Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma
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Pier Luigi Farnese in a portrait by Titian. |
Pier Luigi Farnese is also the name of Pier Luigi Farnese (born 1435), father of Pope Paul III.Pier Luigi Farnese (
november 19,
1503 -
September 10,
1547) was the first
Duke of Parma, from 1545 to 1547.
Born in
Rome, Pier Luigi was the illegitimate son of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (who later became
Pope Paul III). He became a soldier and participated in the
sack of Rome in
1527.
When his father was elevated to the
papacy in
1534, Pier Luigi was named
Captain-General of the Church. His father later made him
Duke of
Parma and
Piacenza, properties that had previously been a part of the
Papal States. Pier Luigi and his son,
Ottavio, declared they would have paid 9,000 golden
ducati every year to the Popes, and, in exchange, they gave back the Duchies of
Camerino and
Nepi. Pier Luigi was also in possession of the Duchy of
Castro and the county of
Ronciglione, in the Lazio.
Pier Luigi took possession of his new states on
September 23,
1546. During his life he had gained a fame on cruelty, ruthlessness and luxury, and was accused of homosexual acts against young boys. His firm rule and his taxes gained him the enmities of the cities, which were used to the fair authority of the Popes. The aristocracy, in particular, was supported against him by emperor
Charles V, who aimed to unite Parma and Piacenza to the
Duchy of Milan.
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Gerolama Orsini, Pier Luigi's wife. |
In
1547 a conjure was set up against him by the counts Francesco
Anguissola and Agostino
Landi and the marquises Giovan Luigi
Confalonieri and Girolamo and Alessandro
Pallavicini. After Anguissola and others had stabbed him to death, the conjurers hung his body from a window of his palace in Piacenza. Charles V's vicar
Ferrante Gonzaga captured the Duchy soon after.
Pier Luigi Farnese had married Girolama
Orsini. They had four children:
*
Ottavio, Pier Luigi's successor as Duke of Par
*
Alessandro, bishop of Parma and Roman Catholic Cardinal
*
Ranuccio, Roman Catholic Cardinal
*Vittoria, who married
Guidubaldo II, duke of
UrbinoHe also had an illegitimate son, Orazio, who married
Diane, Duchesse d'Angoulême and daughter of
Henry II of France.
*
Farnese*
Farnese family tree from about
1390 to
1766.
