Emmanuele III of Fidenza

## Emmanuele III

King Emmanuele III, aged 14 in 1762.

**Emmanuele III Ludovico** (born 13th July 1747) was a monarch of the House of Visconti who has reigned as King of Fidenza and Milan since the death of his grandfather, Francesco VI, in 1761. His succession marked the end of the brief Fidenzan Succession Crisis of 1761, after Francesco VI and his father the Crown Prince died on the same day in battle in Silesia during the Seven Years' War.

Notably intelligent yet horrendously lazy, Emmanuele was known as an arrogant, proud and rude personality. Emmanuele believed himself to be greater than all men, and even cared little for his family. Immediately after becoming King and inheriting the vast Fidenzan riches, he caused scandal by giving massive and expensive gifts to his closest friends and confidants.

Born in 1747, at his father's residence of the Palazzo Reale di Turin, he was never expected to inherit anything as his father's second son. In a twist of fate, however, Emmanuele found himself King of Fidenza after the death of his elder brother just two months before his father and grandfather would themselves be killed.

## Early Life

### **Birth and Baptism**

Emmanuele III Ludovico was born on July 13th, 1747, alongside his non-identical twin brother, in Turin to Francesco Leonardo, Duke of Savoy and his wife Louise Elisabeth of France. This made him a grandson of King Francesco VI of Fidenza patrilineally, and King Louis XV of France matrilineally. He was born the second child of the couple, them having had an elder son two years prior, Filippo Amadeo. The parents were overjoyed to have two more sons, with some great affection felt for him inside the family. He was named Count of Faucigny by the King and at birth became third in line to the Fidenzan throne, behind his father and his elder brother.

Emmanuele and Filippo were baptised the same day, at the Turin Cathedral by the local Cardinal-Archbishop. Bells were rang in the city for the occasion. The occasion was a grandiose affair, as befit the personality of Francesco Leonardo in all things. The hastiness of the baptism, however, led to Francesco VI being unable to attend. This did not bother the Prince, however, as there had been existing animosity between the King and his heir for some time now. The strained relationship was what had led to the Prince taking up residence at Turin.

### **Early Childhood**

Emmanuele remained at Turin with his two brothers and his parents, where he developed a significant attachment to his mother, Louise Elisabeth. She cherished Emmanuele, and he quickly became her favourite child. It is believed now that her own ways were what influenced Emmanuele's warped personality and his own issues with morality and empathy. Elisabeth had drilled into his mind from an early age that he was above laws, and that he was a Prince of the two most prestigious European dynasties and should be respected as such. Some ludicrously claimed that Elisabeth was even plotting against her father-in-law, her husband and even her own elder son to place Emmanuele on the throne. This was not true, yet she did wish for a high status and position for her second son. He did not share the same closeness with his father, however. Francesco Leonardo was debauched, above all, and despite his usual kindness and good nature this drove him apart from his family. There was a very strained division in the family. His mother attempted to keep the children apart from their father, to keep them ignorant of his drunkenness and lusting. On top of it all, Francesco Leonardo had no paternal instincts, and seemingly felt little affection for his children. His quick temper also led to issues within the family, with many divisions and arguments brought on by this.

Emmanuele, being brought up in Turin, developed a great taste for culture and architecture. The traditional and grand city, which had been developed greatly by his Visconti ancestors, had many great estates and palaces. In other places, monuments of his ancestors and other lords and notables took pride of place. He particularly loved the equestrian statue of Francesco V, which he believed symbolised the power and prestige of his house. He came to believe that the glory of House Visconti actually did put him above laws, an idea which his mother greatly approved of and encouraged. Francesco VI became concerned about the influence of the parents on their children, and made several attempts to summon the family to Rome to keep a closer watch, though Francesco Leonardo declined his invitations. He then attempted to send his own tutors and informants to Turin, to keep track of his grandchildren, though this also came up useless. The King made a visit to Turin in 1754, however, where he found that damage had been done by the parents already. He continued to attempt to rectify it.

### **Later Childhood and Education**

When he was four, a formal education began to be put into place, though it was not fully instituted until he was six. He began his education alongside his twin brother, whom he shared the same tutors and lessons with. The two brothers, despite being twins, were much contrary to one another. The arrogant, proud and selfish Emmanuele was much contrasted by the generally kinder and more humble Filippo. Despite their contrasting personalities, they were close nonetheless. It has been suggested that the reason for the contrast is that Filippo was generally ignored by Elisabeth, while Emmanuele was coddled and smothered by her. Much of his bad nature has, in the end, been traced back to her. Nonetheless, Emmanuele displayed an intelligence and a shrewd nature, though his tutors commented on his horrendous laziness. Many times he skipped lessons with his tutors in favour of relaxing and other amusements. Elisabeth forbade any punishment for him, and so a whipping boy had to be brought in. Rather than sending Emmanuele a message, however, he found the use of the whipping boy amusing. He grew to be quick-witted, making many quips when the situation called for it. Most of the time, his backchat and arrogance only served to aggravate people, very rarely warranting an amused look or a laugh. Emmanuele made a game out of exasperating his tutors, which became one of his favourite pastimes.

