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b. January 20, 1716 – d. December 14, 1788
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By Giovanni di Napoli
"Go forth and win: the most beautiful crown in Italy awaits you."
– Elizabeth Farnese to her son Charles of Bourbon,
The Bourbons of Naples by Harold Acton,
Methuen and Co. Ltd., 1957, pg. 17
Charles of Bourbon was born on January 20, 1716 in Madrid. He was the eldest child of the King of Spain–Philip V and his second wife, Elizabeth Farnese. Through conquest and diplomacy they acquired the ducal crowns of Tuscany and Parma for the Prince. Not content with these titles, the ambitious royals believed "the most beautiful crown in Italy" to be more fitting for their son and plotted to wrest the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from the Austrian Empire.
At the age of eighteen the Infante descended from his ducal dominions to invade the viceroyalty and conquer the Kingdom for his own. The illustrious Count di Montemar was at the head of his army, composed of sixteen thousand infantry and five thousand cavalry, and had the support of the Spanish navy. When the Bourbon forces crossed the frontier they met with minimal resistance as the Germans yielded in rapid succession.
On June 15th, 1734 the Prince published his father's decree relinquishing his ancient rights to the Kingdom. Charles declared himself King of the Two Sicilies, Jerusalem, Infante of Spain, Duke of Parma, Piacenza, and Castro, and Hereditary Grand Prince of Tuscany. Tired of being a provincial backwater of the Austrian Empire the Neapolitans welcomed the conqueror at the Porta Capuana, as was the tradition. Continue reading
