Hello, Tecklenburg!
Yes, Enrico di Borbone Parma, count of Bardi took part to the third carlist war with his elder brother, Roberto. When he was 21 years old, Enrico joined the army of his brother-in-law, Don Carlos de Borbon, duke de Madrid, the carlist claimannt to the throne of Spain. Don Carlos had just launch the third carlist war against the 1st Republic. At that time, he ruled half of Spain! The count of Bardi led a cavalry charge where the future king Alfonso XII was just missed falling to the Carlists. Finally, Alfonso was the winner in 1876 through the General Campos Martinez's "pronunciamiento"..
In 1873, Enrico married Luisa di Borbone delle Due Sicilie who died 9 months later in Pau (France) where was installed an hospital for carlist soldiers. She was the sister of the first duchess of Parma, Maria Pia. In 1874, october the 15th, Enrico married Aldegonde de Bragança, infanta of Portugal. With his second wife, he travelled in Far East: Siam, Java, China, mainly Japan. He collected more than 30 000 curios: side-arms (XII -XIX c), paintings, vases porcelains, folding-sreen...He gathered one the most important collection of Japan art in Italy. He set it down in the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi in Venice, inherited from his grandmother, the duchess of Berry, and in the Palazzo Giiustiniani Lolin, inherited from his mother, Louise Marie de France, duchess dowager of Parma. (Almost all the Bourbons in exile had got a Palazzo in Venice: the count of Chambord in Palazzo Cavalli, don Carlos, in Palazzo Loredan, campo San Vio).
The count of Bardi lived in Venice but also in Seebenstein (Austia) at Miguel II's, his second father-in law.He died childless in 1905, two years before his elder brother, Roberto. He made his collection over the Italian State .
Nowadays, it can be found on the second floor of Ca' d'Oro, on the Gran Canale. Upstairs, you can see a Enrico in Samourai's funny picture !!!
REMI
