Resultado da Busca
Alexandre Farnésio (em italiano: Alessandro Farnese), foi o terceiro Duque de Parma e Placência (27 de agosto de 1545 em Roma – 3 de dezembro de 1592 em Arras). Militar, oriundo de uma família romana, cujas origens remontam ao século X, nascido em 1545 e falecido em 1592, foi o mais ilustre de todos os Farnésio .
- Overview
- Heritage and early career
- Promotion to governor-general
- Last years
Alessandro Farnese, duke of Parma and Piacenza (born Aug. 27, 1545, Rome [Italy]—died Dec. 3, 1592, Arras, France) regent of the Netherlands (1578–92) for Philip II, the Habsburg king of Spain. He was primarily responsible for maintaining Spanish control there and for perpetuating Roman Catholicism in the southern provinces (now Belgium). In 1586 h...
The family of condottieri (chiefs of bands of mercenaries) into which Alessandro Farnese was born obtained its high position in the 15th century in the service of the popes, as well as through a custom of contracting politically useful marriages. A Farnese even became pope in 1534, assuming the name of Paul III; he set up the papal states of Parma and Piacenza as a duchy in order to award them to his illegitimate son Pier Luigi. A son of Pier Luigi, Ottavio (duke of Parma from 1547 to 1586), married Margaret, the illegitimate daughter of the Habsburg emperor Charles V; and from this union twins were born, only one of whom, Alessandro, survived.
The lineage of his mother and the quarrels of his father with the emperor determined Alessandro’s destiny. When still a child, he was sent to the court of Philip II of Spain, another member of the Habsburg family, as a guarantee of Duke Ottavio’s loyalty to the Habsburgs. Philip was then in Brussels, in the Netherlands, and Alessandro stayed there from 1556 to 1559, becoming acquainted with men who would be the principal actors in the dramatic religious and political conflict soon to tear the Netherlands asunder. In 1559 he went to Madrid, where he became a friend of the royal family. He next returned to the Netherlands, in 1565, where his mother, Margaret of Parma, had been regent for six years. In the same year, at the age of 20, he married the Portuguese infanta Maria after protracted matrimonial negotiations. He did not meet his betrothed until two days before his marriage, and the household that established itself at Parma in 1566 was not particularly happy, since the chief interests of the young husband remained hunting, riding, and warfare. Farnese’s correspondence of this period is filled with complaints of his enforced idleness.
Don Juan died October 1, 1578, and a few days later Philip II appointed Farnese as governor-general of the Netherlands. For the first time the sovereign had made a fortunate choice. Farnese had intellectual flexibility, which in the Netherlands contrasted favourably with the severity and sectarianism of earlier Spanish governors. He was a great soldier, with a fundamental knowledge of his profession. A sociable man, gifted with considerable natural attraction, he rejected all fanaticism. In many ways he resembled his foe William of Orange, who had also, for the first time, encountered an adversary of his own stature.
Thus, Farnese began, at the age of 34, a brilliant career, which ended only with his death. He immediately showed the full measure of his astuteness by undertaking a diplomatic reconciliation with the Dutch states that had Roman Catholic majorities, while continuing military operations against the Union of Utrecht, the alliance of rebellious provinces, mostly Protestant, led by William of Orange. Although seriously ill, Farnese conducted the difficult siege of Maastricht and captured the town on June 29, 1579, thus delivering a heavy blow to the prestige of his adversary. His negotiations with the southern, largely Catholic, provinces, in the meantime, were concluded by the Treaty of Arras in May 1579. One of the main achievements of his administration was accomplished in this treaty, which restored peace in the southern provinces. The agreement was reached at the cost of certain Spanish concessions, which included the removal of foreign troops and Farnese’s own departure within six months. An expert politician, Farnese succeeded, however, in keeping himself in the Netherlands as commander and regent, going so far as to enter into conflict with his mother, whom the king had initially appointed to the position in order to attain his purpose.
Students save 67%! Learn more about our special academic rate today.
Learn More
The removal of foreign troops and the organization of a “national” force left Farnese with only 15,000 poorly trained soldiers, the majority of whom were of the same nationality as their opponents. It was a pitiful band that he led to the sieges of the next two years. Unable to attempt long sieges, Farnese negotiated as quickly as possible and granted honourable surrenders. He captured the city of Tournai in November 1581 and permanently established his government there. He succeeded in forcing another surrender the following year, but his army was at the end of its strength and could no longer undertake extensive operations against the Union of Utrecht, which continued under the leadership of William.
Farnese, using all his talents of persuasion, then succeeded in obtaining from the king, and the Spanish-controlled provinces, the recall of Spanish troops and the dispatch of Italian units into the Netherlands. Finally, with sufficient reinforcements, he switched to the offensive at the end of 1582. Heading an army of 60,000 men, with full powers to act, he devised and carried out an excellent strategy.
Farnese undoubtedly would have pressed the war northward if Philip II had not compelled him to participate in his plan to conquer England. He was instructed to concentrate his forces on the Channel coast preparatory to invading England, but the defeat of the Invincible Armada in 1588 ended that dream. In Spain part of the responsibility for the disaster was laid on Farnese, and his popularity underwent a serious decline.
At this point Farnese fell ill and was tended at Spa (now in Belgium), while his lieutenants were left to face the Dutch army, reconstituted by Maurice of Nassau, as well as they could. Exhausted by illness, he died at Arras, France, at the age of 47, just in time to avoid learning of his intended disgrace at the hands of Philip II.
Alexander Farnese (Italian: Alessandro Farnese, Spanish: Alejandro Farnesio; 27 August 1545 – 3 December 1592) was an Italian noble and condottiero, and a general of the Spanish army, who was Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1586 to 1592, as well as Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.
Alexandre Farnésio, foi o terceiro Duque de Parma e Placência. Militar, oriundo de uma família romana, cujas origens remontam ao século X, nascido em 1545 e falecido em 1592, foi o mais ilustre de todos os Farnésio. Era bisneto do Paulo III.
O duque de Parma era também duque de Placência (em italiano: Piacenza), excepto durante os primeiros anos do governo de Octávio Farnésio (1549-1556), e durante a era napoleónica, quando os dois ducados estiveram separados e foram governados por diferentes indivíduos.
Suo figlio Alessandro, il futuro Papa Paolo III (1503-1547) crea il Ducato di Parma e Piacenza, poi passato nelle mani del figlio Ranuccio. I successivi sette duchi regneranno fino al 1731. Alessandro Farnese trascorre l’infanzia a Parma e mostra subito interesse per le matematiche e l’arte militare.
Alessandro Farnese, duke di Parma and Piacenza, (born Aug. 27, 1545, Rome—died Dec. 3, 1592, Arras, France), Regent of the Netherlands (1578–92) for Philip II of Spain. He was educated at the court of Madrid, where he had been sent to prove his father’s loyalty to the Habsburgs.
