The House of Este in Sicily
The Serenissima Ducale e Comitale Casa d’Este Orioles is a collateral agnatic branch of the House of Este. Along with the House of Habsburg-Este, they are the closest descendants to the main line of the House of Este of Modena and Reggio. In 1798, the legitimate descendant of the Family of Este Orioles, Antonino d’ Este Orioles, received a "Provvedimento di Giustizia" from the Duke of Modena Ercole III d’ Este, who was in exile in Venice. Ercole III granted Antonino d’ Este Orioles the Ducal Title and all its prerogatives.
Currently, the Head of the Este Orioles family is Duke Antonino V.
The House of Este
A Brief History
The history of the House of Este indicates that in the year 972, Oberto II, Lord d' Este, received the title of Marquis of Sicily and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. In the Norman era, Héria de Hauteville, daughter of Robert Guiscard and of Albegarda di Buonalbergo, married Ugo V of Maine, son of Albert Azzo II d’ Este and Garsenda of Maine. The link of d' Este family to those territories (which many centuries later would be called the "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies") continues with Ercole I d’ Este, raised at the Court of Naples, where he lived until 1462; he was the husband of Eleanor of Naples, daughter of the King of Naples, Ferdinand. It is from this marriage that in 1477, Ferrante or Ferdinand d’Este was born in Naples; his brothers were Alfonso I d’ Este, Cardinal Ippolito I, Giulio, and Isabella d’ Este, who married Francesco II Gonzaga. Ferrante d’ Este lived between Naples, Palermo and Rome, and was involved with his Brother Giulio, in what history identifies as "the conspiracy of Don Giulio d’ Este. It is, therefore, precisely in this milieu, as well as from the various branches of d' Este family, that the Marquisate of Scandiano and Principato of Montecchio, with Luigi I d’ Este originated, and it is in this milieu that the D'Este "Ramo di Tortorici" (the Sicilian branch of d' Este Family) originated.
