Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma
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Alessandro Farnese (10 January 1635 – 18 February 1689) was an Italian military leader who was governor of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1678 to 1682.
| Alexander Farnese | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince of Parma | |||||
 | |||||
| Viceroy of Navarre | |||||
| In office 15 April 1671 – 17 May 1676 | |||||
| Monarch | Charles II | ||||
| Regent | Mariana of Austria | ||||
| Preceded by | Diego Caballero de Illescas y Cabeza de Vaca | ||||
| Succeeded by | Esteban Fermín de Marichalar y Eslava (as acting) | ||||
| Viceroy of Catalonia | |||||
| In office 7 August 1676 – 9 July 1677 | |||||
| Monarch | Charles II | ||||
| Preceded by | Juan Antonio Pacheco Osorio Toledo | ||||
| Succeeded by | Juan Domingo de Zuñiga y Fonseca | ||||
| Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands | |||||
| In office November 1678 – April 1682 | |||||
| Monarch | Charles II | ||||
| Chief Minister | John Joseph of Austria Juan Francisco de la Cerda, 8th Duke of Medinaceli | ||||
| Preceded by | Carlos de Aragón de Gurrea, 9th Duke of Villahermosa | ||||
| Succeeded by | Ottone Enrico del Caretto, Marquis of Savona | ||||
| Born | 10 January 1635 Parma, Duchy of Parma and Piacenza | ||||
| Died | 18 February 1689 (aged 54) Madrid, Spanish Empire | ||||
| Spouse | Maria de Lao y Carillo | ||||
| Issue | Alessandro Odoardo Alessandro Maria Margherita Isabella | ||||
| |||||
| House | Farnese | ||||
| Father | Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma | ||||
| Mother | Margherita de' Medici | ||||
| Military service | |||||
| Allegiance |  Republic of Venice Spanish Empire | ||||
| Branch/service | Venetian Army Spanish Navy | ||||
Years of service | 1656–1682 | ||||
| Rank | Admiral General | ||||
| Battles/wars | Cretan War (1645–1669) | ||||
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.[1]
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