Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma

{{One source|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox royalty

| name = Alexander Farnese

| title = Prince of Parma

| image = File:Alessandro di Odoardo Farnese.jpg

| caption =

| succession = Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands

| reign = 1678–1682

| predecessor = Carlos de Aragón de Gurrea, 9th Duke of Villahermosa

| successor = Ottone Enrico del Caretto, Marquis of Savona

| birth_date = 10 January 1635

| birth_place = Parma, Duchy of Parma and Piacenza

| death_date = 18 February 1689

| death_place = Madrid, Spanish Empire

| house = Farnese

| father = Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma

| mother = Margherita de' Medici

}}

Alessandro Farnese (10 January 1635 – 18 February 1689) was an Italian military leader who was governor of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1678 to 1682.

He is not to be confused with his better-known great-grandfather Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma. This Alessandro was often called Alessandro di Odoardo (son of Odoardo). His elder brother Ranuccio II was the sixth duke of Parma and Piacenza .

Biography

He was born in Parma, the second son of Odoardo Farnese, fifth duke of Parma, and Margherita de' Medici.{{cite encyclopaedia |encyclopaedia=Biographical Dictionary of Italians |volume=45 |date=1995 |title=FARNESE, Alexander |url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/alessandro-farnese_res-e9ad90ea-87ec-11dc-8e9d-0016357eee51_(Dizionario-Biografico)/ |publisher=Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia |first=Dario |last=Busolini |via=treccani.it}}

He was general in the army of Venice, fighting the Turks, and later admiral in the Spanish Navy. He became governor of the Southern Netherlands after the Franco-Dutch War.

Alexander died in Madrid in 1689.

Family

By his mistress Maria de Lao y Carillo had the following children:

  • Alessandro Odoardo (Badajoz, 12 April 1663 – Cacéres, 21 May 1666)
  • Alessandro Maria (Badajoz, 30 October 1664 – 28 September 1726), Colonel in Spanish army
  • Margherita (Badajoz, 5 June 1665 – Parma, November 1718), nun in Parma
  • Isabella (Badajoz, 19 September 1666 – Parma, 27 December 1741), nun in Parma


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{{Succession box|before=Carlos de Gurrea, Duke of Villahermosa|title=Governor of the Spanish Netherlands|after=Otto Henry, Marquis of Caretto|years=1678–1682}}

{{S-end}}

References