Though he was intelligent, Emmanuele despised philosophy and theology. He resented religion and the church, even once privately calling the Crown Cardinal, *"A fat oaf who believes his God wishes him to eat half the food in the Kingdom and embezzle half the gold in Europe".* Emmanuele would often be found dozing off during masses, which was met with anger and annoyance by the priests and by his very own family. Emmanuele didn't care when they told him it was a disrespect to the lord, merely shrugging it off. Although he understood why the authority of the church was necessary for stability, he did not hold any personal belief in God or any other religion. He merely payed lip-service to the church to prevent their wrath. Even still, he believed there was no reason to respect the Pope, when the Papacy had been in the back pocket of the King of Fidenza for over a century, and even then the Pope Urban IX was a Visconti prince, who would not act against his own family. Francesco VI, however, was in favour of clerical independence, which Emmanuele was against.

It was decided in 1759 that he should be sent to the court of Rome, to help distance Emmanuele from his mother, Elisabeth. This time, Francesco Leonardo could not refuse, as this was a royal warrant and command for Emmanuele to come to Rome. So, Emmanuele was sent to Rome. The day he arrived happened to be a busy day, during which a summer festival was occurring. Many sons of noblemen were there to present themselves to the King, and so when Emmanuele arrived, the King did not know who he was. He had to quietly ask who it was that was standing before him, and much to the King's embarrassment he learned that it was in fact his own grandson. This was understandable, however, as the King had met Emmanuele only once in his life, during his 1754 visit to Turin, and he had since grown and matured more. After awkward greetings were made, Emmanuele was given a set of chambers, somewhat modest yet grand enough to befit a grandson of the King. He quickly made friends at court, with many noblemen's sons and grandsons around his own age. He came to enjoy life in Rome, for the grand streets and facades in Rome delighted him so. The court, however, did not. He believed the rigid and traditional court of Francesco VI to be dull and boring. He often petitioned his grandfather to hold more parties, dinners and other events, though he was often ignored.

In December of 1759, he received the devastating news that his mother, Louise Elisabeth, had died at Versailles on one of her visits home. He was permitted to attend her funeral in Turin, when the body was transported back to Fidenza. It was said her death changed him, with bitterness toward the King lingering in him for keeping him from her in the last months of her life. He was miserable and lost for the first few months, then began the long process of recovery from his melancholy. He was seemingly inconsolable for this time, too. King Francesco VI commented, *"I have never seen anyone so moved by death in my life".* He eventually recovered from the loss, taking solace in his friends. It was also around this time that his intense friendships with other boys were questioned, with some believing he might have had homosexual tendencies. After this, he remained at court for two more years until his life would come to change.

### **Succession Crisis**

Emmanuele's elder brother Giovanni contracted Tuberculosis in mid 1761, much to the dismay of the court. At the same time, King Francesco VI and Francesco Leonardo had gone on campaign in Germany during the Seven Years' War. Queen Maria Elisabetta had been left as regent of the Kingdom during the King's absence, but it was expected that the King would win a glorious victory and return soon. Giovanni died in October, leaving Emmanuele second in line to the Fidenzan throne after his father. This put him directly in line for the throne, much to many people's shock. The King reportedly broke down in anguish when he heard the news, as he knew of Emmanuele's personality flaws, and he wondered of what might befall the Kingdom. As December rolled around, the hope of a quick victory on this campaign began to fade. There was a wish for the army and the King to return by Christmas, though this seemed unlikely at the time. December would prove to be a fateful month, however.

