Maria d'Este

"Maria of Modena" redirects here. For the wife of James II of England, see Mary of Modena.

Maria
Duchess of Parma
Spouse	Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma
Issue
Francesco, Duke of Parma Antonio, Duke of Parma
Full name
Maria d'Este
House	House of Farnese House of Este
Father	Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena
Mother	Maria Caterina Farnese
Born	8 December 1644(1644-12-08) Modena
Died	20 August 1684(1684-08-20) (aged 39) Parma
Burial	21 August 1684 Santa Maria della Steccata, Parma

Maria d'Este (8 December 1644 – 20 August 1684) was a Modenese princess and Duchess of Parma as the wife of Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma. She was a daughter of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and Maria Caterina Farnese.^[1]

Family

Maria was the eight child and fourth daughter of Francesco I d'Este, the reigning Duke of Modena since 1629. Her mother was a daughter of Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma.

Biography

Maria was born in Modena to Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and his consort Maria Caterina Farnese. A member of the House of Este, she was a princess of Modena by birth.

In order to cement relations between the House of Farnese, Maria's older sister Isabella d'Este had been married to Ranuccio Farnese, Duke of Parma, son of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma and Margherita de' Medici in 1664. Isabella died in 1666 as a result of childbirth.^[2] In order to preserve the union between the two ducal houses, the unmarried Maria became Ranuccio's next consort.

In Modena on 1 October 1668 she was duly married to the widowed Ranuccio Farnese.^[1] The marriage produced seven children; she also had two stillborn children. Out of the seven, three survived infancy, however none of them went on to have further children.

Maria died in Parma at the age of 39. Her husband survived her by ten years. Her two youngest sons, Francesco and Antonio, each became the Duke of Parma. Antonio was the last member of the House of Farnese, the duchy of Parma going to the Spanish House of Bourbon in 1731.

Maria was buried at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata in Parma on 21 August 1684. She has no surviving descendants.

Issue

• Isabella Francesca Maria Lucia Farnese (14 December 1668 - 9 July 1718). She was a Benedictine nun in Santa Maria di Campagna Monastery of Piacenza;
• Vittoria Maria Francesca Farnese (24 December 1669 - 15 September 1671);
• A son (24 June 1671 - 28 June 1671);
• Vittoria Farnese (19 November 1672);
• Caterina Farnese (19 November 1672), twin of Vittoria;
• A son (26 December 1674);
• Eleonora Farnese (1 September 1675 - 3 November 1675);
• Francesco Maria Farnese (19 May 1678 - 26 February 1727) succeeded as Duke of Parma; married Dorothea Sophie of the Palatinate, had issue;
• Antonio Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma (29 November 1679 - 20 January 1731) married Enrichetta d'Este, no issue.

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 8 December 1644 – 1 October 1668 Her Highness Maria d'Este, Princess of Modena
• 1 October 1668 – 20 August 1684 Her Highness The Duchess of Parma

References and notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Lundy, Darryl. "The Peerage: Maria d'Este, Principessa di Modena". http://thepeerage.com/p22219.htm#i222183. Retrieved 9 March 2010. 
2. ^ The child she gave birth to was Odoardo Farnese, Hereditary Prince of Parma, the father of the famous Elisabeth Farnese, Queen of Spain.

See also

Persondata
Name	Este, Maria D'
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	8 December 1644
Place of birth	Modena
Date of death	20 August 1684
Place of death	Parma