The Fortune of Robert, Duke of Parma and the Inheritance Issue that Split a Huge Family

The family of Robert I, Duke of Parma, c1907. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Robert I, the last Duke of Parma, may have lost his little duchy  after his family were driven out by a revolution following the French and Sardinian victory in the war against Austria. But he had nothing to worry since he had a fabulously enormous fortune that he literally never had to work for a day! Unburdened by the constraints of running a realm, the duke, instead turned to running his family. With his first wife, Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Sicily, he fathered 12 children. After her death, he married Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal and with her, he fathered 12 more children.

From his grandfather, Charles II of Parma, he inherited considerable properties, including valuable religious books and the infamous Farnese blue diamond.  But the bulk of his fortune came from her mother, Louise Marie Therese d’Artois, and  his uncle, the Comte de Paris. On the Comte’s death in 1883, Robert became his principal heir and the most significant property he inherited was Chateau de Chambord. The castle was presented to Henri by the Restoration government, the only significant piece of personal property of which he was allowed to retain ownership upon his exile. Aside from that, Robert also possessed Chateau Schwarzau-am-Steinfeld in Austria, Chateau Wartegg in Switzerland, and the Villa delle Pianore in Italy.

When Robert I died in 1907, he appointed in will his brother-in-law Infante Alfonso Carlos of Spain (husband of Duchess Maria Antonia's oldest sister) to be the guardian of his mentally handicapped children. Maria Antonia and their brother-in-law Duke Karl Theodor in Bavaria (husband of Maria Antonia's sister Maria José) were appointed guardians of his children with Maria Antonia. When Duke Karl Theodor died in 1909, Infante Alfonso Carlos was appointed guardian also of Roberto and Maria Antonia's children (but jointly with Maria Antonia).

Elias, Duke of Parma. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Prince Elias and Princess Beatrice were Roberto's only children not to need a guardian, because they were both adults and "normal" (Beatrice was already married at the time of her father's death). Robert made these provisions to ensure that all his children, especially the handicapped and the younger ones, were well-provided.

Robert also indicated that his eldest son, Enrico, should become Duke of Parma, but because of his mental incapacity, Prince Elias acted as regent. Duchess Maria Antonia and Prince Elias were already not in good terms, even when Robert was still alive. In fairness to Maria Antonia, she looked after Roberto's other children while also looking after her own 12 children. On his part, Elias never really cared for his siblings, much more for his half-siblings. Things worsened after Elias married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria-Teschen, who mother, the haughty Archduchess Isabella, strongly disliked the Bourbon-Parmas.

Then the problem over inheritance came about.  As Elias took charge of managing the family’s wealth, she disregarded her stepmother, siblings, and half-siblings, claiming larger and larger shares of his family's asset, which further strained his relationship with Maria Antonia. Long years of fights ensued, dragging the family into court cases. At last, an agreement was finally reached in 1913: as acting head of the family, Elias he was allowed to take half of his father’s properties (including Chateau de  Chambord Castle); the other half was to be shared between the half siblings.

Chateau Chambord in France. Image from Wikimedia Commons

World War I came, and since Elias was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, the French government confiscated Chambord  in 1915 as an alien property, since Elias held a commission in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Liquidation proceedings were started in 1919 in application of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which gave the Allies the right to keep such property. Elias' half-brothers, Sixtus and Xavier took Elias to court to obtain a greater share of their father's estate. They claimed that the 1910 family agreement violated the French law which mandated equal division between siblings. In 1925 the French courts determined that Sixtus and Xavier should have a larger share, but in 1928 this judgment was overturned on appeal. In 1932 the court of cassation upheld the appeal on the grounds that there was a valid agreement between the siblings to an unequal division. Elias' rights to the château de Chambord were thereby recognised - but the wartime confiscation was upheld and Elias was financially compensated with 11 million francs. In the end, Elias retained his fortune while his half-siblings had to make the most of the little that they had.