Este Italian noble family, rulers of Ferrara (1240–1597), Modena and Reggio (1288–1796). The origins of the family, probably Langobardian, date back from the 9th century. This family produced also the ancestor of the second family of Guelf (Welf) in Germany, Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria, Dukes of Brunswick and Luneburg, Electors of Hanover and Kings of Hanover. The Este family took its name in the 12th century, from the castle of Este, near Padua.

Azzo d'Este II (996-1097), was the founder of the family in Italy and builder of its castle. He received the investiture from the Emperor. His son, Welf d'Este IV (d 1101) became the heir of his maternal uncle, Welf III, and succeeded him as the Duke of Carinthia, which was changed 1070 as duke of Bavaria.

The Italian branch of Este continued by other sons of Azzo II. Later generations descend from his third son Fulco d'Este. Obizzo d'Este I (d 1193), first Margrave of Este, battled against Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa. His nephew Azzo d'Este VI (1170-1212) became podesta of Mantova and Verona. Ferrara was taken by his son Azzo d'Este VII (1205-1264). Obizzo d'Este II (d 1293) was proclaimed Lord of Ferrara in 1264, Lord of Modena 1288 and Lord of Reggio 1289. Ferrara being a papal fief, the Este family were given papal vicar position 1332.

Under Niccolò d'Este III (1384-1441) Ferrara became a significant center of culture, which was continued by his successors, for example Leonello d'Este (1407-1450) and Borso d'Este (1413-1471). Borso received 1452 the title of Duke of Modena and Reggio from Emperor Frederick III and 1471 the title of Duke of ferrara from Pope Paul II. Ercole d'Este I (1431-1505) had daughters Beatrice d'Este (1475-1497) who married with Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milano, and Isabella d'Este (1474-1539) with Francesco Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua.

Ercole I's successor was his son Alfonso d'Este I (1476-1534), third husband of Lucrezia Borgia. Alfonso's son Ercole d'Este II (1508-1559) married with Renée, daughter of Louis XII of France. Ercole II's son Alfonso d'Este II (1533-1597) was the last legitimate male descendant of the family. Emperor Rudolph II recognized his cousin Cesare d'Este (1533-1628) as the heir, but the Pope annexed Ferrara.

The last duke of the direct line, Ercole III d'Este, was deposed in 1796 by the French as his Italian principality was incorporated into the Cisalpine Republic, later Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. However in 1814, when the French rule was abolished in Italy (but after the death of Duke Ercole), Modena was returned to his daughter Mary Beatrice d'Este and her son Archduke Francis of Austria-Este. Duke Ercole III was compensated with the principality of Breisgau, located in Southern Germany. Its former rulers, Habsburgs ceded this province to him, in anticipation of it falling eventually to the Habsburg family again, since Ercole's daughter was married to a cadet Habsburg, Archduke Ferdinand. Duke Ercole died in 1803 and Breisgau was inherited by his daughter (and her husband), who soon (1805) lost it to the enlarging Grand Duchy of Baden.

The family ruled the Duchy of Modena and Reggio again from 1814 to 1859, using the names Asburgo-Este (Hapsburg-Este) and Austria-Este. The principality lost its independence to the new united Italy, and Francesco V, the last duke was deposed.

The family of Austria-Este became extinct in male line with the death of Duke Francis V in 1875. His heir general and heir-of-the-blood was his niece, Archduchess Mary Theresa of Austria-Este (died 1919), who then was married with Prince Louis of Bavaria (they later became King and Queen of Bavaria). The Este family continues in their descendants, and the present heir is Francis, Duke of Bavaria. However, Francis V, Duke of Modena had decided to retain the Este name in the Habsburg family, and thus willed his inheritance to the line of Archduke Charles Louis, younger brother to then Emperor Francis Joseph, on condition that the heir uses the name Austria-Este. The first "adoptee" was Archduke Francis Ferdinand, b 1863 (not descended from Mary Beatrice d'Este), who took the name Austria-Este, and also in 1896 became the heir presumptive of the Austrian Empire, but was murdered 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo. Since his own children were born in morganatic marriage (Hohenberg ), the Habsburgs designated his soon-to-be born great-nephew Robert, b 8 Feb 1915, second son of the future emperor Charles, as the next "adopted Austria-Este". Through his mother Zita of Parma (a great-granddaughter of Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Lucca and Parma, who was daughter of Teresa of Modena, Queen of Sardinia, who was daughter of Mary Beatrice d'Este and Ferdinand of Austria, Duchess and Duke of Breisgau and Modena), Robert happened to be a descendant of Ercole d'Este III and thus the blood of last Este dukes joined again with the name Austria-Este. Today, the carrier of such tradition is the eldest son of Archduke Robert of Austria-Este (who died 1996), Archduke Lorenz Otto Charles of Austria-Este, born 1955, who is married with Princess Astrid of Belgium, the only daughter of King Albert II of the Belgians. Since Kingdom of Belgium is inheritable also by females (and males do not have any precedence over females), Princess Astrid is the heiress of Belgium immediately after the issue of Crown Prince Philip. As such, her husband Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este was in 1995 elevated to the additional title of Prince of Belgium. The children of the couple are since 1991 titled Archduke (Archduchess) of Austria-Este and Prince(ss) of Belgium. Eldest of these is Archduke and Prince Amadeus of Austria-Este and Belgium, born 1986.

see also:

List of Dukes of Ferrara and of Modena List of Dukes of Modena

Estë is a Vala in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.