Marie Caroline
Marie Caroline,
1752–1814, queen of Naples, consort of Ferdinand IV (later Ferdinand IFerdinand I,1751–1825, king of the Two Sicilies (1816–25). He had previously been king of Naples (1759–99, 1799–1805, 1815–16) as Ferdinand IV and king of Sicily (1759–1816) as Ferdinand III.
..... Click the link for more information. of the Two Sicilies), daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Maria Theresa, and sister of Queen Marie Antoinette of France. She was married to Ferdinand, son of Charles III of Spain, in 1768. Strongly influenced by her favorites, Sir John ActonActon, Sir John Francis Edward,
1736?–1811, Neapolitan statesman of British origin, b. Besançon, France. Called upon by Queen Marie Caroline and King Ferdinand IV of Naples (later Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies) to reform the Neapolitan army and navy in 1779, Acton
..... Click the link for more information. and Emma, Lady HamiltonHamilton, Emma, Lady,
1765?–1815, mistress of the British naval hero Horatio Nelson. Born Emma Lyon, she became the mistress of Charles Greville, then of Sir William Hamilton, ambassador to Naples, whom she married (1791).
..... Click the link for more information. , she sought to eliminate Spanish influence in the kingdom and to establish close ties with Austria and England. Her court was a center of scandal and intrigue. Late in 1798 she and Ferdinand were forced to flee Naples with the advent of the short-lived Parthenopean Republic set up by the French Revolutionary army. The couple was again expelled from Naples in 1806 by Napoleon; they took up residence in Sicily. Marie was subsequently banished because of her intrigues, and she died at Vienna.