FRANCIS IV, DUKE OF MODENA

(Redirected from Francis IV of Modena)

'Francis IV Joseph Charles Ambrose Stanislaus' (Italian: 'Francesco IV Giuseppe Carlo Ambrogio Stanislao d'Absburgo-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.
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.
Francis is distinguished for his bloody and tyrannic rule by which he repressed all the democratic movements appearing during his reign. The atrocities of the Ducal policies are illustrated in the book ''Ciro Menotti e i suoi compagni'' written by the Garibaldine officer Taddeo Gaddi in 1880, in particular the hanging of Menotti for an attempted insurrection against the Duke (1831).

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Family

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Family

In 1812 Francis married the Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy, who was the daughter of King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia. The couple had four children:

★ Maria Theresa (1817-1886), married Henri, comte de Chambord.

★ Francis V, Duke of Modena (1819-1875, married Princess Adelgunde of Bavaria.

★ Ferdinand Karl (1821-1849), married Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria. Father of Maria Theresia, Archduchess of Austria-Este.

★ Maria Beatrix (1824-1906), married Juan, Count of Montizón.

See also

★ List of Dukes of Modena

★ House of Este

★ Modena