Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma
Encyclopedia
Princess Maria Luisa of Bourbon-Parma (17 January 1870 – 31 January 1899) 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 (who became Tsar
after her death). She was the mother of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria
.
and Switzerland
under the care of English governesses. Fluent in five languages, she liked painting and music. Her talents playing the guitar and the piano were judged to be well above the average. She was also well read and knew a lot of Dante
and Leopardi by heart.
. The negotiations were conducted between Duke Robert and Ferdinand's mother Princess Clémentine of Orléans
.
The engagement was celebrated at the Castle of Schwartzau, the residence of the Bourbon-Parma family in Austria
. Marie-Louise and Ferdinand had never met prior to that day. Princes Clémentine, who was present on that occasion, described her future daughter-in-law in a letter to Queen Victoria as "Unhappily not very pretty, it is the only thing which is lacking, since she is charming, good, very witty, intelligent and very likable". The wedding took place on 20 April 1893 at the Villa Pianore in Lucca, Italy, the residence of Duke Roberto in Italy. Marie Louise was twenty three, nine years younger than Ferdinand. The couple wasted no time producing an heir, with son Boris born nine months and ten days later.
in the south of France, the same day.
In May 1896 Marie Louise returned to Bulgaria. In the summer, she went to London
with her husband for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
, giving birth the following January to Princess Eudoxia. In July 1898 with her husband and their four year old, Boris, they visited St Petersburg at the invitation of Nikolai II of Russia, and Marie Louise made a success of the visit.
The disillusionment in her private life and bearing four children in five years affected her frail health. Suffering from pneumonia
, Marie Louise died in Sofia
, twenty four hours after giving birth to her fourth child. Aged just 29, she was buried in the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Louis of France in Plovdiv
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
upon her marriage to Ferdinand of Bulgaria, the then prince-regnant (who became Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
after her death). She was the mother of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria
Boris III of Bulgaria
Boris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...
.
Early life
Marie Louise was born in Rome in 1870 as Maria Luisa Pia Teresa Anna Ferdinanda Francesca Antonietta Margherita Giuseppina Carolina Bianca Lucia Apollonia di Borbone-Parma, the eldest daughter of Robert I, Duke of Parma and his first wife, Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The couple produced eleven more children before Maria Pia died in childbirth in 1882. Several of these twelve were born with severe mental retardation. Later, Duke Roberto re-married and had twelve more children. Marie Louise, who was twelve at the time of her mother's death, was brought up in BiarritzBiarritz
Biarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
under the care of English governesses. Fluent in five languages, she liked painting and music. Her talents playing the guitar and the piano were judged to be well above the average. She was also well read and knew a lot of Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
and Leopardi by heart.
Marriage
In 1892, her father arranged her marriage to the then Prince of Bulgaria, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and GothaSaxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha served as the collective name of two duchies, Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha, in Germany. They were located in what today are the states of Bavaria and Thuringia, respectively, and the two were in personal union between 1826 and 1918...
. The negotiations were conducted between Duke Robert and Ferdinand's mother Princess Clémentine of Orléans
Clementine of Orleans
Clémentine of Orléans , princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and duchess in Saxony, was the sixth child of ten and youngest daughter of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French, and his wife Marie Amalie of the Two Sicilies...
.
The engagement was celebrated at the Castle of Schwartzau, the residence of the Bourbon-Parma family in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Marie-Louise and Ferdinand had never met prior to that day. Princes Clémentine, who was present on that occasion, described her future daughter-in-law in a letter to Queen Victoria as "Unhappily not very pretty, it is the only thing which is lacking, since she is charming, good, very witty, intelligent and very likable". The wedding took place on 20 April 1893 at the Villa Pianore in Lucca, Italy, the residence of Duke Roberto in Italy. Marie Louise was twenty three, nine years younger than Ferdinand. The couple wasted no time producing an heir, with son Boris born nine months and ten days later.
Princess of Bulgaria
Marie Louise was not loved by her husband. Ferdinad was a narcissist and bisexual man who did not find her attractive. However, he made sure that in order to secure his lineage on the Bulgarian throne, she would bear him children. Under pressure from his subjects and looking to be recognized as Bulgaria's sovereign by the Russian emperor, Ferdinand wanted to have their eldest son, Boris, converted to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the summer of 1895. Marie Louise, pregnant, argued bitterly against her husband's actions, with the support of her father and her mother-in-law. The second child received baptism with Roman Catholic rites. However, unable to avoid Boris's conversion, Marie Louise, who had threatened to leave the country, left Sofia for BeaulieuBeaulieu
-England:* Beaulieu, Hampshire, a village in the New Forest* Beaulieu Abbey, located in Beaulieu, Hampshire* Beaulieu Palace House, located in Beaulieu, Hampshire* Beaulieu River, running through Beaulieu, Hampshire...
in the south of France, the same day.
In May 1896 Marie Louise returned to Bulgaria. In the summer, she went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with her husband for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
, giving birth the following January to Princess Eudoxia. In July 1898 with her husband and their four year old, Boris, they visited St Petersburg at the invitation of Nikolai II of Russia, and Marie Louise made a success of the visit.
The disillusionment in her private life and bearing four children in five years affected her frail health. Suffering from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, Marie Louise died in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, twenty four hours after giving birth to her fourth child. Aged just 29, she was buried in the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Louis of France in Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
.
Children
- Boris III, Tsar of BulgariaBoris III of BulgariaBoris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...
(1894–1943) - Prince Kiril of Bulgaria (1895–1945)
- Princess Eudoxia of BulgariaPrincess Eudoxia of BulgariaPrincess Eudoxia Augusta Philippine Clementine Maria of Bulgaria was the eldest daughter and third child of King Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his first wife Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma...
(1898–1985) - Princess Nadezhda of BulgariaPrincess Nadezhda of BulgariaPrincess Nadezhda Klementine Maria Pia Majella of Bulgaria was a member of the Bulgarian Royal Family.-Life:...
(1899–1958), married Duke Albert of WürttembergKingdom of WürttembergThe Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...