Este

The House of Este was a Frankish noble family, probably an Obertenghi branch, named after the castle of Este built by Albert Azzo II in the eleventh century. His sons split the house: the elder Welf line produced dukes of Bavaria and Brunswick and the Emperor Otto IV, the younger Fulco I line seeking fortune in Italy.

Obizzo II became lord of Ferrara in 1264 and added Modena in 1288 and Reggio in 1289; in 1332 the family became hereditary papal vicars of Ferrara, its 1337 position. Borso d'Este became duke of Modena and Reggio in 1452 and of Ferrara in 1471.

Alfonso I, husband of Lucrezia Borgia, made Ferrara a centre of music and letters. The legitimate line ended with Alfonso II in 1597 and Pope Clement VIII seized Ferrara in 1598; a cadet branch kept Modena and Reggio until the French deposed Ercole III in 1796; the male line died out in 1803 and the inheritance passed to Austria-Este.