Il potere della tradizione : Guillaume Du Tillot e la questione della nobiltà

Abstract

Francois-Guillaume-Leon Du Tillot, thanks to its leading role in the government of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla and the interest aroused in Europe by his reform activity during the seventh decade of the 18th century, wove multiple and complex relationships with the nobilities of the Italian peninsula. He made use of the grants of offices and dignities in the court, in the diplomacy and in the army of the infant duke of Parma to cement the loyalty of the ancient aristocracy, primarily those of the State, to the Bourbons and to consolidate his own personal power. At the same time, the foundation of the Academy of Fine Arts in Parma and the establishment of a prize for tragedies and comedies in Italian promoted the direct involvement of noblemen, even foreigners, in the political and cultural projects of the prime minister. In addition, the contacts with the ducal court provided to the members of the aristocracy the suited opportunity to take advantage of the close relationship between Parma and Paris, for example visiting, in the French metropolis, important personalities from the diplomatic, financial and intellectual world. Nevertheless, the drastic jurisdictionalistic measures of the government caused increasing misunderstanding and hostility of the noble class against Du Tillot, which played an important role in creating the political conditions to the fall of the minister, in 1771.