MARGHERITA di PARMA. — Daughter of Carlo V, b. at Audenarde in 1522, d. at Ortona on 18 January 1586. In 1536 she married Duke Alessandro de' Medici, and in 1538 Ottavio Farnese, by whom she had a son, Alessandro, in 1545.
In 1559 Filippo II entrusted her with the government of the Netherlands. M. succeeded in obtaining the recall of Granvelle, and in 1566 suppressed the revolt of the Protestants. The following year, replaced by the Duke of Alba, she withdrew to Italy. She returned to Belgium after the death of Giovanni d'Austria, hoping to regain its government; but since this was given to Alessandro, she definitively left the country and remained in Italy until her death.
BIBL.: F. Rachfahl, M. von P., Statthalterin der Niederlande, Monaco 1898; L. Van der Essen, Alessandro Farnese, I, Bruxelles 1933, passim. Roberto Palmarocchi