Marriage Alliance and the Situation in Northern Italy
However, Therese wanting to marry Ludovico still faced no small amount of resistance.
The main reason was that Parma was too small.
For France's only princess to marry down to the Prince of Parma would make France's ministers feel they had lost face.
Yes, in France, the marriages of princes and princesses were all part of state affairs, and had to be discussed and decided by the ministers who held real power.
Sure enough, Ludovico soon grew nervous again and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, but I'm worried Her Majesty the Queen, and those ministers, will be dissatisfied with me..."
Joseph put an arm around his shoulders and nodded. "I guarantee they are all very satisfied with you, and equally satisfied with Parma.
"Oh, right, I heard the Pope also blessed you and my sister, and even decided to make Ferrara a congratulatory gift for your wedding."
As a collateral branch of the Bourbons, Parma was the "trusted confidant" Joseph had been working hard to cultivate in Northern Italy, and also the core.
As it happened, Therese was also interested in the Prince of Parma, and a marriage alliance would further strengthen the bond between Parma and France.
When Ludovico heard "Ferrara" and "wedding gift," his eyes instantly widened in shock.
One had to know that the Duchy of Parma's land area was less than 5,000 square kilometers, while Ferrara Province covered roughly 3,500 square kilometers.
If they could obtain Ferrara, Parma's territory would directly increase by seventy percent!
Parma had previously actively sent troops to participate in the Mediterranean Security Organization's military operations against the Papal States precisely because it hoped to receive a portion of Ferrara.
Yet he had never expected that Crown Prince would actually give all