Maria Luisa of Parma

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Maria Louisa of Parma (December 9 1751-January 2 1819) was queen of Spain and consort of King Charles IV of Spain. She was the daughter of Philip of Bourbon, Duke of Parma (March 15, 1719 or 1720) and his wife Princess Louise-Élisabeth of France. She was christened Luisa Maria Teresa, but was known as Maria Luisa.

The artist Goya often painted her portraits. She was described by contemporaries often as a vicious and coarse woman who thoroughly dominated the king. Reportedly Manuel de Godoy, her husband's prime minister, was her long-time lover.

She was taken to France as prisoner, and her husband abdicated the throne of Spain in 1808, due to pressure from Napoleon. Maria Luisa, Godoy and the abdicated king spent remainder of their lives outside Spain. She and her husband both died in 1819.

Reportedly, several of her children were not sired by her husband, who was her paternal first cousin. Infante Don Francisco's (the Duke of Cadiz) features are reported to have resembled very closely those of Godoy. Her 14 children were:

• Charles Clement (Carlos Clemente) (19 September 1771 - 7 March 1774)
• Charlotte Joaquina (Carlota Joaquina) (25 April 1775 - 6 July 1830), queen consort of Portugal.
• Maria Louisa (Maria Luisa) (11 September 1777 - 2 July 1782)
• Maria Amalia (9 January 1779 - 22 July 1798)
• Charles Dominic (Carlos Domingo) (5 March 1780 - 11 June 1783)
• Maria Louisa (6 July 1782 - 13 March 1824)
• Charles Francis (Carlos Francisco) (5 September 1783 - 11 November 1784)
• Philip Francis (Felipe Francisco) (5 September 1783 - 18 October 1784)
• Ferdinand (Fernando)(14 October 1784 - 29 September 1833) succeded his father as King of Spain.
• Carlos (29 March 1788 - 10 March 1855) Carlist pretender
• Maria Isabella (6 June 1789 - 13 September 1848), queen consort of Francis I of the Two Sicilies
• Maria Teresa (16 February1791 - 2 November 1794)
• Felipe María (28 March 1792 - 1 March 1794)
• Francisco de Paula (Francisco Antonio) (10 March 1794 - 13 August 1865), Duke of Cadiz

The famous park Maria Luisa in Seville is named after her.

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Last updated on Friday February 08, 2008 at 05:31:18 PST (GMT -0800)
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