Unbeknownst to anyone in the capital, on December 22nd, the Battle of Katowice raged between joint Fidenzan and Austrian forces and Prussian forces. During the battle, the King and Crown Prince were mounted and leading the command. It was believed their presence would inspire the men, and for a time it did. During the battle, a charging horseman slashed at Francesco Leonardo's horse, striking both the stallion and the Prince himself. He fell from the injured horse, himself mortally wounded. The King quickly dismounted to run over to and attend his son, though in his rush he was shot in the back by a marksman. It was only after the battle, which ended up as a victory for the Fidenzans and Austrians, that the bodies of the King and the Crown Prince were discovered. Much to the horror of the officers, the King and his heir were dead. The campaign was immediately abandoned, and the army began the retreat to Fidenza to return their monarch home. When the news reached Rome, this triggered chaos in the court. The news was kept from the people and the court at large, though the Council was informed. The Council became deadlocked in debate for countless hours, with the now Queen Dowager stuck there with them. They debated over who should be the next King in the uncertain situation. Despite having lost her husband and her son, the Queen Dowager remained strong and vigilant in her role as Regent of the Kingdom. She spearheaded the debates, hoping to secure the stability of her husband's Kingdom. The debates would continue for days on end, however, with no end in sight.

## Minority Reign

### **Ascension and Proclamation**

It was only on the second day of debating in council that Emmanuele's claim was brought up, despite him being the natural heir. Many had forgotten Prince Giovanni's death and that he was, in fact, the next logical heir. By all the laws of succession to the Fidenzan throne as established by many generations of Kings, Queens and tradition, Emmanuele was to be the next King of Fidenza. Those who knew of his personality were reluctant to proclaim him, however. Some others argued that perhaps his personality would mellow with more maturity. Others on the council argued that as a minor, a regency would need to be put in place, which would create instability in Fidenza. To this, it was pointed out that a regency was already in place, with a gesture toward Queen Maria Elisabetta. Thus, the idea of King Emmanuele III with Maria Elisabetta as regent began to gain traction amongst the council. The deadlock seemed to finally be breaking, when the claims of the younger sons of Francesco VI were dismissed in favour of his grandchildren. Emmanuele was selected finally, on December 25th, Christmas Day, though nobody was told of the decision yet.

On December 26th, the new King was finally proclaimed. He was declared, "*Emmanuele III, By the Grace of God, King of Fidenza and Milan, King of Bosnia and Serbia, King of Albania, King of Jerusalem, Grand Duke of Milan, Grand Duke of Savoy, Prince of Roma, Prince of Venezia, Prince of Sicily, Duke of Malta and Rightful Sovereign of all the Visconti Territories".* Still though, nobody had told Emmanuele that he was King. The first he heard of it was a thunder of feet down the halls of the palace to reach his chamber, as generally happened with a new King, to swear allegiance for favour. The amount of courtiers clamouring to get into his small chamber almost broke the door off its hinges, and so the guards had to be brought in to protect the room. Outside the palace, a rabble of people had squashed up outside the gates of the palace, with many being trampled in the chaos. When he was free of the courtiers and the situation was explained to him, he was somewhat bewildered but optimistic. He saw the situation outside and almost immediately believed it to be a revolt, which it wasn't. Thus, he dispatched the Royal Guard to disperse the situation. The crowd seemed too squashed and condensed to be dispersed, and thus he ordered the guards to open fire on the crowd. Then, an all out riot broke out, with chaos reigning in Rome for the rest of the day. A black omen for his reign. With the riot, he had the King's elite regiment dispatched into Rome to put an end to the riot once and for all.

### **Early Reign and Regency**

Emmanuele's early reign began with political change and turmoil. The sudden and unexpected deaths of the King and the Crown Prince had destabilised the realm massively, and trade and commerce slowed down as the nation mourned. Meanwhile, Emmanuele was ordering ten days of celebration for his ascension, in the period that some considered to be still in mourning. Although it had been a month by this point, which Emmanuele considered to be ample time, there was still opposition. The influence of Ascanio Domenico di Napoli, a Cardinal and a member of the cadet branch of House Visconti, came to be a driving force in the court. The influence of certain courtiers and the Royal Council during the early reign began to be known as "the shadow behind the throne" throughout the Kingdom. As always, an ascension of a young ruler brought with it instability. However, the large treasure and large army left behind by Francesco VI helped keep stability in the realm. The respect the people had for the piety of the Queen Regent also helped keep the realm together. Ultimately, the realm would not suffer during the regency period.

Despite his outward facade, Emmanuele did not at first enjoy being King. He found life in the spotlight to be hard to adjust to after previously being payed little attention and also disliked the rigid structure of every day. He struggled with the demanding nature of court life and keeping the court entertained, though he appeared outwardly confident. He did, however, enjoy the power, authority and wealth the position gave him. He was, however, hampered in his spending due to the amount of money being drained by the continuation of the Seven Years' War. The Finance Minister was dismayed at the young King's spending habits, and begged the Queen Regent to intervene. Despite her position as regent, she could not actually prohibit her King from spending. She could merely advise him on his spending, though Emmanuele did not care to listen to her. It was during the regency period that an enhanced coldness became apparent between Emmanuele and his grandmother. He believed that she did not care for him as a person, rather he only mattered to her as a political tool. There was a truth behind it, that Queen Maria Elisabetta cared little for the male members of her family. She held a certain regard for her daughters and granddaughters, though she was never close with her sons, grandsons or even her husband. Her coldness toward her grandson was returned the same from him.

