Margaret of Parma
Encyclopedia
Margaret, Duchess of Parma (28 December 1522 – 18 January 1586), 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
. She was a Duchess consort of Florence
and a Duchess consort of Parma
and Piacenza
by marriage.
In 1527, in the year she turned five, she became engaged to the Pope's nephew, Alexander de Medici, Duke of Florence
, to assist her father's ambition in gaining influence in Italy. The marriage negotiations had been initiated in 1526, and in 1529, the agreement was officially signed by her father and the Pope. In 1536, she married her betrothed, but he was assassinated in 1537. On 4 November 1538 she married Ottavio Farnese
, Duke of Parma, the grandson of Pope Paul III
. He was fourteen years old, she fifteen. She did not wish to marry him, as she wished to marry Cosimo de Medici instead. The union, which proved an unhappy one, produced twin sons, one of whom died in infancy. The couple lived periodically separated lives. She was in a somewhat difficult position, as the Pope and the Emperor argued about the authority over Parma. In 1555, the Farnese family was acknowledged rulers of Parma by Spain in exchange for the custody of her son.
In 1555, she left Italy for the Netherlands, where she left her son in the care of her brother Philip II. Like her aunts, who trained her, Margaret had many abilities. Philip II
appointed her governor of the Netherlands
when he left them in 1559 for Spain
. In ordinary times she could probably have proved as successful a ruler as her two predecessors in that post, but her task was very different from theirs. She had to face the rising storm of discontent against the Inquisition
and Spanish despotism, and Philip left her but nominal authority. He was determined to pursue his own arbitrary course, and the issue was the revolt of the Netherlands. Until 1564, she was forced to adjust herself to the advices of Granvelle, who was greatly disliked in the Netherlands, and after he left, she was forced to have every task approved by Philip, despite the fact that a letter from Netherlands and Spain could take months to reach its recipient. In 1565, an opposition party was forged. She received its complaints, and promised to stop religious repression, as she had no army to put against them. In 1566, Iconoclastic riots took place all over the Netherlands; she managed to stop them, but the next year, Philip sent her military help with the duke of Alva. She warned that Alva's actions would lead to catastrophe, but decided to resign when she noted that his power of attorney from Philip was bigger than her own.
In 1567 Margaret resigned her post into the hands of the duke of Alva and retired to L'Aquila
in Italy
. She was appointed governor of Abruzzo
, and acted as the adviser of her son and Juan d'Austria. In 1578, her son Alexander Farnese
was appointed to the office of governor-general of the Netherlands: Philip appointed her his co-regent, with the thought that they would balance each other. They could, however, not work together, and Margaret had to retire to Namur in 1582. She was given permission by Philip to return to Italy in 1583. She died in Ortona
in 1586.
:
Only the latter survived infancy.
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 :...
from 1559 to 1567 and from 1578 to 1582, was the illegitimate daughter of Charles V
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...
and 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...
. She was a Duchess consort of Florence
Florence
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....
and a Duchess consort 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...
by marriage.
Biography
Her mother, Johanna Maria van der Gheynst, a servant of Charles de Lalaing, Seigneur de Montigny, was a Fleming. Margaret was brought up by the Douwrin family, under the supervision of her great-aunt, Archduchess Margaret of Austria, and her aunt, Maria of Austria, who were successively governors of the Netherlands from 1507 to 1530 and from 1530 to 1555, respectively. In 1529 she was acknowledged by her father and allowed to assume the name Margaret of Austria, and in 1533, she was brought to Italy. Though she was multi-lingual, she was to prefer the Italian language for the rest of her life.In 1527, in the year she turned five, she became engaged to the Pope's nephew, Alexander de Medici, Duke of Florence
Florence
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....
, to assist her father's ambition in gaining influence in Italy. The marriage negotiations had been initiated in 1526, and in 1529, the agreement was officially signed by her father and the Pope. In 1536, she married her betrothed, but he was assassinated in 1537. On 4 November 1538 she married Ottavio Farnese
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:...
, Duke of Parma, the grandson of 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...
. He was fourteen years old, she fifteen. She did not wish to marry him, as she wished to marry Cosimo de Medici instead. The union, which proved an unhappy one, produced twin sons, one of whom died in infancy. The couple lived periodically separated lives. She was in a somewhat difficult position, as the Pope and the Emperor argued about the authority over Parma. In 1555, the Farnese family was acknowledged rulers of Parma by Spain in exchange for the custody of her son.
In 1555, she left Italy for the Netherlands, where she left her son in the care of her brother Philip II. Like her aunts, who trained her, Margaret had many abilities. 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....
appointed her governor of 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...
when he left them in 1559 for 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...
. In ordinary times she could probably have proved as successful a ruler as her two predecessors in that post, but her task was very different from theirs. She had to face the rising storm of discontent against the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
and Spanish despotism, and Philip left her but nominal authority. He was determined to pursue his own arbitrary course, and the issue was the revolt of the Netherlands. Until 1564, she was forced to adjust herself to the advices of Granvelle, who was greatly disliked in the Netherlands, and after he left, she was forced to have every task approved by Philip, despite the fact that a letter from Netherlands and Spain could take months to reach its recipient. In 1565, an opposition party was forged. She received its complaints, and promised to stop religious repression, as she had no army to put against them. In 1566, Iconoclastic riots took place all over the Netherlands; she managed to stop them, but the next year, Philip sent her military help with the duke of Alva. She warned that Alva's actions would lead to catastrophe, but decided to resign when she noted that his power of attorney from Philip was bigger than her own.
In 1567 Margaret resigned her post into the hands of the duke of Alva and retired to L'Aquila
L'Aquila
L'Aquila is a city and comune in central Italy, both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 73,150 inhabitants, but has a daily presence in the territory of 100,000 people for study, tertiary activities, jobs and tourism...
in 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...
. She was appointed governor of Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
, and acted as the adviser of her son and Juan d'Austria. In 1578, her son Alexander Farnese
Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
was appointed to the office of governor-general of the Netherlands: Philip appointed her his co-regent, with the thought that they would balance each other. They could, however, not work together, and Margaret had to retire to Namur in 1582. She was given permission by Philip to return to Italy in 1583. She died in Ortona
Ortona
Ortona is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.Ortona was the site of fierce fighting between German and Canadian forces during the Italian campaign in World War II...
in 1586.
Issue
On August 27, 1545, she gave birth to twin boys with her second husband OttavioOttavio 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:...
:
- Carlo Farnese
- Alessandro FarneseAlexander Farnese, Duke of ParmaAlexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
Only the latter survived infancy.
Ancestry
See also
- "What, madam, is your highness afraid of these beggars (ces gueux)?"GeuzenGeuzen was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles and other malcontents, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen...