Career
Laura Pescatori was the nurse of Elisabeth Farnese during the childhood of Elisabeth in Parma. In Spain, Elisabeth quickly became the de facto ruler through the king and by the guidance of the Parmese ambassador, Cardinal Alberoni. During the first pregnancy of queen Elisabeth, the Duke of Parma consented to send Laura Pescatori to Elisabeth to superintend her first confinement.
Laura Pescatori arrived to Spain in September 1715.
The queen had promised Alberoni that Pescatori would not be allowed to exert any influence upon the affairs of state. Pescatori was immediately noted to have a great influence upon the queen.
She was described as jovial and good-natured and at first did not seem to use her influence for other than menial matters. Alberoni, however, soon complained about her influence and viewed it as a threat to the queens reputation and position, and thereby his own power position.
He accused her of greed and of trying to undermine his position as the queens adviser by keeping the queen idle.
Pescatori, in collaboration with the queens confidante Countess Somaglia, acted as a medium of communication between the queen and her former chaplain Maggiali, who she wished to bring to court, a wish Alberoni opposed as she was reputed to be in love with Maggiali. Laura Pescatori, however, helped the queen secure a stronger power base by assisting her in creating supporters through a Netto of clients by favors. Funds were raised to finance the return of Pescatori to Parma, but the queen continued to postpone lieutenant
Laura Pescatori joined in the opposition to Cardinal Alberoni and was instrumental to his fall in 1719.
In 1721, the conflict between her and Marquis Scotti, another Italian confidant of the queen, which was demonstrated through arguments in the presence of the queen, resulted in Scotti almost being sent back to Italy. She was promoted to the post of the queen"s zafaja, could give visitors access to the queen and handled the secret correspondence of the queen, and apparently accepted bribes from foreign diplomats.
The king treated her with respect, and the queen told the court to put up with her temper as she had to do so herself. In 1736, a plot suspected against minister Patino created by a cabal consisting of minister Montijo, the Italian doctor Cervi, Marquis Scotti, Laura Pescatori and her protege Campo Florido.
