Despite losing his throne, Robert and his family enjoyed considerable wealth, traveling in a private train of more than a dozen cars from his castles at Schwarzau am Steinfeld near Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, to Villa Pianore in northwest Italy, and the magnificent château de Chambord
Château de Chambord
The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures.The building, which was never...
in France.
Less than four months after Duke Robert's death in 1907 the Grand Marshal of the Austrian court declared six of the children of his first marriage legally incompetent (they were mentally retarded), at the behest of his widow, Duchess Maria Antonia. Nonetheless, Robert's primary heir was Elias of Parma (1880–1959), the youngest son of his first marriage and the only one of his sons by that marriage to beget children of his own. Elias also became the legal guardian of his six elder siblings. Although the eldest half-brothers, Sixte and Xavier, eventually sued their half-brother Elias for trying to obtain a greater share of the ducal fortune, they lost in the French courts, leaving the issue of Robert's second marriage with modest prospects.
Some of his younger sons served in the Austrian armed forces.
Family
In 1869, in exile, he married Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1849–1882), daughter of king Ferdinand II of the Two SiciliesFerdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
. She was his half first cousin once removed, as her father (Ferdinand II) and Robert's maternal grandmother (Princess Caroline Ferdinande of Bourbon-Two Sicilies) were half-siblings, both children of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
Francis I of the Two Sicilies
-Biography:Francis was born in Naples, the son of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. He was also the nephew of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI the last King and Queen of France before the first French Republic....
.
Maria Pia belonged to the deposed Royal Family of the Two Sicilies, and was thus a Bourbon, like her husband. She bore him 12 children, before dying in childbirth:
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Marie Louise Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma was the eldest daughter of Robert I, the last reigning Duke of Parma. She became princess-consort of Bulgaria upon her marriage to Ferdinand of Bulgaria, the then prince-regnant... |
17 January 1870 | Married Ferdinand I of Bulgaria Ferdinand I of Bulgaria Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar... and had issue. |
|
| Prince Ferdinando | 5 March 1871 | Died in infancy. | |
| Princess Luisa Maria | 24 March 1872 | She had learning difficulties. | |
| Prince Henry (Principe Enrico) | 13 June 1873 | Titular pretender of Parma 1907-1939. He had learning difficulties, and from 1907 (his father's death), his brother Elias took up the role as head of the family, although Enrico continued to be considered the nominal pretender to the ducal throne. He held the title till his death. | |
| Princess Maria Immacolata | 21 July 1874 | She had learning difficulties. | |
| Prince Joseph (Principe Giuseppe) | 30 June 1875 | Titular pretender to the throne of Parma 1939-1950. He also had learning difficulties, and his brother Elias continued the role as head of the family as he had done with their brother Enrico. | |
| Princess Maria Teresa | 15 October 1876 | She had learning difficulties. | |
| Princess Maria Pia | 9 October 1877 | She had learning difficulties. | |
| Princess Beatrice | 9 January 1879 | Married Pietro Lucchesi-Palli (a grandson of Princess Caroline of Naples and Sicily Princess Caroline of Naples and Sicily Caroline of Naples and Sicily was the daughter of the future King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his first wife, Maria Clementina of Austria.-Life:... and her second husband) and had issue. |
|
| Prince Elias (Principe Elia) | 23 July 1880 | Head of the Ducal Family of Parma (1950–1959). Married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (1882–1940) Archduchess Maria Anna Isabelle Epiphanie Eugenie Gabriele of Austria, full German name: Maria Anna Isabelle Epiphanie Eugenie Gabriele, Erzherzogin von Österreich was a member of the Teschen branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and an Archduchess of Austria and... and had issue. |
|
| Princess Maria Anastasia | 25 August 1881 | Died in infancy. | |
| Prince Augusto (or Princess Augusta) | 22 September 1882 | (stillborn). Maria Pia died giving birth to this child. |
It is not clear whether the last two children had learning difficulties also, like six older siblings.
After his first wife's death in childbirth, he remarried in 1884 to Maria Antonia of Portugal, daughter of the deposed Miguel I of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was the wife of King Miguel of Portugal but only following his deposition. As a widow, she secured advantageous marriages for their six daughters.-Family:...
. Maria Antonia was his second cousin once removed, as her paternal grandmother (Charlotte of Spain
Charlotte of Spain
Doña Carlota Joaquina of Spain was a Queen consort of Portugal as wife of John VI...
) and Robert's paternal great-grandmother (Maria Luisa of Spain) were siblings, both children of Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
and Maria Luisa of Parma
Maria Luisa of Parma
Maria Luisa of Parma was Queen consort of Spain from 1788 to 1808 as the wife of King Charles IV of Spain. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Philip of Parma and his wife, Louise-Élisabeth of France, the eldest daughter of King Louis XV.She was christened Luisa Maria Teresa Ana, but was known...
.
She bore him another 12 children:
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Maria della Neve Adelaide | 5 August 1885 | A Benedictine nun at St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes is a Benedictine nunnery founded in 1866 by Dom Prosper Guéranger, the restorer of Benedictine life in France after the destruction of the revolution... . |
|
| Prince Sixtus (Sisto, "Sixte") | 1 August 1886 | Married Hedwige de La Rochefoucauld and had a daughter, Isabelle. | |
| Prince Xavier of Parma | 25 May 1889 | Married Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset Madeleine de Bourbon was the Duchess of Parma and was also Carlist queen of Spain by virtue of marriage to Xavier of Parma, the Carlist pretender to the Spanish throne,.... and had issue. Head of the Ducal Family of Parma (1974–77). Carlist Carlism Carlism is a traditionalist and legitimist political movement in Spain seeking the establishment of a separate line of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne. This line descended from Infante Carlos, Count of Molina , and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread... pretender to the throne of Spain. |
|
| Princess Francesca | 22 April 1890 | A Benedictine nun at St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes is a Benedictine nunnery founded in 1866 by Dom Prosper Guéranger, the restorer of Benedictine life in France after the destruction of the revolution... . |
|
| Princess Zita Zita of Bourbon-Parma Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria... |
9 May 1892 | Married Emperor Karl of Austria. | |
| Prince Felix | 28 October 1893 | Married Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, his first cousin (their mothers were sisters). | |
| Prince René Prince René of Bourbon-Parma Prince René of Bourbon-Parma was the seventh surviving son of Robert I, Duke of Parma, and his second wife, Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal... |
17 October 1894 | Married Princess Margrethe of Denmark Princess Margrethe of Denmark Princess Margaret of Denmark was a princess of Denmark and Iceland by birth and a princess of Bourbon-Parma as the wife of Prince René of Parma.Her parents were Prince Valdemar of Denmark, youngest son of Christian IX of Denmark and... and has issue. |
|
| Princess Maria Antonia | 7 November 1895 | A Benedictine nun at St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes is a Benedictine nunnery founded in 1866 by Dom Prosper Guéranger, the restorer of Benedictine life in France after the destruction of the revolution... . |
|
| Princess Isabella | 14 June 1898 | Died unmarried. | |
| Prince Louis (Luigi) | 5 December 1899 | Married Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy Maria Francesca of Savoy was the youngest daughter of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Elena of Montenegro... and had issue. |
|
| Princess Henrietta Anna | 8 March 1903 | Died unmarried, was deaf. | |
| Prince Thomas (Gaetano was used) | 11 June 1905 | Married Princess Margarete of Thurn and Taxis. They had a daughter, Diana and later divorced. |
Ancestry
See also
- List of Dukes of Parma
- Duchy of ParmaDuchy of ParmaThe Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese, centered on the city of Parma....