○ 1734 : THE DUKE CHARLES OF BOURBON
§ The passage of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, the future King of Spain §
October 5, 1732. Charles the Fisrt, Duke of Parma, stopped in Scaricalasino. As heir presumptive of Gian Gastone de’ Medici, he had visited Florence. The 16 year old Duke of Parma, Charles I (Madrid 1716 -1788), son of King Philip V of Spain, was headed for Bologna, to the convent of San Michele in Bosco.
In Scaricalasino, the monks of the abbey greeted Charles warmly, and prepared a lavish banquet for the illustrious guest and his retinue.
On February 8, 1734, the Duke was heading south and again stopped in Scaricalasino overnight. On this occasion also, the monks prepared a lush dinner for Charles and his noble followers.
Accompanying Charles I of Parma was a troop of 500 soldiers, who had to find lodging wherever room was available, in stables and cellars around the town. Private citizens housed the low ranking officers, while the monastery hosted those of higher rank.
On this occasion, two hours before the Duke’s arrival, the friars adorned the Alcove Hall, the room usually reserved for their illustrious guests, with richly decorated crimson velvet curtains, threaded with gold and refined bed-covers.
The following morning, after mass and breakfast, the Duke resumed his travels toward Tuscany, where an army sent by his father was waiting. With those forces, Charles I marched on Naples and on May 7 ousted the Austrians, who had occupied it for 32 years and took the title of King of Naples. On July 3, 1735, he was crowned King of The Two Sicilies in the ancient Cathedral of Palermo; after 25 years of wise administration and enlightened rule, Charles left Italy to succeed his father on the Spanish throne.