Cesare d'Este

{{Short description|Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1597 to 1628}}

{{Infobox royalty

| name = Cesare d'Este

| image = Cesare d’Este.jpg

| caption = Portrait by Frans Pourbus the Younger (1606)

| succession = Duke of Modena and Reggio

| reign = {{nowrap|27 October 1597 – 11 December 1628}}

| predecessor = Alfonso II d'Este
{{small|as Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio}}

| successor = Alfonso III d'Este

| birth_date = 8 October 1562

| birth_place = Ferrara, Duchy of Ferrara

| death_date = {{death date and age|1628|12|11|1561|06|01|df=y}}

| death_place = Ferrara

| spouse = {{marriage|Virginia de' Medici|1586|1615|end=d}}

| issue = Alfonso, Duke of Modena
Laura, Duchess of Mirandola
Luigi, Lord of Montecchio
Borso d'Este

| house = Este

| father = Alfonso d'Este, Marquis of Montecchio

| mother = Giulia della Rovere

| religion = Roman 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.{{sfn|Balchin|2022|p=110}} Pope Clement VIII raised an army and Cesare, denied French assistance, retreated to Modena.{{sfn|Balchin|2022|p=110}}{{sfn|Tuohy|1996|p=4}} His capital was moved to Modena, which he entered on January 1598.{{sfn|Cox|Sampson|2023|p=64}} 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

File:Virginiademedici.jpg

On 30 January 1586, Cesare married Virginia de' Medici,{{sfn|Stras|2012|p=38}} 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{{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}
  • Laura d'Este (1594–1630) married Alessandro I Pico, Duke of Mirandola{{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}
  • Luigi d'Este, Lord of Montecchio and Scandiano (1593/1594–1664){{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}
  • Caterina d'Este (1595–1618){{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}
  • Anna Eleonora d'Este (1597–1651), died unmarried, nun
  • Ippolito d'Este (1599–1647){{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}
  • Niccolo d'Este (1601–1640),{{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}} married Sveva d'Avalos, no issue;
  • Borso d'Este (1605–1657) married Ippolita d'Este{{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}
  • Foresto d'Este (1606–1639/1640){{sfn|Condren|2024|p=227}}

References

{{reflist}}

Sources

  • {{cite book |last1=Cox |first1=Virginia |last2=Sampson |first2=Lisa |title=Drama, Poetry and Music in Late-Renaissance Italy: The life and works of Leonora Bernardi |translator-first=Anna |translator-last=Wainwright |publisher=UCL Press |year=2023 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Balchin |first=Paul N. |title=The Development of Cities in Northern and Central Italy: During the Renaissance |publisher=Routledge |year=2022 }}
  • {{cite book |title=Louis XIV and the Peace of Europe: French Diplomacy in Northern Italy, 1659{{endash}}1701 |first=John |last=Condren |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2024 }}
  • {{cite journal |title=The "Ricreationi per monache" of Suor Annalena Aldobrandini |first=Laurie |last=Stras |author-link=Laurie Stras|journal=Renaissance Studies |volume=26 |number=1: Musical Materials and Cultural Spaces (FEBRUARY) |year=2012 |pages=34-59 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Tuohy |first=Thomas |title=Herculean Ferrara: Ercole D'Este (1471-1505) and the Invention of a Ducal Capital |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1996 }}