Maria d'Este
Encyclopedia
Maria d'Este was a Modenese princess and Duchess of Parma as the wife of Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma
. She was a daughter of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and Maria Caterina Farnese
.
.
. A member of the House of Este, she was a princess of Modena by birth.
In order to cement relations between the House of Farnese, Maria's older sister Isabella d'Este had been married to Ranuccio Farnese, Duke of Parma
, son of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma and Margherita de' Medici
in 1664. Isabella died in 1666 as a result of childbirth. In order to preserve the union between the two ducal houses, the unmarried Maria became Ranuccio's next consort.
In Modena on 1 October 1668 she was duly married to the widowed Ranuccio Farnese. The marriage produced seven children; she also had two stillborn children. Out of the seven, three survived infancy, however none of them went on to have further children.
Maria died in Parma at the age of 39. Her husband survived her by ten years. Her two youngest sons, Francesco
and Antonio
, each became the Duke of Parma. Antonio was the last member of the House of Farnese, the duchy of Parma going to the Spanish
House of Bourbon
in 1731.
Maria was buried at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata
in Parma on 21 August 1684. She has no surviving descendants.
Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ranuccio II Farnese was the sixth Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1646 until his death nearly 50 years later.-Birth and Succession:...
. She was a daughter of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and Maria Caterina Farnese
Maria Caterina Farnese
Maria Caterina Farnese was a member of the Ducal House of Farnese. She was the Duchess of Modena as the first wife of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena...
.
Family
Maria was the eight child and fourth daughter of Francesco I d'Este, the reigning Duke of Modena since 1629. Her mother was a daughter of Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of ParmaRanuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ranuccio I Farnese reigned as Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Castro from 1592. A firm believer in absolute monarchy, Ranuccio, in 1594, centralised the administration of Parma and Piacenza, thus rescinding the nobles' hitherto vast prerogative...
.
Biography
Maria was born in Modena to Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and his consort Maria Caterina FarneseMaria Caterina Farnese
Maria Caterina Farnese was a member of the Ducal House of Farnese. She was the Duchess of Modena as the first wife of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena...
. A member of the House of Este, she was a princess of Modena by birth.
In order to cement relations between the House of Farnese, Maria's older sister Isabella d'Este had been married to Ranuccio Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ranuccio II Farnese, Duke of Parma
Ranuccio II Farnese was the sixth Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1646 until his death nearly 50 years later.-Birth and Succession:...
, son of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma and Margherita de' Medici
Margherita de' Medici
Margherita de' Medici was Duchess of Parma and Piacenza by her marriage to Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma...
in 1664. Isabella died in 1666 as a result of childbirth. In order to preserve the union between the two ducal houses, the unmarried Maria became Ranuccio's next consort.
In Modena on 1 October 1668 she was duly married to the widowed Ranuccio Farnese. The marriage produced seven children; she also had two stillborn children. Out of the seven, three survived infancy, however none of them went on to have further children.
Maria died in Parma at the age of 39. Her husband survived her by ten years. Her two youngest sons, Francesco
Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma
Francesco Farnese reigned as the seventh and penultimate Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1694 until his death...
and Antonio
Antonio Farnese, Duke of Parma
Antonio Farnese was the eighth and ultimate Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza. He married, in 1727, Enrichetta d'Este of Modena with the intention of begetting an heir; the marriage, however, was childless, leading to the succession of Charles of Spain–whose mother, Elisabeth Farnese, was...
, each became the Duke of Parma. Antonio was the last member of the House of Farnese, the duchy of Parma going to the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
in 1731.
Maria was buried at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata
Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata
The Shrine of Santa Maria della Steccata is a Greek-cross design Renaissance church in central Parma, Italy.-History:By 1392, the site held a small oratory to shelter a miraculous image of St. John the Baptist and was neighboring a religious confraternity that had an equally miraculous image of the...
in Parma on 21 August 1684. She has no surviving descendants.
Issue
- Isabella Francesca Maria Lucia Farnese (14 December 1668 - 9 July 1718). She was a Benedictine nun in Santa Maria di Campagna Monastery of Piacenza;
- Vittoria Maria Francesca Farnese (24 December 1669 - 15 September 1671);
- A son (24 June 1671 - 28 June 1671);
- Vittoria Farnese (19 November 1672);
- Caterina Farnese (19 November 1672), twin of Vittoria;
- A son (26 December 1674);
- Eleonora Farnese (1 September 1675 - 3 November 1675);
- Francesco Maria FarneseFrancesco Farnese, Duke of ParmaFrancesco Farnese reigned as the seventh and penultimate Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1694 until his death...
(19 May 1678 - 26 February 1727) succeeded as Duke of Parma; married Dorothea Sophie of the Palatinate, had issue; - Antonio Francesco FarneseAntonio Farnese, Duke of ParmaAntonio Farnese was the eighth and ultimate Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza. He married, in 1727, Enrichetta d'Este of Modena with the intention of begetting an heir; the marriage, however, was childless, leading to the succession of Charles of Spain–whose mother, Elisabeth Farnese, was...
, Duke of Parma (29 November 1679 - 20 January 1731) married Enrichetta d'EsteEnrichetta d'EsteEnrichetta d'Este was an Italian noblewoman. She was the Duchess of Parma by marriage to Antonio Farnese, Duke of Parma, who was her first cousin as well as an uncle of Elisabeth Farnese, Queen of Spain....
, no issue.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 8 December 1644 – 1 October 1668 Her Highness Maria d'Este, Princess of Modena
- 1 October 1668 – 20 August 1684 Her Highness The Duchess of Parma