Cesare d'Este

Cesare d'Este
Portrait by Frans Pourbus the Younger (1606)
Duke of Modena and Reggio
Reign27 October 1597 – 11 December 1628
PredecessorAlfonso II d'Este
as Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio
SuccessorAlfonso III d'Este
Born8 October 1562
Ferrara, Duchy of Ferrara
Died11 December 1628(1628-12-11) (aged 67)
Ferrara
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1586; died 1615)​
IssueAlfonso, Duke of Modena
Laura, Duchess of Mirandola
Luigi, Lord of Montecchio
Borso d'Este
HouseEste
FatherAlfonso d'Este, Marquis of Montecchio
MotherGiulia della Rovere
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Cesare d'Este (8 October 1562 – 11 December 1628) was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1597 until his death.

Biography

Born in Ferrara, Cesare was the son of Alfonso d'Este, Marquis of Montecchio, fourth son of Alfonso I d'Este and the cousin of Alfonso II d'Este, duke of Ferrara and Modena.

When Alfonso II died without heirs in the October 1597, Cesare claimed the duchy of Ferrara.[1] Pope Clement VIII raised an army and Cesare, denied French assistance, retreated to Modena.[1][2] His capital was moved to Modena, which he entered on January 1598.[3] Cesare's first years were troublesome: he had to face the quarrels between the Modenese and Ferrarese nobles who had come with him, the attempt at independence of Maro Pio of Sassuolo, and a war against Lucca for the possession of Garfagnana.

Marriage and issue

Virginia de' Medici, wearing a characteristic necklace that belonged to Camilla Martelli, Virginia's mother.

On 30 January 1586, Cesare married Virginia de' Medici,[4] daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, who suffered increasing symptoms of madness until her death in 1615. He was succeeded by his son, Alfonso.

  • Giulia d'Este (1588–1645) died unmarried;
  • Alfonso III d'Este, Duke of Modena (1591–1644), married Isabella of Savoy[5]
  • Laura d'Este (1594–1630) married Alessandro I Pico, Duke of Mirandola[5]
  • Luigi d'Este, Lord of Montecchio and Scandiano (1593/1594–1664)[5]
  • Caterina d'Este (1595–1618)[5]
  • Anna Eleonora d'Este (1597–1651), died unmarried, nun
  • Ippolito d'Este (1599–1647)[5]
  • Niccolo d'Este (1601–1640),[5] married Sveva d'Avalos, no issue;
  • Borso d'Este (1605–1657) married Ippolita d'Este[5]
  • Foresto d'Este (1606–1639/1640)[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Balchin 2022, p. 110.
  2. ^ Tuohy 1996, p. 4.
  3. ^ Cox & Sampson 2023, p. 64.
  4. ^ Stras 2012, p. 38.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Condren 2024, p. 227.

Sources

  • Cox, Virginia; Sampson, Lisa (2023). Drama, Poetry and Music in Late-Renaissance Italy: The life and works of Leonora Bernardi. Translated by Wainwright, Anna. UCL Press.
  • Balchin, Paul N. (2022). The Development of Cities in Northern and Central Italy: During the Renaissance. Routledge.
  • Condren, John (2024). Louis XIV and the Peace of Europe: French Diplomacy in Northern Italy, 1659–1701. Taylor & Francis.
  • Stras, Laurie (2012). "The "Ricreationi per monache" of Suor Annalena Aldobrandini". Renaissance Studies. 26 (1: Musical Materials and Cultural Spaces (FEBRUARY)): 34–59.
  • Tuohy, Thomas (1996). Herculean Ferrara: Ercole D'Este (1471-1505) and the Invention of a Ducal Capital. Cambridge University Press.


Cesare d'Este
Born: 8 October 1562 Died: 11 December 1628
Regnal titles
Preceded by Duke of Modena and Reggio
1597–1628 		Succeeded by