Francis IV, Duke of Modena

Francis IV Joseph Charles Ambrose Stanislaus (Italian: Francesco IV Giuseppe Carlo Ambrogio Stanislao d'Asburgo-Este; 6 October 1779 – 21 January 1846) was Duke of Modena, Reggio, and Mirandola (from 1815), Duke of Massa and Prince of Carrara (from 1829), Archduke of Austria-Este, Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Biography
Francis was born in Milan. His father was Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este, Duke of Breisgau, his mother Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este, Duchess of Massa and Princess of Carrara, Lady of Lunigiana.

He was a grandson of Maria Theresa of Austria, head of the House of Habsburg, and was heir to the Modenese branch of the House of Este through his mother. He thus became the first member of the House of Habsburg-Este to rule the Este inheritance in Northern Italy.

Francis is distinguished for his stern and tyrannic rule by which he repressed all the democratic movements appearing during his reign, particularly following a major revolt in 1830. The harshness of the Ducal policies are illustrated by the hanging of Ciro Menotti for an attempted insurrection against the Duke (1831).

Family
In 1812 Francis married his niece the Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy, who was the daughter of his sister Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria-Este and King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia. The couple had four children:


 * Maria Theresa (1817–1886), married Henri, comte de Chambord.
 * Francis V, Duke of Modena (1819–1875), married Princess Adelgunde of Bavaria.
 * Ferdinand Karl (1821–1849), married Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria. Father of Maria Theresia, Archduchess of Austria-Este.
 * Maria Beatrix (1824–1906), married Juan, Count of Montizón.

Titles and styles

 * 6 October 1779 – 24 December 1806 His Royal Highness Archduke Francis of Austria-Este
 * 24 December 1806 – 14 July 1814 His Royal Highness The Archduke of Austria-Este
 * 14 July 1814 – 21 January 1846 His Royal Highness The Duke of Modena, Archduke of Austria-Este