Elisabeth Farnese (Italian: Elisabetta Farnese, Spanish: Isabel de Farnesio; 25 October 1692 – 11 July 1766) was Queen of Spain by marriage to King Philip V. She was the de facto ruler of Spain from 1714 until 1746, since she managed the affairs of state with the approval of her spouse. She is particularly known for her great influence over Spain's foreign policy. From 1759 to 1760, she governed as regent.
Elisabeth born in 1692 in Parma, the daughter of Odoardo Farnese, Hereditary Prince of Parma and his wife, Countess Palatine Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg. Elisabeth would be their only child to survive into adulthood, her only siblings dying infancy. Her father died in 1693, and her mother later remarried to his younger brother (Elisabeth's uncle), Francesco, in hopes for another heir. This never happened, and Elisabeth remained sole heiress. Elisabeth's marriage was considered of great political importance, and she received many proposals, notably from Piedmontese and Modenese princes, ultimately being married to the Spanish king, Philip V, whose first wife, Queen Maria Luisa, had died earlier that year.
