Alfonso IV d'Este

Alfonso IV d'Este
Alfonso IV d'Este
	Portrait by Justus Sustermans
Duke of Modena and Reggio
Reign	14 October 1658 – 16 July 1662
Predecessor	Francesco I d'Este
Successor	Francesco II d'Este
Born	2 February 1634; Ducal Palace, Modena
Died	16 July 1662 (aged 27); Ducal Palace, Modena
Spouse	Laura Martinozzi (m. 1655)
Issue	Mary, Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland; Francesco II, Duke of Modena
House	Este
Father	Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena
Mother	Maria Caterina Farnese
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Alfonso IV d'Este (2 February 1634 – 16 July 1662) was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1658 until his death. He was the father of Mary of Modena, consort of James II of England.

Alfonso was born in Modena, the eldest son of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena, and his first wife, Maria Caterina Farnese.^[1] He became Duke of Modena and Reggio after his father's death in 1658. Alfonso's health was poor and he suffered from gout and tuberculosis. He died four years into his reign.

In 1655 he married Laura Martinozzi, Cardinal Mazarin's niece, thus strengthening his alliance with France. On Laura's sixteenth birthday, 27 May 1655, she was married to the Duke of Modena by proxy at the Palace of Compiègne, with the Count of Soissons standing in the place of the Duke of Modena. They had two children, Maria and Francesco, who went on to become Queen of England and Duke of Modena, respectively.

In 1659 the Franco-Spanish War came to an end and Modena was rewarded with the town of Correggio for supporting France.

He was succeeded by his two-year-old son, under the regency of his widow.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Alfonso IV d'Este

16. Alfonso d'Este

8. Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena

17. Giulia della Rovere

4. Alfonso III d'Este, Duke of Modena

18. Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

9. Virginia de' Medici

19. Camilla Martelli

2. Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena

20. Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy

10. Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy

21. Margaret of France, Duchess of Berry

5. Isabella of Savoy

22. Philip II of Spain

11. Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain

23. Elisabeth of Valois

1. Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena

24. Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma

12. Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma

25. Margaret of Austria

6. Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma

26. Infante Edward, 4th Duke of Guimarães

13. Infanta Maria of Guimarães

27. Isabel of Braganza

3. Maria Caterina Farnese

28. Giorgio Aldobrandini

14. Gianfrancesco Aldobrandini, Prince of Rossano

29. Margherita Dal Corno

7. Margherita Aldobrandini

30. Pietro Aldobrandini

15. Olimpia Aldobrandini, Princess Campinelli

31. Flaminia Ferracci

References

^ Biografia universale antica e moderna [Universal ancient and modern biography] (in Italian). Vol. XIX. presso Gio. Battista Missiaglia. 1824. p. 61.

Chiappini, Luciano (2001). Gli Estensi. Mille anni di storia. Ferrara.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links

Media related to Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena at Wikimedia Commons

Regnal titles
Alfonso IV d'Este House of Este Born: 2 February 1634 Died: 16 July 1662
Preceded by Francesco I	Duke of Modena and Reggio 1658–1662	Succeeded by Francesco II

[Biografia-1] Biografia universale antica e moderna [Universal ancient and modern biography] (in Italian). Vol. XIX. presso Gio. Battista Missiaglia. 1824. p. 61.

[1]