Francis V, Duke of Modena

Francis V
Portrait byLuigi Manzini
Duke of Modena and Reggio
Reign	21 January 1846 – 11 June 1859
Predecessor	Francis IV, Duke of Modena
Successor	Habsburg monarchy abolished byRisorgimento
Born	(1819-06-01)1 June 1819 Modena,Duchy of Modena
Died	20 November 1875(1875-11-20)(aged 56) Vienna,Austria-Hungary
Burial	Capuchin Church, Vienna
Spouse	Adelgunde of Bavaria ​ ​ (m.1842)​
Issue	Archduchess Anna Beatrice
Names Italian:Francesco Ferdinando Geminiano
House	Austria-Este
Father	Francis IV of Modena
Mother	Maria Beatrice of Savoy
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Francis V, Duke of Modena, Reggio and Guastalla, Archduke of Austria-Este, Royal Prince ofHungaryandBohemia,Duke ofMirandolaand ofMassa,Prince ofCarrara(Italian:Francesco Ferdinando Geminiano d'Asburgo-Lorena;1 June 1819 – 20 November 1875) was a reigning prince. He wasDuke of Modena,Reggio,andMirandola,Duke ofGuastallafrom 1847 and Duke ofMassaand Prince ofCarrarafrom 1846 to 1859. His parents wereFrancis IV of Modenaand PrincessMaria Beatrice of Savoy.He was the last reigning duke of Modena before theduchywas incorporated into theKingdom of Italy.

Life and legacy

Obelisk erected inReggio Emiliato celebrate the marriage of the Duke with PrincessAdelgunde of Bavaria

Francis was baptised 5 days after birth by the local archbishop in the local cathedral; EmperorFrancis I of Austria,the formerHoly Roman Emperor,was his godfather, but his uncle ArchdukeFerdinandacted as proxy for the emperor.

In 1826Francis IV of ModenaappointedCount Clemente Coroninias tutor to Francis, withDon Pietro Raffaelli,who would later become Bishop ofCarpiand Reggio, as his assistant. In 1829, Baron Ernest Geramb became Francis' new tutor.

On 15 September 1836, Francis became a Knight of the AustrianOrder of the Golden Fleece,and 3 years later he received the Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Netherlands Lion.

After the death of his mother in 1840, Francis was considered the legitimate heir to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland byJacobitesasFrancis I.At his death his younger brother's daughterMaria Theresia of Austria-Estebecame Jacobite claimant.

Francis V, Duke of Modena.

On 30 March 1842, Francis married PrincessAdelgunde of Bavaria,daughter of KingLudwig I of Bavaria,in theAllerheiligen-Hofkircheat theMunich Residenz.The Archbishop of Munich-Freising was the chief officiant of the wedding. The couple had only one child, Princess Anna Beatrice (19 October 1848 inGries,Bolzano– 8 July 1849 inModena).

In 1842, Francis received another order: theOrder of the Most Holy Annunciation.

At the death of his fatherFrancis IV of Modenaon 21 January 1846, Francis succeeded as reigning duke of Modena. As member of acadet branchof the House ofHabsburg-Lorrainehe also bore the titles of anArchduke of Austriaand a Prince Royal ofHungaryandBohemiafrom birth; from his father he inherited also the titles ofDuke of ReggioandMirandola,Duke ofMassa,Prince ofCarraraandLunigiana.At the death of his cousin the DuchessMarie-Louiseof Parma on 18 December 1847, he succeeded asDuke of Guastalla.

During therevolutions of 1848,Francis was forced to flee his duchy by a popular uprising and was restored by Austrian troops in the following year.

In 1855, Francis established his own new order: theOrder of the Eagle of Este,of which he acted asGrand Master.

In 1859 theDuchy of Modenawas invaded by armies ofFranceandSardiniain theSecond Italian War of Independence.On 14 June, Francis fled and the duchy was incorporated into theUnited Provinces of Central Italy.On 18 March 1860, KingVictor Emanuel IIof Sardinia ordered Modena to be incorporated into the newKingdom of Italy.Francis protested against this four days later.

After the loss of his duchy, Francis withdrew toVienna,where he lived in thePalais Modena.He also had a summer residence atSchloss WildenwartinBavaria.Although he spent most of his time in Austria he occasionally traveled and in 1864 he visited the Middle East.

On 7 March 1861,William Ewart Gladstone,the BritishChancellor of the Exchequer,made a verbal attack against Francis in the House of Commons, primarily accusing Francis of having violated criminal procedure by imposing excessive punishments.Constantine Phipps, Marquis of Normanbypublished a book later that year rebutting all of Gladstone's charges against Francis.

Francis died at Vienna on 20 November 1875. He left most of his huge estate to his 1st cousin twice removedArchduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria,who subsequently used the title Archduke ofAustria-Estein keeping with the strict terms of the will. Francis's remains were kept at theCapuchin Church in Vienna.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Francis V, Duke of Modena

8.Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor 4.Ferdinand Karl, Archduke of Austria-Este 9.Maria Theresa of Austria 2.Francis IV, Duke of Modena 10.Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena 5.Maria Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Massa 11.Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, Duchess of Massa 1.Francis V, Duke of Modena 12.Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia 6.Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia 13.Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain 3.Maria Beatrice of Savoy 14.Ferdinand Karl, Archduke of Austria-Este(= 4) 7.Maria Theresa of Austria-Este 15.Maria Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Massa(= 5)

Bibliography

• Giornale della Reale Ducale Brigata Estense,Ristampa anastatica Aedes Muratoriana, Modena 1977
• Gian Carlo Montanari,I Fedelissimi del Duca – La Brigata Estense,Edizioni il Fiorino, Modena 1995
• Elena Bianchini Braglia,In esilio con il Duca,Il Cerchio Iniziative Editoriali, Rimini 2007.ISBN88-8474-134-3
• Nicola Guerra, "I filoestensi apuani durante il processo di unita' nazionale" inRassegna storica Toscana,2003

External links

• Luigi Villari(1911)."Francis V. of Modena".Encyclopædia Britannica(11th ed.).