The minister he appointed ran Lucca - and he watched it slip away

A three-year-old king inherits a crown he never rules; decades later he watches his minister run Lucca - how do you fall from that high? The minister he appointed ran Lucca - and he watched it slip away In this episode, we follow Charles Louis of Bourbon-Parma from a childhood painted into royalty to a duchy he never truly controlled. The episode traces the decisions and delegations that left him with titles but not power, and asks how his upbringing shaped those choices. Person: Charles Louis of Bourbon-Parma Date: born 22 December 1799 Location: Royal Palace of Madrid; later Lucca and Nice Event: became King of Etruria at age three; later Duke of Lucca after 1824 Minister: Ascanio Mansi served as lead minister and handled governance - Born into the Spanish royal family, Charles Louis appears as an infant in Goya’s 1800 royal portrait. - Made King of Etruria at age three after his father’s death, with his mother Maria Luisa acting as regent. - Napoleon dissolved Etruria in 1807, the family lost promised compensations and endured exile and arrest. - After his mother’s death in 1824, Charles Louis received the duchy of Lucca but delegated daily rule to Ascanio Mansi. - Observers noted Mansi managed appointments, finances and correspondence, effectively governing while Charles Louis retained only the title. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].