Biography of Ludovico I
Ludovico was the second of the nine children born to Ferdinand, Duke of Parma by his wife Maria Amalia of Austria. Louis and his older sister Carolina were the favorites of their parents. They were personally instructed in religion by their father, despite the fact that their younger children was actually more interested in the subject than they were. In 1778, he hit his head on a marble table while playing with Carolina, and afterward suffered from epilepsy.
In 1795, Ludovico came to the Spanish court to finish his education and also to marry one of the daughters of King Charles IV of Spain, who was his first cousins. He was to marry either the Infanta Maria Amalia or the Infanta Maria Luisa, and he chose the latter. She was somewhat more attractive and cheerful than the melancholy Maria Amalia. On 25 August 1795, he married Maria Luisa in Madrid and was made an Infante of Spain.
The marriage between the two different personalities turned out to be happy, though it was clouded by Ludovico's ill health. He was frail, suffered chest problems, and symptoms that have been identified as epileptic fits. As the years went on, his health deteriorated, and he grew to be increasingly dependent on his wife. The young couple remained in Spain during the early years of their marriage.
The couple had two children:
Ludovico had to receive his investiture from Napoleon in Paris before taking possession of Etruria. He, his wife, and his son travelled incognito through France under the name of the Count of Livorno. Having been invested in Paris as King of Etruria, Ludovico and his family arrived in August 1801 at his new capital, Florence.
In 1802, both Ludovico and his pregnant wife travelled to Spain to attend the double-wedding of Maria Luisa's brother Ferdinand and her youngest sister Maria Isabel. Offshore at Barcelona, Maria Luisa gave birth to their daughter, Marie Louise Charlotte. The couple returned in December of that year, after having been notified of the death of Ludovico's father.
Back in Etruria, Louis's health worsened, and in May 1803 he died at the age of thirty, possibly due to an epileptic crisis. He was succeeded by his son, Charles Louis, who ruled Etruria as Ludovico II, under the regency of his mother, Maria Luisa.
In 1795, Ludovico came to the Spanish court to finish his education and also to marry one of the daughters of King Charles IV of Spain, who was his first cousins. He was to marry either the Infanta Maria Amalia or the Infanta Maria Luisa, and he chose the latter. She was somewhat more attractive and cheerful than the melancholy Maria Amalia. On 25 August 1795, he married Maria Luisa in Madrid and was made an Infante of Spain.
The marriage between the two different personalities turned out to be happy, though it was clouded by Ludovico's ill health. He was frail, suffered chest problems, and symptoms that have been identified as epileptic fits. As the years went on, his health deteriorated, and he grew to be increasingly dependent on his wife. The young couple remained in Spain during the early years of their marriage.
The couple had two children:
- Charles Louis Ferdinand (1799–1883)
- Maria Luisa Carlota, Hereditary Princess of Saxony (1802–1857), married to Hereditary Prince Maximilian of Saxony, widower of her aunt Caroline.
Ludovico had to receive his investiture from Napoleon in Paris before taking possession of Etruria. He, his wife, and his son travelled incognito through France under the name of the Count of Livorno. Having been invested in Paris as King of Etruria, Ludovico and his family arrived in August 1801 at his new capital, Florence.
In 1802, both Ludovico and his pregnant wife travelled to Spain to attend the double-wedding of Maria Luisa's brother Ferdinand and her youngest sister Maria Isabel. Offshore at Barcelona, Maria Luisa gave birth to their daughter, Marie Louise Charlotte. The couple returned in December of that year, after having been notified of the death of Ludovico's father.
Back in Etruria, Louis's health worsened, and in May 1803 he died at the age of thirty, possibly due to an epileptic crisis. He was succeeded by his son, Charles Louis, who ruled Etruria as Ludovico II, under the regency of his mother, Maria Luisa.