Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma

Ranuccio II of Parma
Ranuccio II by Jacob Denys.
Duke of Parma and Piacenza
Reign	11 September 1646 – 11 December 1694
Predecessor	Odoardo
Successor	Francesco
Regents	1646–1648: Francesco Maria Farnese Margherita de' Medici
Born	17 September 1630 Parma
Died	11 December 1694(1694-12-11) (aged 64) Parma
Spouse	Margherita Violante of Savoy Isabella d'Este Maria d'Este
Issue	Margherita Maria Hereditary Prince Odoardo Francesco, Duke of Parma Antonio, Duke of Parma
Full name
Ranuccio Farnese
House	Farnese
Father	Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma
Mother	Margherita de' Medici
Burial	Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata, Parma
Signature

Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma (17 September 1630 – 11 December 1694) was the sixth Duke of Parma and of Piacenza from 1646 until his death. During his reign, he married three times and had children with each wife. His eldest son, Hereditary Prince Odoardo was the father of Elisabeth Farnese, the second consort of King Philip V of Spain.

First marriage

On 29 April 1660, Ranuccio II married Princess Marguerite Yolande of Savoy, a daughter of Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy and Christine of France. They had an daughter who died at birth in December 1661 and an unnamed son in April 1663.

Second marriage

On 18 February 1664 Ranuccio II married Princess Isabella d'Este of Modena, a daughter of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena.

Children

1. Margherita Maria Farnese (24 November 1664 – 17 June 1718) married Francesco II d'Este, Duke of Modena but had no children
2. Teresa Farnese 10 October 1665 – 9 November 1702) Benedictine nun in Parma.
3. Odoardo Farnese, Hereditary Prince of Parma (12 August 1666 – 6 September 1693) married Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg and had children.

Third marriage

On 1 January 1668, Ranuccio II married married Maria d'Este of Modena his second wife's sister. They also had children.

Children

1. Isabella Francesca Maria Lucia Farnese (14 December 1668 – 9 July 1718) nun in Piacenza.
2. Vittoria Maria Francesca Farnese 24 December 1669 – 15 September 1671) died young.

Unnamed illegitimate son (24 June 1671 – 28 June 1696)

1. Vittoria Farnese 19 November 1672 – 19 November 1672) died young.
2. Caterina Farnese 19 November 1672 – 19 November 1672) died young.
3. Unnamed son 26 December 1674 – 26 December 1674) died young.
4. Eleonora Farnese (1 September 1675 – 3 November 1675) never married.
5. Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma (19 May 1678 – 26 February 1727) married Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg but had no children.
6. Antonio Farnese, Duke of Parma (29 November 1679 – 20 January 1731) married Enrichetta d'Este but had no children.

|- ! colspan="3" style="border-top: 5px solid #ACE777;" | Regnal titles |- style="text-align:center;"

|style="width:30%;" rowspan="2"|Preceded by

Odoardo

| style="width: 40%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1"| Duke of Parma
1646–1694

| style="width: 30%; text-align: center;" rowspan="2"| Succeeded by

Francesco

|- | style="width: 40%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1"| Duke of Piacenza
1646–1694 |}