Francis IV of Habsburg-Este

Francis IV of Habsburg-Este was an Italian duke who ruled Modena from 1814 to 1846. He was the son of Archduke Ferdinand of Habsburg-Lorraine and Maria Beatrice d'Este, the daughter of Ercole III, the last duke of Modena from the House of Este. Francis IV's reign marked the establishment of the Austro-Este line in Modena.1

The House of Este was a prominent princely family in medieval and Renaissance Italy, known for their rule in Ferrara from the 13th to the 16th century, and in Modena and Reggio from the late Middle Ages until the end of the 18th century. The family's origins trace back to the 10th-century dynasty of the Obertenghi. Over centuries, members of the House of Este played significant roles in Italian politics and culture, with notable figures like Borso d'Este, who received the title of duke of Modena and Reggio in 1452, and Ercole I, who consolidated political support through strategic marriages. The direct male line of the Este family ended in 1598, leading to papal rule in Ferrara, though the family continued to rule in Modena and Reggio.1