Ercole III d'Este
| Ercole III d'Este | |||||
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| Duke of Modena | |||||
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| Born | 22 November 1727 Ducal Palace of Modena, Modena |
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| Died | 14 October 1803 (aged 75) Treviso, Duchy of Treviso |
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| Spouse |
Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, Duchess of Massa Chiara Marini |
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| Issue Detail |
Maria Beatrice, Duchess of Massa | ||||
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| Father | Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena | ||||
| Mother | Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans | ||||
| Full name | |
|---|---|
| Ercole Rinaldo d'Este |
Ercole III d'Este (Ercole Rinaldo; 22 November 1727 – 14 October 1803) was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1780 to 1796. He was a member of the House of Este.
He was born in Modena, the son of Duke Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena and Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans, daughter of Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans and Regent of France. He was the couple's fourth child and had an older sister Maria Teresa and two brothers who died before his birth.
In 1741 he married Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, by which he annexed the Duchy of Massa and Carrara to the Este territories. When his parents succeeded as rulers of Modena, he was styled His Royal Highness the Hereditary Prince of Modena (1737–1780) and after 1780, His Royal Highness the Duke of Modena.
Generally appreciated by his subjects (he sometimes spoke in Modenese dialect with them), and continued the reform begun by his father. He built the two bridges at Rubiera and St. Ambrogio at Modena on the Via Emilia, and built new roads connecting to the neighbouring states. In 1785 he founded the Atesine Academy of Fine Arts: during his reign arts and culture flourished, and among his protegées were Lazzaro Spallanzani, Giambattista Venturi, Girolamo Tiraboschi, Lodovico Ricci and others.
After the death of his wife in 1790, he married morganatically in 1795 with his long-time mistress Chiara Marini (d. Treviso, 1800), whom he invested with title of Marchioness of Scandiano (only formally, without any authentic rule over this land).
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