THE TRAGIC LIFE OF ISABELLA OF PARMA . Born on the 31st December 1741, Isabella's father was Prince Phillip, the third son of the King of Spain. Her mother, Elisabeth, also came from royalty, as she was the eldest daughter of the King of France. Sadly, despite their immense wealth and charmed existence, Isabella's parent's, were not in love, nor would they ever be. Isabella's mother Elisabeth, was only 12 years old when she married Prince Phillip, giving birth to Isabella two years later. Instead of having a mother-daughter relationship, the two bonded like sisters, often adventuring throughout Versailles for much of Isabella’s upbringing. Because of the strained relationship between her parents, Isabella lacked the understanding of what a healthy relationship entailed. In 1759, Elisabeth contracted smallpox and died a week into her illness at 32. The loss of her mother, devastated Isabella and also had a profound effect on her outlook. From the moment her mother d...