Odoardo Farnese

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See also, Odoardo Cardinal Farnese.

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Odoardo Farnese (April 28, 1612 - September 11, 1646) was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1622 to 1646.

Odoardo was the sole legitimate son of Ranuccio I Farnese and Margherita Aldobrandini. After Ranuccio's natural son and his potential rival, Ottavio, was relegated in a prison, he reigned initially under the regency of his uncle Odoardo Cardinal Farnese and, after the latter's death, of his mother, Margherita Aldobrandini.

He came of age in 1628 and in the same year he married Margherita de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo II de' Medici's daughter. His first notable act as Duke was an alliance with France (1633), a move to counter Spain's predominance in northern Italy and support his ambitions of conquest. He also asked loans to improve the army and, but his first campaigns were ineffective: Piacenza was occupied by the Spanish troops, and his army was defeated by Francesco I d'Este. Odoardo was convinced by Pope Urban VIII to sign a treaty of peace with Spain in 1637. (Note error of fact: Spanish troops overran the duchy and devastated the countryside, but they did not attempt to lay siege to the cities. In the absence of French help, Odoardo was convinced by Pope Urban VIII to sign a treaty of peace with Spain in 1637).

His aggressive tenure of the of Castro, a Farnese fief in the Papal States north to Rome who the Barberini (Urban's family) were eager to acquire, gained Odoardo an excommunication in 1641. He replied seeking alliances with Venice, Florence and Modena, and invading the northern Lazio with 7,000 infantry. (Error of fact: The army comprised mostly of cavalry, and was unable to recover Castro by siege). Although the Farnese fleet went destroyed and the Duke proved often hesitant, the peace of 1644 gave him back Castro and he was readmitted into the Christian Church.

Odoardo died suddenly in Piacenza, his favourite residence, in the September 1646.

[edit] Marriage and children

Odoardo Farnese married Margherita de Medici (May 31, 1612 - February 6, 1679) on October 11, 1628. They had the following sons:

• Ranuccio II Farnese (1630-1694)
• Alessandro Farnese (January 10, 1635 - February 18, 1689), Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1678 to 1682
• Orazio Farnese (January 24, 1636 - November 2, 1656)
• Pietro Farnese (April 4, 1639 - March 4, 1677)

[edit] See also

• First War of Castro

Odoardo Farnese House of Farnese Born: 28 April 1612 Died: 11 September 1646
Regnal titles
Preceded by Ranuccio I	Duke of Parma 1622-1646	Succeeded by Ranuccio II
	Duke of Piacenza 1622-1646

[edit] References

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