Pier Luigi Farnese is also the name of Pier Luigi Farnese (born 1435), father of Pope Paul III. Pier Luigi Farnese (november 19, 1503 - September 10, 1547) was the first Duke of Parma, from 1545 to 1547.
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Biography
Born in Rome, Pier Luigi was the second but eldest illegitimate son of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (who later became Pope Paul III) by Silvia Ruffini. He became a soldier and participated in the sack of Rome in 1527. When his father was elevated to the papacy in 1534, Pier Luigi was named Captain-General of the Church. His father later made him Duke of Parma and Piacenza, properties that had previously been a part of the Papal States. Pier Luigi and his son, Ottavio, declared they would have paid 9,000 golden ducati every year to the Popes, and, in exchange, they gave back the Duchies of Camerino and Nepi. Pier Luigi was also in possession of the Duchy of Castro and the county of Ronciglione, in the Lazio. Pier Luigi took possession of his new states on September 23, 1546. During his life he had gained a fame on cruelty, ruthlessness and luxury, and was accused of homosexual acts against young men. In particular, he raped the 20-year old bishop of Fano, Cosimo Gheri, during an inspection. His firm rule and his taxes gained him the enmities of the cities, which were used to the milder authority of the Popes. The aristocracy, in particular, was supported against him by emperor Charles V, who aimed to unite Parma and Piacenza to the Duchy of Milan.
In 1547 a conspiracy was set up against him by the counts Francesco Anguissola and Agostino Landi and the marquises Giovan Luigi Confalonieri and Girolamo and Alessandro Pallavicini. After Anguissola and others had stabbed him to death, the plotters hung his body from a window of his palace in Piacenza. Charles V's vicar Ferrante Gonzaga captured the Duchy soon after.
Family and children
Pier Luigi Farnese had married Girolama Orsini. They had five children:
- Alessandro, bishop of Parma and Cardinal
- Vittoria, who married Guidubaldo II, duke of Urbino
- Ottavio, Pier Luigi's successor as Duke of Parma
- Ranuccio, Cardinal
- Orazio, Duke of Castro, who married Diane, Duchesse d'Angoulême, an illegitimate daughter of Henry II of France.
See also
External links
- Farnese family tree from about 1390 to 1766.
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Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma
Born: 19 November 1503 Died: 10 September 1547 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by Duchy created from the Papal States |
Duke of Parma 1547-1549 |
Succeeded by Ottavio |
| Duke of Piacenza 1547-1549 |
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