Married to Dorothea Sophia of the Palatinate, his brother Odoardo's widow, to avoid the return of her dowry, Francesco curtailed court expenditure, enormous under his father and predecessor, Ranuccio II, while preventing the occupation of his Duchy of Parma, nominally a Papal fief, during the War of the Spanish Succession.
Francesco's marriage to Dorothea Sophia of the Palatinate was motivated by a desire to avoid having her dowry returned. He subsequently implemented measures to reduce court expenses, which had been extravagant under his father Ranuccio II. This allowed him to maintain control over his Duchy of Parma, a Papal territory that was vulnerable during the War of the Spanish Succession.