Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory

This article examines descriptions of the wedding ceremony of Habsburg Archduchess Maria Amalia and Duke Ferdinand of Parma in 1769 and specifically analyzes the decision-making behind her marriage and the symbolism replete in her wedding ceremony. While scholarship on this Habsburg archduchess is...

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Main Author: Mike Zhou
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing 2022-11-01
Series:Central Europe
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/cey/article/view/5056
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author Mike Zhou
author_facet Mike Zhou
author_sort Mike Zhou
collection DOAJ
description This article examines descriptions of the wedding ceremony of Habsburg Archduchess Maria Amalia and Duke Ferdinand of Parma in 1769 and specifically analyzes the decision-making behind her marriage and the symbolism replete in her wedding ceremony. While scholarship on this Habsburg archduchess is extremely scarce and predominantly focuses on her later life as a ruling duchess in Parma, this article sheds light on an important moment in her life and one that had widespread political implications. Situating the marriage in the historical and political context of the eighteenth century, this article contends that Maria Amalia and Ferdinand’s alliance was made by Habsburgs as a part of mid-eighteenth-century “Diplomatic Revolution,” which aimed at repairing the relationship with Bourbons after the War of Austrian Succession. Hosted in the Duchy of Parma, a region which had been ceded to Bourbons from the Habsburgs in 1748, the wedding ceremony was marked by the high-profile and laudatory celebrations of the Bourbons, which contrasted with the humble and censored presence of the Habsburgs. This contrast reflected the larger political situation: Defeated by Bourbons in the War of Austrian Succession, Habsburgs’ prestige had plummeted dramatically since the mid-eighteenth century. They were not allowed to present themselves politically in their former territory. Hence what welcomed the Habsburg bride in Parma was a ceremony with strong militaristic features and full of Bourbon propaganda.
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spelling doaj.art-2d828dd5ce3c4c08b68e675bb62834a82022-12-22T04:14:23ZdeuUniversity of Minnesota Libraries PublishingCentral Europe2689-59782022-11-014Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg TerritoryMike Zhou0University of Alberta This article examines descriptions of the wedding ceremony of Habsburg Archduchess Maria Amalia and Duke Ferdinand of Parma in 1769 and specifically analyzes the decision-making behind her marriage and the symbolism replete in her wedding ceremony. While scholarship on this Habsburg archduchess is extremely scarce and predominantly focuses on her later life as a ruling duchess in Parma, this article sheds light on an important moment in her life and one that had widespread political implications. Situating the marriage in the historical and political context of the eighteenth century, this article contends that Maria Amalia and Ferdinand’s alliance was made by Habsburgs as a part of mid-eighteenth-century “Diplomatic Revolution,” which aimed at repairing the relationship with Bourbons after the War of Austrian Succession. Hosted in the Duchy of Parma, a region which had been ceded to Bourbons from the Habsburgs in 1748, the wedding ceremony was marked by the high-profile and laudatory celebrations of the Bourbons, which contrasted with the humble and censored presence of the Habsburgs. This contrast reflected the larger political situation: Defeated by Bourbons in the War of Austrian Succession, Habsburgs’ prestige had plummeted dramatically since the mid-eighteenth century. They were not allowed to present themselves politically in their former territory. Hence what welcomed the Habsburg bride in Parma was a ceremony with strong militaristic features and full of Bourbon propaganda. https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/cey/article/view/5056HabsburgMaria AmaliaParmaFerdinand of Parma
spellingShingle Mike Zhou
Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory
Central Europe
Habsburg
Maria Amalia
Parma
Ferdinand of Parma
title Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory
title_full Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory
title_fullStr Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory
title_full_unstemmed Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory
title_short Bourbon Ceremony on the Former Habsburg Territory
title_sort bourbon ceremony on the former habsburg territory
topic Habsburg
Maria Amalia
Parma
Ferdinand of Parma
url https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/cey/article/view/5056
work_keys_str_mv AT mikezhou bourbonceremonyontheformerhabsburgterritory