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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Alessandro Farnese Biography FARNESE, The name of an illustrious Italian family, first mentioned in the middle of the thirteenth century, when it possessed the castle of Farneto, near Orvieto. The power of the family dates from the time of Pope Alexander VI, who was the lover of Giulia Farnese and alienated many of the lands belonging to the holy see for her benefit. In 1534 Cardinal Alessandro Farnese was raised to the papal throne as Paul III (q.v.), and as his great aim was the aggrandizement of his family, he erected Parma and Piacenza into a duchy, which he bestowed on his natural son, PIETRO LUIGI. Pietro was assassinated in 1547 by the nobles and imperialists whom he had opposed, and was succeeded by his son OTTAVIO (1520-86), who married Margaret of Austria, a natural daughter of Charles V, and the greater part of whose reign was both peaceful and prosperous.-ALESSANDRO FARNESE, Prince of Parma and Spanish Governor in the Netherlands, was the son of Ottavio and was born in 1547. After being educated at the royal court at Madrid, he entered the Spanish service, made his first campaign under his uncle, Don Juan of Austria, and distinguished himself at the battle of Lepanto in the year 1571. In 1577 he was sent with reënforcements to Don Juan in the Low Countries, then in a state of insurrection, and contributed to the victory at Gembloux, Jan. 31, 1578. He was next made Governor of the Spanish Netherlands by Philip II and carried on the war against the Prince of Orange. By skillful diplomacy more even than by his military talents Farnese succeeded in winning back the Walloon provinces and several important towns. The assassination of William the Silent in 1584 aided his cause, and in 1585 he was able to reduce Antwerp after a memorable siege; but the project of the Armada (q.v.) interfered with his conquests in the Low Countries, and the ill success of the expedition against England, in which he had been given the command of the troops destined for the invasion of that country, grieved him the more from the contrast it presented to his former good fortune. In 1590 he was dispatched to the assistance of the Catholics in France and compelled Henry IV to raise the siege of Paris. Being, however, ill supplied with provisions and money and insufficiently supported by the League, he was forced to yield to the superior power of Henry IV and withdrew his forces. In 1591 he was once more forced to relinquish the conquest of the Netherlands and embark on a French campaign. After raising the siege of Rouen he was again compelled to withdraw. Returning, in spite of shattered health, in 1592, he died suddenly at Arras, December 2. Alexander Farnese was one of the great generals of his age and, though severe in his discipline, was almost worshiped by his soldiery. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. VIII (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 380. |