FARNE'SE, the name of a noble family of modern Rome, who were originally feudatories of the territory of Farneso and Montalto, iu the Papal State, eouth-west of the Lake of Bulsena, and near the borders of Tuscany. The splendour of this family was greatly increased by the exaltation of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese to the Papal See after the demise of Clement VII. in October 1534. [PAUL III.) This pope had a natural son, Pier Luigi Farnese, whom he determined to make a sovereign prince. For this purpose he first of all alienated part of the territory of the church in the neighbour hood of the feudal domain of his family, and formed a duchy called that of Castro, from the name of its chief town, adding to it the towns of Ronciglione and Nepi, with their territories, This district, which comprised nearly one half of the province called Patrimonie di San Pietro, he bestowed on Pier Luigi and his descendants, with the title of Duke of Castro, as a great fief of the Iloly See. He also obtained for him from Charles V, the investiture of the Marquisato of Novara as an imperial fief, and from the Venetian Semite permission to be inscribed on the golden book of the patricians of Venice, an honour considered as equal, If not superior, to that of a feudal title. The pope also made his son Gonfaloniere, or Captain General of the Holy See, an office which Pier Luigi dishonoured by the most depraved conduct. Lastly, Paul l ii, in 1545 gave his son the iuveeti tiire of Parma and Piacenza, which Pope Julius H. had conquered, with the title of sovereign duke of those states, on condition that the duke and his successors should pay an annual sum of 8000 ducats to the Roman See. The emperor Charles V. however, who, as Duke of Milan, had claims on Parma and I'iacenzs, would not bestow the investiture upon Pier Luigi. The new Duke of Parma and Piacenza soon became hateful to his subjects for his vices and oppression, and a conspiracy was formed by Count Anguissola and other noblemen, secretly countenanced by Don Ferrante Oonzaga, imperial governor of Milan, who hated Pier Luigi. On the morning of the 30th of September 1547, Anguissola stabbed the duke while at dinner in the ducal palace of Piacenza, and threw his body out of the window, when it was mutilated and dragged about by the mob. Piacenza was taken possession of by the Imperial troops, but Parma remained in possession of Ottavio Farness, son of the murdered duke. In
1556, Ihllip II., as sovereign of the Milanese, restored Piaceuza to the Duke Ottavio, but the citadel continued to be garrisoned by Spanish soldiers. Ottavlo dying in 1587, was succeeded as Duke of Parma and Piacenza by his son Alessandro Farness; who distinguished himself as general of the Spanish armies in the wars against France.
Ile was made governor of the Spanish Netherlands by Philip II., and carried en the war against the Prince of Orange. He is known in blistery by the name of the Duke of Parma. Alessandro died in 1592, and was succeeded by Ranuccio Farnese, a suspicious and cruel prince. A conspiracy was hatched against him at Rome, but it being discovered, a number of people were put to death in 1612. His tuccessor, Odoardo Farness, quarrelled with Pope Urban VIII. about the Duchy of Castro, which that pope wished to take away from him to give it to his own nephews, the Ilarberinl. This gave rise to an absurd and tedious warfare between the papal troops and those of Farina. Ultimately, through the mediation of other princes, the Faroese were left in ,possession of Castro, but under the following pontificate of Innocent X. they were finally deprived of that territory in 1650, and the pope razed the town of Castro to the ground, under the pretence of its bishop having been murdered by some assassins.
This occurred under Itanuceio 11., Ferriage, duke of Parma, who had succeeded Odoardo. The Farness continued to rule over Parma and Piacenza till 1731, when the last duke, Antonio Farnese, having died without issue, the male line of the Femme became extinct. But Elisabeth Farnese, wife of Philip V. of Spain, claiming the duchy for her children, it was ultimately given, by the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, to her younger son Don Filippo. The other fiefs however, and the personal property of the Farnese, including the rich museum and the splendid palaces, at Rome, were given to his brother, Don Carlos, king of the two Siciliee, and some of the finest statues and paintings In the museum of Naples are derived from that inheritance. The Farness" palace at Rome, which belongs to the King of Naples, is considered the finest among the numerous palaces of that city. The Farneelna or smaller mansion on the opposite or right bank of the Tiber is known for the beautiful frescoes of Raffaele. The Orti Faroesiani occupy a great part of the Palatine, and include some remains of the palace of the Camara.