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 : see" Ramo Tortorici". 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 Most Serene Ducal and Comital House of Este Orioles and the Duke Antonino V have been accredited to the Corps of the Nobility of Cantabria in a solemn ceremony held in Santander (capital of the Region of Cantabria) on 9 March 2024. The Most Serene Ducal and Comital House of Este Orioles holds the Lieutenancy General for Italy of the Institution.
The Magistral Council of the Corps of the Nobility of Cantabria includes Imperial and Royal Princes belonging to and descended from the most ancient and noble families of Europe and another pretender of the Dukedom of Modena & Reggio:
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His Imperial and Royal Highness Don Carlo Filippo of Habsburg-Lorraine and Arenberg, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia.
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Her Imperial and Royal Highness Donna Anna Clara of Habsburg-Lorraine, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia.
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His Imperial and Royal Highness Don Martino of Austria-Este, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Modena.
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Don Enrique de Borbón y García de Lóbez, of the Dukes of Seville, Grand Master of the IH Order of Charles V and of the Spanish Heraldic Society.
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.
