Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena

Cesare d'Este
Duke of Modena and Reggio
Cesare d'Este by Cesare Aretusi
Spouse	Virginia de' Medici
Issue
Alfonso, Duke of Modena Laura, Duchess of Mirandola Luigi, Lord of Montecchio Borso d'Este
Father	Alfonso d'Este, Marquis of Montecchio
Mother	Giulia della Rovere
Born	22 November 1553(1553-11-22) Ferrara
Died	27 October 1597(1597-10-27) (aged 43) Ferrara

Cesare d'Este (1561 – December 11, 1628) was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1597 until his death. During his reign, in 1598, the House of Este lost the Duchy of Ferrara.

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 the latter died without heirs in the October 1597, Cesare inherited the duchy.

The legitimacy of the succession was recognised by the Emperor Rudolph II but not by Pope Clement VIII: thus, as Ferrara was nominally a Papal fief, the city was returned to the Papal States, despite the attempts of the young duke, who sought help from the Major Powers to no avail.

The capital was therefore moved to Modena, which he entered on January 30, 1598. His 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.

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

Issue

• Giulia d'Este (1588–1645) died unmarried;
• Alfonso III d'Este, Duke of Modena (1591–1644);

Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena;

• Laura d'Este (1594–1630) married Alessandro I Pico, Duke of Mirandola and had issue;
• Luigi d'Este, Lord of Montecchio and Scandiano (1593/1594–1664), had issue;
• Caterina d'Este (1595–1618) died unmarried;
• Ippolito d'Este (1599–1647) died unmarried;
• Niccolo d'Este (1601–1640) married Sveva d'Avalos, no issue;
• Borso d'Este (1605–1657) married Ippolita d'Este (daughter of his brother Luigi) and had issue;

Maria Angela Caterina d'Este

• Foresto d'Este (1606–1639/1640)
• Angela Caterina d'Este (died 1651), died unmarried, nun

Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena House of Este Born: 1 June 1561 Died: 11 December 1628
Regnal titles
Preceded by Alfonso II	Duke of Ferrara 1597-1598	Succeeded by To the Papal States
	Duke of Modena 1597–1628	Succeeded by Alfonso III

External links

• Il Castello Estense: genealogical tree

Persondata
Name	Este, Cesare
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	22 November 1553
Place of birth	Ferrara
Date of death	27 October 1597
Place of death	Ferrara