Princess Isabella of Parma was born on 31 December 1741. She was the first child of the Duke of Parma and Louise Élisabeth of Bourbon, the eldest daughter of Louis XV of France.
Probably due to their small age gap — Louise Élisabeth was only fourteen when Isabella was born — mother and daughter never developed a close relationship. Later in life, Isabella was renowned and admired for her exceptional intelligence and brilliant, almost academic education. Her formative years, however, spent in the rigid atmosphere of the royal court in Madrid, were lonely and strictly controlled, marked by more corporal punishment than playmates. Only during her one-year stay at Versailles did she encounter the brighter and more luxurious side of courtly life.
A few years later, Isabella’s marriage to Archduke Joseph, Maria Theresa’s eldest son, was arranged. Although deeply beloved by her husband, the young princess remained emotionally distant and depressive.
31 December 1510 also marks the death of another unhappy lady — Bianca Maria Sforza, the third wife of Maximilian I. The Emperor willingly accepted the advantages of her political connections and vast dowry but showed little affection for his young wife and made no effort to grow closer to her. Ailing and depressed, the unfortunate Empress spent her married life in comparative isolation.
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3 Responses
Great content! Keep up the good work!
What a moving portrait of Isabella — the dynamic with her very young mother is heartbreaking to read. I’m curious whether you plan a similar piece on her younger sister Maria Luisa.
Thank you for your kind words!
I have tried to keep the Family Calendar more or less focused on the Habsburgs themselves, with a few notable exceptions. On the other hand, the interwoven histories of European dynasties can sometimes be difficult to separate.
Maria Luisa, for instance, was once considered as a possible bride for Archduke Joseph, her sister’s widower. The plan came to nothing, and Maria Luisa eventually became Queen of Spain instead. Years later, however, two of her children married grandchildren of Maria Theresa.
Perhaps you would like to join my Facebook group, The Private Lives of the Habsburgs? Your contributions would be most welcome!