### **Marriage**

The issue of marriage for the King soon came about. Many in the court began suggesting a royal match from abroad, though it was true that many Kingdoms were running scarce of Princesses, save the Habsburgs though they were traditional rivals of Fidenza. Queen Maria Elisabetta looked for daughters of Kings around Europe, and eventually settled on Infanta Maria Leonor of Portugal, daughter of Joseph I of Portugal. The match wasn't very prestigious, though there were few other options. She was by no means a remarkable woman, though had a fair prettiness to her. Emmanuele immediately did not care for her, believing her dull and boring. She shared a similar dislike of him, believing him to be spoilt, bratty and unlikable. It was a course for disaster from the very beginning, though it went ahead, despite the objections of Emmanuele. The plans for the wedding took many weeks to finish, with numerous preparations being made. It was estimated to be the most costly event in recent memory.

They were married on February 4th, 1762, at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The ceremony, presided over by the Crown Cardinal, was attended by many hundreds of notables from every corner of the realm. Many described it as a glorious day, with more grandeur than they'd ever seen throughout the entirety of Francesco VI's reign. One attendee wrote, *"The streets were full of masses, cheering and attempting to get a glimpse of their new young rulers. The royal banner flapped proudly from city walls and special bearing posts. The procession was seven carriages long, through the grand streets of Rome from the Palace to the Basilica. It was a sight to behold, truly. The carriages were flanked by armoured, parade knights belonging to the King's elite regiment. The new Queen appeared very beautiful in a white gown, and she received many passionate cheers from the crowd. The standard bearers too appeared grandiose, in seemingly golden armour, one carrying the banner of House Visconti, proudly emblazoned on the finest fabric I ever saw. The other carried the banner of the Braganza dynasty of Portugal, symbolising the new union".* Other older courtiers noted how the same had not been done for the wedding of Francesco VI to Maria Elisabeth of Saxony, with a more simple procession and at less expense than this one. Some called it a clear beginning a new era for Fidenza, an era of new grandeur, fashion and culture.

Nonetheless, the ceremony was as traditional as ever. There were no Royal Banners allowed in the Basilica, it was a place for the church and a place for God, after all. The greatest respect had to be shown in the Basilica, and so there were no great roars and cheers from the onlookers. The crowd was not even allowed close to the doors of the basilica, with only the most esteemed of noblemen allowed to watch the ceremony. Even Emmanuele, a normal opponent of the church's strict tradition, understood the need for respect in this building. After the ceremony, however, a new chain of celebration and debauchery began. The procession back to the Palace was celebrated with fireworks launched from the grounds of the Palazzo Reale, with many thousands following the procession back through the streets of Rome toward the Palace. Guards had to follow to maintain order, and prevent any commoners getting through into the palace. At the palace, a great feast was held for all the court. Afterwards, the traditional bedding ceremony was held. The bedding ceremony was concluded, and people anxiously hoped for a consummation to secure the throne. It would, however, not come. The marriage would not be consummated on the night, nor for many months afterwards. One nobleman wrote, *"It is a match from hell. Neither of them care for each other, there is no love between them. In fact, I'd say a sort of scornful disdain is more prevalent than any kind of affection."*

### **Power Struggles**

Emmanuele struggled for his power and independence with many others. He struggled for independence from his grandmother and regent, Dowager-Queen Maria Elisabetta, as he perceived that at such an age he did not need a regent to rule his Kingdom. He made numerous attempts to thwart the influence of the Dowager Queen, whom he had always had a cold, rocky and indifferent relationship with due to the Dowager Queen's coldness toward her male descendants. He also struggled with the Pope, whom he perceived was making an unwarranted intrusion into Fidenzan politics and wished to lessen Papal influence in his court. Most of his court, however, were pious and traditionalist and were against Emmanuele's efforts to decrease the influence of the pope in his court. He scornfully continued to accept the status quo for some more months, until he turned fifteen and declared an official abolition of the regency. Thus, he was given absolute authority to do as he willed in the Kingdom.

