Name Francis Duke Role Prince | House Austria-Este | |
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Born 6 October 1779
Milan ( 1779-10-06 ) Father Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este Mother Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este Died January 21, 1846, Modena, Italy Spouse Maria Beatrice of Savoy (m. 1812) Children Francis V, Duke of Modena Parents Ferdinand, Duke of Breisgau, Maria Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Massa Similar People Ercole III d'Este - Duke of, Victor Emmanuel I of Sardi, Maria Theresa of Austria‑Este, Maria Ludovika of Austria‑Este, Archduke Maximilian of Austria | ||
Francis IV Joseph Charles Ambrose Stanislaus (Italian: Francesco IV Giuseppe Carlo Ambrogio Stanislao d'Asburgo-Este; 6 October 1779 – 21 January 1846) was Duke of Modena, Reggio, and Mirandola (from 1815), Duke of Massa and Prince of Carrara (from 1829), Archduke of Austria-Este, Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
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Biography
Francis was born in Milan. His father was Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este, Duke of Breisgau, his mother Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este, Duchess of Massa and Princess of Carrara, Lady of Lunigiana.
He was a grandson of Maria Theresa of Austria, head of the House of Habsburg, and was heir to the Modenese branch of the House of Este through his mother. He thus became the first member of the House of Habsburg-Este to rule the Este inheritance in Northern Italy.
Francis is distinguished for his stern and tyrannic rule by which he repressed all the democratic movements appearing during his reign, particularly following a major revolt in 1830. The harshness of the Ducal policies are illustrated by the hanging of Ciro Menotti for an attempted insurrection against the Duke (1831).
Family
In 1812 Francis married his niece the Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy, who was the daughter of his sister Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria-Este and King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia. The couple had four children: