FARNESE, far-ndi'sti. The name of an illustri ous Italian family, first mentioned in the middle of the thirteenth century, when it possessed the castle of Farneto, near Orvieto. In 1534 Car dinal Alessandro Farnese was raised to the Papal throne as Paul Ill. (q.v.), and as his great aim was the aggrandizement of his family, he erect ed Parma and Piacenza into a duchy, which he bestowed on his natural son, PIETRO Lino. Pie tro was assassinated in l547, and was succeeded by his son OTTAVIO ( 1520-86), who married Margaret of Austria, a natural daughter of Charles V., and the greater part of whose reign was both peaceful and prosperou s.—A LESSANDRO FARNESE, Prince of Parma, and Spanish Gover nor in the Netherlands, was the son of Ottavio, and was born in 547. After being educated at the royal Court at Madrid, he entered the Span ish service, made his first campaign under his uncle, Don Juan of Austria, and distinguished himself at the battle of Lepanto, in the year 1571. In 1577 he was sent with reinforcements to Don Juan in the Low Countries, then in a state of insurrection, and contributed to the vic tory at Gembloux, January 31, 1578. Ile was next made Governor of the Spanish Netherlands by Philip II., and carried of the war against the Prince of Orange. By skillful diplomacy more even than by his military talents. Farnese suc
ceeded in winning back the Walloon provinces and several important towns. The assassination of William the Silent in 584 aided his cause, and in 1585 he was able to reduce Antwerp after a memorable siege: but the project of the Armada (q.v.) interfered with his conquests in the Low Countries, and the ill success of the expedition against England, in which he had been given the CO111111111111 of the troops destined fur the invasion of that country, grieved him the more front the con trast it presented to his former good fortune. In 1590 he was dispatched to the as*istance of the Catholics in France, and compelled llonry IV. to raise the siege of Paris. Being, however, ill sup plied with provisions and money and insufficiently supported by the League, he was forced to yield to the superior power of Henry IV. and withdrew his forces. In 1591 he was more forced to relinquish the conquest of the Netherlands and embark on a French campaign. After raising the siege of Rouen, Ice was again compelled to with draw. Returning, in spite of shattered health. in 1592, he died suddenly at Arras, December 2. Alexander Farnese was one of the greatest gen erals of his age, and though severe in his dis cipline, was almost worshiped by his soldiery.—