Austria-Este

Archduke of Austria-Este (Italian: arciduca d'Austria-Este) and Habsburg-Este (Italian: Asburgo-Este) are a title and a surname which have been used by several cadet branches of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine to denote a connection with the extinct Italian princely and feudal family of Este and the Duchy of Modena ruled by them. As a younger branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, the Habsburg-Estes are also Archdukes and Archduchesses of Austria, Princes and Princesses of Hungary and Bohemia.

Related Topics:
Habsburg-Lorraine - Este - Duchy of Modena

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Ercole III d'Este, the last Este duke of Modena, of the direct line of Este (however, bastard descent since 15th century), was deposed of rulership in 1796 by the French as his Italian principality was incorporated into the Cisalpine Republic, later Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. However in 1814, when the French rule was abolished in Italy (but after the death of Duke Ercole), Modena was returned to his daughter Mary Beatrice d'Este and her son Archduke Francis of Austria.

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Duke Ercole III was compensated with the principality of Breisgau, located in Southern Germany. Its former rulers, Habsburgs ceded this province to him, in anticipation of it falling eventually to the Habsburg family again, since Ercole's sole daughter was married to a cadet Habsburg, Archduke Ferdinand. Duke Ercole died in 1803 and Breisgau was inherited by his daughter (and her husband), who soon (1805) lost it to the expanding Grand Duchy of Baden.

Related Topics:
Archduke Ferdinand - 1803

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The family, cognatically descended from the Estes, ruled the Duchy of Modena and Reggio again from 1814 to 1859, using the names Asburgo-Este (Habsburg-Este) and its variants. The Duchy bore also titles Duke of Reggio, of Mirandola, of Massa, Prince of Carrara and Lunigniana, as well as since 1847 Duke of Guastalla. The principality lost its independence to the new united Italy, and Francesco V, the last duke was deposed.

Related Topics:
Duchy of Modena and Reggio - 1814 - 1859

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Duke Francis V of Modena (1846-59, died 1875) withdrew to Austria where he lived most of the rest of his life. After the death of his mother in 1840, Francis was considered the legitimate heir to the English and Scottish thrones by Jacobites (with the regnal title King Francis I). When Francis died at Vienna on November 20, 1875, his family became extinct in the male line. His heir general and heir-of-the-blood was his niece, Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este (died 1919), who then was married with Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (they later became King and Queen of Bavaria). The heir-general of line of the Este family continues in their descendants, and the present heir is Franz, Duke of Bavaria.

Related Topics:
Francis V of Modena - Austria - 1840 - Jacobites - Vienna - 1875 - Maria Theresia of Austria-Este - Ludwig - Franz, Duke of Bavaria

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However, Francis V, Duke of Modena had decided to retain the Este name in the Habsburg family, and left most of his huge estate to his young cousin Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, with certain conditions, one of which is that the heir and future heirs use the name of Este. The tradition of Este family thus fell to the line of Archduke Charles Louis, younger brother to then Emperor Francis Joseph. It is said that Austria-Este is some sort of "secundogeniture" title in Austrian imperial family, however since it has continued to direct heirs of the originator of the branch, not reverting to the crown at the death of the carrier nor going to the next secundogeniture heir of the immediate imperial family, it does not fulfill the definitions of secundogeniture.

Related Topics:
Francis V, Duke of Modena - Este - Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria - Secundogeniture

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As explained, the first "adoptee" was Archduke Francis Ferdinand, b 1863 (not descended from Mary Beatrice d'Este), who took the name Austria-Este, and also in 1896 became the heir presumptive of the Austrian Empire, but was murdered 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo. Since his own children were born in morganatic marriage (Hohenberg), the Habsburgs designated his soon-to-be born great-nephew Robert, b 8 Feb 1915, second son of the future emperor Charles, as the next "adopted Austria-Este". Through his mother Zita of Parma (a great-granddaughter of Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Lucca and Parma, who was daughter of Teresa of Modena, Queen of Sardinia, who was daughter of Mary Beatrice d'Este and Ferdinand of Austria, Duchess and Duke of Breisgau and Modena), archduke Robert happened to be a descendant of Ercole d'Este III and thus the blood of last Este dukes joined with the name Austria-Este.

Related Topics:
Austria-Este - Heir presumptive - Hohenberg

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Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (1863-1914) subsequently used the title Archduke of Austria-Este. He also in 1896 became the heir presumptive of the Austrian Empire, but was murdered before succeeding as Emperor. He had married morganatically countess Sophie Chotek, and their children were not members of Austrian Imperial House (having been born in morganatic marriage), but a separate surname and title, Hohenberg, was created for them.

Related Topics:
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria - Heir presumptive - Morganatic - Hohenberg

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Archduke Robert of Austria-Este (1915-1996), second son of emperor Charles I of Austria, was the next "adopted Austria-Este". He was a cognatic descendant of Ercole d'Este III and thus the blood of last Este dukes joined again with the name Austria-Este, which blood continues in all issue of Robert.

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Archduke Robert has decreed that all his descendants in male line are entiled to the surname Austria-Este, and he took also the title Duke of Este, which is intended to be carried by the head of the family of Austria-Este.

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Today, the carrier of such tradition is Archduke Lorenz Otto Charles of Austria-Este, born 1955, eldest son of Archduke Robert and Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta. Archduke Lorenz is married to Princess Astrid of Belgium, the only daughter of King Albert II of the Belgians. Since the throne of Belgium is inheritable also by females (and males do not have any precedence over females), Princess Astrid is the heiress of Belgium immediately after the issue of Crown Prince Philip. As such, her husband Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, Duke of Este, was in 1995 elevated to the additional title of Prince of Belgium. The children of the couple are since 1991 titled Archduke (Archduchess) of Austria-Este and Prince(ss) of Belgium. The eldest of these is Archduke Amadeus of Austria-Este, Prince of Belgium, born 1986.

Related Topics:
Albert II of the Belgians - Belgium

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