Modena's Austrian Rule: Understanding Italy's History

Modena, Italy, was under Austrian rule for a brief period in the 19th century. The Duchy of Modena, ruled by the noble House of Este since 1452, was occupied by Napoleon's army in 1796 and became part of the Cispadane Republic. After Napoleon's fall in 1814, the Congress of Vienna restored the pre-Napoleonic patchwork of independent governments in Italy, and the Duchy of Modena came under Austrian rule, with Francis IV of the Austria-Este branch of the Este family assuming power. During the Italian unification movement, the Austria-Este dukes were briefly ousted in the revolutions of 1831 and 1848 but soon returned to power. However, in 1859, the last Duke, Francis V, was forced to flee permanently, and Modena joined Tuscany and Parma to form the United Provinces of Central Italy, which were annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1860, leading to the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

Modena was ruled by the House of Este for centuries

The House of Este is a European dynasty of North Italian origin that ruled parts of Italy and Germany for many centuries. The family first came to prominence in the 13th century during the wars between the Guelfs and Ghibellines. As leaders of the Guelfs, the Estes received Ferrara, Modena, Reggio, and other fiefs and territories at different times.

The Estes were a branch of the 10th-century dynasty, the Obertenghis, which held power and wealth in Lunigiana, Genoa, and Milan. The Estes took their name from the township and castle of Este, 17 miles southwest of Padua. The true founder of the family was Margrave Alberto Azzo II, who died in 1097.

The Estes ruled Ferrara from 1240 to 1597, Modena from 1288 to 1859, and Reggio from 1289 to 1796. Modena was ruled by the Estes for almost six centuries, from 1288 until 1859.

The Estes' rule in Modena began with Obizzo II, who was created perpetual lord of Ferrara by its people in 1264 under the pressure of Guelf strength. Obizzo II's power grew, and he had himself chosen as lord of Modena in 1288 and Reggio in 1289.

Under Borso d'Este, Modena was made a duchy. In the 18th century, it was enlarged and fortified by Ercole II, who made it the primary ducal residence when Ferrara, the main Este seat, fell to the Pope in 1598. Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena from 1629 to 1658, built the citadel and began construction on the palace, which was later largely embellished by Francesco II.

The Estes' rule in Modena came to an end in the late 18th and early 19th centuries due to French invasions and the Napoleonic Wars. Ercole III, the last Este duke of Modena, was deposed by the French in 1796, and his territories were transformed into the Cispadane Republic, which was later merged into the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. Modena then became part of the Napoleonic Cispadane Republic, and Ercole III died in exile.

The Duchy of Modena was created in 1452

In 1452, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III offered the duchy to Borso d'Este, whose family had ruled the city of Modena and nearby Reggio Emilia for centuries. The Este dynasty was a great patron of the arts, making the duchy a cultural reference during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Under Borso d'Este, Modena achieved an economic and cultural peak. His successor, Duke Ercole I, had the city of Modena rebuilt according to plans designed by Biagio Rossetti. Ercole's successors were patrons of artists like Titian and Ludovico Ariosto.

In 1796, Modena was occupied by a French army under Napoleon Bonaparte, who added the duchy to the French Empire. The House of Este rule ended and Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena and Reggio, died in exile in 1803.

In 1814, the duchy was restored under the Habsburg grandson of the last Este duke, continuing until it was annexed by Piedmont-Sardinia in 1859. The Duchy of Modena and Reggio was abolished during the Italian unification movement, and in 1861, Vittorio Emanuele II was proclaimed the first King of the new, united Kingdom of Italy.

The Duchy was ruled by the Austria-Este branch of the House of Este from 1814

The Duchy of Modena and Reggio was ruled by the Austria-Este branch of the House of Este from 1814. The Duchy was an Italian state created in 1452 and located in Northwestern Italy, in the present-day region of Emilia-Romagna. The Este dynasty was a great sponsor of the arts, making the Duchy a cultural reference during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

The Duchy of Modena was ruled by the House of Este since its establishment in 1452. In that year, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III offered the Duchy to Borso d'Este, whose family had ruled the city of Modena and nearby Reggio Emilia for centuries. The Este dynasty ruled the Duchy well, and the city achieved an economic and cultural peak under their leadership. Borso's successor, Duke Ercole I, had the city of Modena rebuilt according to plans designed by Biagio Rossetti, and his successors were patrons of artists like Titian and Ludovico Ariosto.

