Countess Palatine Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg

2.1. Parents and Siblings

Her father, Philip William, Elector Palatine, was a powerful ruler within the Holy Roman Empire, and her mother, Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt, further solidified the family's connections. Dorothea Sophie had numerous notable siblings whose marriages further extended the family's political reach across Europe. Her brothers included Johann Wilhelm and Karl III Philipp, both of whom would later become Electors Palatine. Among her sisters were:

• Eleonore Magdalene, who became the wife of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.
• Maria Sofia, who married Pedro II, King of Portugal.
• Maria Ana, who became the wife of Carlos II, King of Spain.

3.1. First Marriage: Odoardo Farnese

On September 17, 1690, Dorothea Sophie married Odoardo Farnese, the Hereditary Prince and heir to the throne of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza. Their wedding festivities were renowned as the most splendid ever held in Parma. During their three years of marriage, they had two children:

• Alessandro Ignazio Farnese (born December 6, 1691 - died August 5, 1693), who tragically died in infancy.
• Elisabeth Farnese (born October 25, 1692 - died July 11, 1766), who would later become the influential Queen of Spain through her marriage to Philip V of Spain.

Odoardo Farnese died on September 6, 1693, only a month after the death of their son, Alessandro Ignazio.

3.2. Second Marriage: Francesco Farnese

Following Odoardo's death, Dorothea Sophie remarried on December 7, 1696, to Francesco Farnese. Francesco was Odoardo's half-brother and had become Duke of Parma in 1694 after their father's death. This marriage was reportedly decided by Francesco himself, primarily to prevent Dorothea's substantial dowry from leaving the Farnese family should she marry someone outside their house. Despite this union, the marriage remained childless. Francesco Farnese died in 1727, and the ducal succession passed to his only remaining brother, Antonio.

5.1. Succession Crisis and Appointment

The succession crisis began with the death of Duke Antonio Farnese on January 20, 1731. The day before his death, Antonio had announced that his wife, Enrichetta d'Este, was pregnant. Following his demise, a regency council was formed to govern the duchy in anticipation of the potential heir. This council included Enrichetta herself, a bishop, the first secretary of state, and two gentlemen of the court.

A key decision was made that, should the child be female, the Duchy of Parma would pass to Charles of Spain, then aged 12. Charles was the eldest of the three sons of Dorothea Sophie's daughter, Queen Elisabeth of Spain. Enrichetta was thus invested as Regent of Parma, supported by Imperial troops.

5.2. Governance and Political Challenges

The legitimacy of Enrichetta's pregnancy was immediately questioned by Queen Elisabeth of Spain and her mother, Dorothea Sophie, who sought to defend Charles's right to the succession. Simultaneously, the Pope expressed a desire to annex the duchy to the Papal States. However, Enrichetta initially received support from the Holy Roman Emperor, who opposed increasing Spanish influence in Parma. At Spain's request, Enrichetta was examined by doctors in May 1731, who confirmed her pregnancy. This news was widely reported across Parma and other European courts, allowing her regency to continue with Imperial backing.

Despite the initial confirmation, the political landscape shifted. On July 22, 1731, the Second Treaty of Vienna officially recognized Charles's right as the Duke of Parma and Piacenza, in accordance with the prior Treaty of London of 1718. When Spain then demanded that Enrichetta's delivery be a public event, the Emperor retracted his support for Enrichetta and abandoned the original plan to arrange a simulated birth. Queen Elisabeth of Spain subsequently persuaded her mother, Dorothea Sophie, to arrange another examination of Enrichetta on September 13, 1731. This examination concluded that there was, in fact, no child, thus confirming the extinction of the direct line of the House of Farnese. Consequently, Charles of Spain was recognized as the rightful Duke, and Enrichetta d'Este's regency was deposed. As Charles was still a minor, his maternal grandmother, Dorothea Sophie, was formally named regent.

5.3. End of Regency

Dorothea Sophie ruled as regent for her grandson until 1735. Her regency concluded when the Duchy of Parma was ceded to Austria following the conclusion of the War of the Polish Succession, which significantly reshaped the political map of Europe.