Ludovico Maria of Fidenza

## Ludovico (IV) Maria

Portrait of an infant believed by some to be Ludovico Maria, though unconfirmed.[REIGN DISPUTED]

## King of Fidenza and Milan

### Reign

3rd November 1678 - 1st December 1678 (DISPUTED)

## Personal Details

### Born

3rd November 1678, Palazzo Reale, Rome, Fidenza

### Died

1st December 1678, Palazzo Barberini, Rome, Fidenza

### Burial

Volta dei Principe, Cripta dei Rei, Fidenza

### Religion

Roman Catholicism

*Prince* **Ludovico Maria** (3rd November 1678 - 1st December 1678), called **Ludovico IV** by his supporters was the posthumous son and only child of King Emmanuele II by his marriage to Maria von Wettin. His birth in 1678 created a succession dispute that almost drove the nation into civil war.

He became the target of an endless number of plots and intrigues to prevent civil war, notably from the scheming and crafty supporter of his uncle, the Duke of Calabria. Ultimately, Ludovico Maria would not be long for the world, dying at less than a month old at the hands of Calabria. The murder of the young Prince was pardoned by Filippo III, leading to his mother fleeing the country.

## Infancy

### **Birth**

Ludovico Maria was born on November 3rd 1678 at the Palazzo Reale, the posthumous son of King Emmanuele II and his widow, Queen-Dowager Maria von Wettin. His birth was a long anticipated event, to decide the succession to the throne of Fidenza between the child and Filippo III. Some argued that if the child was male, he should be the legitimate King of Fidenza and Milan by rights. Some argued that even if the child was female, she should also rule. With the birth of a male, his supporters declared King Filippo a usurper, and the intrigue on behalf of both parties began. Even as Ludovico was just days old, murder in the court of Fidenza was being committed in his name.

### **Succession Crisis**

Ludovico Maria and his mother were liberated from the Palazzo Reale by bribed guards and taken to Palazzo Barberini, where Ludovico's supporters gave him refuge and kept him safe. Calabria brought his personal guard to the city, where he attempted to storm Palazzo Barberini, but to no avail as the "miniature court" of Ludovico III hid behind its walls. It was said that King Filippo merely watched from his balcony as a battle began on the streets of Rome, with slaughter between Calabria's guard and guards of nobles loyal to Ludovico, who were protecting Barberini. Maria von Wettin declared herself Regent of Fidenza and Protector of the Realm during her son's minority, though his status as King was still disputed. Ludovico was kept sequestered with his mother in the Palace while these events continued to unfold.

After the bloodshed on the streets of Rome, Calabria saw only one solution to the problem. He began hiring spies and assassins to put an end to the "pest" as he himself called Ludovico. He went behind the King's back to put together this operation, as he knew not even the malleable and easily manipulated Filippo would agree to assist in the murder of his own nephew. When Ludovico's faction picked up rumours of Calabria's actions, they turned to counter-espionage. Assassins hired by the Duke of Mantua attempted to kill Calabria on the streets of Rome. They were, however, only able to mortally wound him. A large blade was supposed to be thrust into Calabria's side, though it ended up going through his arm instead. This did, however, lead to infection and Calabria was forced to have his arm amputated. This led to jeers against him by Ludovico's followers, calling him "Giovanni One-Arm". Calabria did, however, swear vengeance against them all. He famously stated, *"They take my arm? I'll take their King."* This was just two days before Ludovico's eventual murder and the end of the crisis.

### **Murder and Aftermath**

On December 1st, assassins hired by Calabria snuck into Palazzo Barberini through climbing the walls during the early hours of the morning. They made their way into the palace, snuck into the servants' quarters and killed two servants. They took their uniforms and posed as servants until the morning. In the morning, they waited until Dowager Queen Maria entered her son's chamber. After she entered, they followed her in. They locked the doors behind them, much to the Dowager Queen's confusion. She demanded to know what they were doing, to which one of them drew a blade and replied, *"Saving the Kingdom".* The Queen scrambled to protect her son, throwing numerous objects at them, until she ran out. She did manage to knock one of the men unconscious with a candlestick to the head, though the other remained untouched. He threw her to the side, where she was left on the floor, though he did not kill her. Calabria had ordered him to simply kill the child, not the Dowager Queen. He proceeded to kill the infant King, the true method of how he did this unknown, though with one fell swoop the crisis was over. He made his escape from the Palace as the Dowager Queen screamed, with the guards arriving just after he had ran out of the corridor. The man was never seen or heard from again, though his accomplice was captured in his unconscious state.

In the aftermath of Ludovico's murder, his murderers were pardoned by Filippo III, now undisputedly King of Fidenza and Milan through the actions of Calabria. Many commented on the brutality of the crisis, with numerous innocent lives being taken, including Ludovico's. The crisis paved the way for the Duke of Calabria to become almost absolute ruler in all but name for many years as the favourite of King Filippo. Nobody was ever punished for the murder, which many ridiculed Filippo III for. One Dutch traveller, who had been in Rome during the crisis and proceeded to reside there, wrote: *"It is baffling that King Filippo excused the murder of his nephew as though it was someone spilling wine on his garb. When men are imprisoned for stealing bread, it is unfathomable that other men are excused for murdering the son of a King. Such brutality have I seen in Fidenza, the likes of which I've never seen in the rest of my life. Italy was never meant to be united. This you can tell by the disunity caused by this one dispute."*

## Titles, Styles and Honours

* 3rd November 1678 - 1st December 1678: *Sua Maesta, Il Re di Fidenza* **[DISPUTED]**
* 3rd November 1678 - 1st December 1678: *Sua Altezza Reale, Principe Ludovico Maria*