However, the Duchy of Modena faced several challenges and changes in rule over the centuries. In the War of the League of Cambrai in 1508, troops from Modena fought in Papal service against the Republic of Venice. Upon the death of Duke Alfonso II in 1597, the ducal line became extinct, and the Este lands were bequeathed to Alfonso's cousin Cesare d'Este. However, the succession was not acknowledged by Pope Clement VIII, and Ferrara was seized by the Papacy. Cesare was able to retain control of Modena and Reggio as Imperial fiefs.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Duchy of Modena was involved in several conflicts, including the War of the Mantuan Succession and the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1796, Modena was occupied by a French army under Napoleon, who deposed Duke Ercole III. The Duchy then underwent several changes in rule, eventually coming back under the control of the Austria-Este branch of the House of Este in 1814.

During the Italian unification period in the 1830s-60s, the "Austria-Este" dukes were briefly ousted in the revolutions of 1831 and 1848 but soon returned. However, in the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859, the last Duke, Francis V, was forced to flee permanently. In December of that year, Modena joined with Tuscany and Parma to form the "United Provinces of Central Italy", which were later annexed to the growing Kingdom of Sardinia, leading to the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

Modena was part of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, a constituent land of the Austrian Empire

The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was a constituent land of the Austrian Empire from 1815 to 1866. It was created by the Congress of Vienna in recognition of the Austrian House of Habsburg-Lorraine's rights to the former Duchy of Milan and the former Republic of Venice. The Kingdom was ruled by the Habsburg Emperor of Austria and was made up of two independent governments, each with its own administration, currency, finances, judiciary and postal stamps.

Lombardy-Venetia was created in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, which had been proclaimed in 1805 and collapsed after Napoleon's defeat. The Congress of Vienna combined the territories of the former Lombard Duchy of Milan and the former Republic of Venice into a single kingdom, ruled in personal union by the Habsburg Emperor of Austria. The Kingdom included the provinces of Milan, Como, Bergamo, Brescia, Pavia, Cremona, Mantua, Lodi-Crema, and Sondrio in Lombardy, and the provinces of Venice, Verona, Padua, Vicenza, Treviso, Rovigo, Belluno, and Udine in Venetia.

The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was first ruled by Emperor Francis I from 1815 until his death in 1835. His son, Ferdinand I, ruled from 1835 to 1848. During his reign, the Kingdom faced a popular revolution on 22 March 1848, known as the "Five Days of Milan", which resulted in the Austrians fleeing from Milan and the formation of a provisional government. The Austrians, led by Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky, regained control of Milan and Venice in 1849.

Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria ruled the kingdom for the rest of its existence. After the Second Italian War of Independence and the defeat in the Battle of Solferino in 1859, Austria was forced to cede Lombardy to the Kingdom of Sardinia. The capital of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was relocated to Venice. However, the remaining territory of Venetia and Mantua fell to the Kingdom of Italy in 1866 after the Third Italian War of Independence. The territory was formally transferred from Austria to France and then handed over to Italy on 19 October 1866.

Modena, a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, was part of the Duchy of Modena and Reggio, which was a separate entity under Habsburg rule. The Duchy of Modena was ruled by the House of Austria-Este, a secundogeniture of the Austrian Imperial family. In 1771, the Archduke Ferdinand, son of Empress Maria Theresa, married the princess Beatrix of Este, heiress of Modena, bringing the duchy into the Habsburg family. The Duchy of Modena remained an independent state under Habsburg rule until it was annexed by the revolutionary Savoyard Kingdom of Italy in 1859.

Modena was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1860

The Kingdom of Sardinia was ruled by the House of Savoy, and was a country in Southern Europe from the late 13th century until the mid-19th century. The Kingdom united the island of Sardinia with the mainland possessions of the House of Savoy, including the Principality of Piedmont and the County of Nice.

In 1858, Felice Orsini, an Italian, led an attempt on the life of Napoleon III. This assassination attempt brought widespread sympathy for Italian unity and influenced Napoleon III to support Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria. In 1859, France and the Kingdom of Sardinia signed a military alliance, with France agreeing to support Sardinia's efforts to expel Austria from Italy. The Second Italian War of Independence was fought in 1859, with the Austrian invasion being stopped by the arrival of French troops in Piedmont. The Austrian defeat at the Battle of Magenta and the Franco-Sardinian victory at the Battle of Solferino resulted in the signing of the Armistice of Villafranca on 12 July 1859.

Austria ceded Lombardy to France, which in turn gave it to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Exploiting the collapse of Austrian power in Italy, the Kingdom of Sardinia annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy on 22 March 1860. This included the Duchy of Modena, along with the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Parma, and part of the Papal Legations.

The Kingdom of Sardinia, with its capital in Turin, thus expanded its territories and influence in the region. This marked a significant step towards the unification of Italy, with the Kingdom of Sardinia playing a pivotal role in driving the unification process.

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