## Personal Reign

### **Early Actions and Problems**

Unlike many of his predecessors, Emmanuele did not swoop into a period of reform upon taking the throne for himself. Rather, he busied himself with the activities of the court. He was criticised for his expensive habits, with one nobleman claiming, *"The King is spending the treasury on clothes and shoes".* There was truth in the jokes, however. It was true that Emmanuele was frivolously spending at a ghastly rate. For the first time in almost fifty years, the expenditures of the court exceeded the Kingdom's yearly income. Many attempted to counsel the King on his spending, including his grandmother the Dowager Queen and members of his council, though Emmanuele was not known for taking advice seriously. He began increasing taxes to finance his lifestyle, which began to stir unrest among the peasantry. He also raised tariffs on trade goods, raising Fidenza's total trade income though earning him the scorn of other nations, even including his allies. There were also rumours of an impending Austrian attack from the north, as they were satisfied with their chances against the weakened Fidenzan Crown after the death of Francesco VI. The late King had defeated the Habsburgs in almost every encounter, though the Empress Maria Theresa now felt more confidence against an untested fifteen-year-old holding the Fidenzan crown.

### **Family Life and Royal Ties**

Emmanuele had a rocky relationship with his family. Particularly, he had a strained relationship with the Dowager Queen, whom he believed boorish and improper. She, in turn, believed him spoiled and unfit for his position. He also had a rocky relationship with his wife, the Queen Maria Leonor, as they both had no affection or care for one another. The marriage was nonetheless consummated, strangely over 6 months after the marriage itself. The King was certain and confident about the birth of an heir when the pregnancy was announced. The prospect even seemed to please him, lessening his coldness toward his wife. He maintained a correspondence with some of his French cousins, the relatives of his mother. It can be said that Emmanuele's ancestry was certainly a prestigious one. Matrilineally, he was a descendant of the Capetian Dynasty, with his mother being a member of the House of Bourbon. Patrilineally, he was a descendant of the senior line of the House of Visconti, who conquered and united Italy. Through his grandmother, he was a descendant of the Saxon Kings of Poland-Lithuania and the Habsburg Emperors through his great-grandmothers on both sides. Through another great-grandmother, Marie Adelaide, he was descended from the House of Savoy, one of the houses within his Kingdom who held the Duchy of Sardinia. He was also a descendant of the prestigious House of Wittelsbach through his great-great grandmother, Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, wife of the Grand Dauphin. He was therefore also a descendant of King Louis XIV of France, famed as "the Sun-King", who was his great-great-great grandfather.

## Personality and Appearance

### **Appearance**

Emmanuele is considered handsome for his age, though stands at a short height of 5'3''. Possessing naturally blond hair and blue eyes, he resembled his father greatly. He possessed softer features and fair skin, similarly to what his elder brother Giovanni had. He always appeared in elaborate dress, with meticulously arranged clothing and specially made patterned suits. Each outfit he wore was assembled perfectly and matched completely. Emmanuele was a perfectionist in dress, choosing to keep his outfits organised neatly. Unlike his predecessors, he always wore a tricorn when in public to enhance his height. Wearing a tricorn became fashionable for men at the court of Emmanuele III as a result, as the King possesses great influence over fashion in Fidenza. His choice in fashion was much contrary to the duller and blander choices of his predecessors, such as Francesco VI and Filippo III, who generally wore dull greys and creams.

### **Personality**

Emmanuele is known to be ambitious, headstrong, proud and ruthless by his subjects and his court. Behind his back, some called him an arrogant braggart and an indulgent fool, though nobody would dare say these things to his face as a result of his temper. Emmanuele's temper was one of his worst attributes, as even the slightest confrontation or provocation would lead to some arbitrarily harsh reaction from the young King. For example, on one occasion, when a servant slipped and spilt wine on his suit, he ordered the man arrested and had him tried, where he chose to banish the man from the realm. His arrogance, impiety and pride earned him a poor reputation with the clergy, who disapproved of his sinful ways and his unjust personality.

## Titles, Styles, Honours and Arms

### **Heraldry and Styles**

* **13th July 1747 - 22nd December 1761:** Sua Altezza, Il Conteggio di Faucigny

* **22nd December 1761 - Present:** Sua Maestà, Il Re di Fidenza

Emmanuele's full royal style is; "*Emmanuele III, By the Grace of God, King of Fidenza and Milan, King of Bosnia and Serbia, King of Albania, King of Jerusalem, Grand Duke of Milan, Grand Duke of Savoy, Prince of Roma, Prince of Venezia, Prince of Sicily, Duke of Malta and Rightful Sovereign of all the Visconti Territories"*

* **Grand Master of the Order of King Francesco V (by virtue of role as King of Fidenza and Milan)**
* **Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Crest (by virtue of role as King of Fidenza and Milan)**
* **Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece**