Alberto Azzo II (997 or July 10, 1009, in

Modena Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...

– August 20, 1097, in Modena),

Margrave of Milan The March of Genoa or Eastern Liguria was created in 961 by the Emperor Otto I. It was originally called either the ''marca Obertenga'' after its first holder, Oberto I, or the ''marca Januensis'' after its original capital and chief city, Genoa. ...

, and

Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...

, Count of Gavello,

Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of t ...

, Rovigo, Lunigiana, Monselice, and

Montagnana Montagnana is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Padova, in Veneto (northern Italy). Neighbouring communes are Borgo Veneto, Casale di Scodosia, Urbana, Bevilacqua, Pojana Maggiore, Pressana, Minerbe and Roveredo di Guà. , the populati ...

, was a powerful nobleman in the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

. He is considered the founder of Casa d'Este (

House of Este The House of Este ( , , ) is a European dynasty of North Italian origin whose members ruled parts of Italy and Germany for many centuries. The original House of Este's elder branch, which is known as the House of Welf, included dukes of Bavaria ...

), having been head of the first family to be master of

Este Este may refer to: Geography * Este (woreda), a district in Ethiopia * Este, Veneto, a town in Italy * Este (Málaga), a district in Spain * Este (river), a river in Germany * Este (São Pedro), a parish in Portugal * Este (São Mamede), a par ...

, a town of Padua.

Life

Alberto Azzo II was the only son of Albert Azzo I, Margrave of Milan and

Adela of Milan Adela of Milan (c. 975 – after 1012) was a northern Italian noblewoman. Through her marriage to Albert Azzo I, Margrave of Milan, Adela was Margravine of Milan. Life Adela's parents and dynasty are unknown, although it has been suggested that s ...

. He inherited his father's offices around 1029, and continually increased his properties in northern Italy. Around 1073 he made a castle at

his residence, from which the

took its name. Before his building project, Este was little more than a village. In the

Investiture Controversy The Investiture Controversy, also called Investiture Contest ( German: ''Investiturstreit''; ), was a conflict between the Church and the state in medieval Europe over the ability to choose and install bishops (investiture) and abbots of monas ...

between

Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV (german: Heinrich IV; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the ...

, and Pope Gregory VII, Azzo attempted to mediate, but later he joined the side of the pope.

First marriage

Azzo II married

Kunigunde Kunigunde, Kunigunda, or Cunigunde, is a European female name of German origin derived from "kuni" (clan, family) and "gund" (war). In Polish this is sometimes Kunegunda or Kinga. People with such names include: * Kunigunde of Rapperswil (c. early ...

(also called Chuniza), the daughter of Welf II, Count of Altdorf, in 1035/6. Azzo's son with Chuniza, Welf, moved first to Carinthia and then to Bavaria, giving rise to one of the most important families in European history, the Guelphs. Albert Azzo II tomb - Vangadizza Abbey - Badia Polesine

Albert Azzo II tomb - Vangadizza Abbey - Badia Polesine

With his first wife, Chuniza, Azzo had: * Welf (died November 6, 1101, Paphos) Duke of Bavaria from 1070 to 1077 and from 1096 to his death who was the first member of the Welf branch of the

Second marriage

Around 1050, Azzo married again, to Garsende, daughter of Herbert I, Count of Maine. In 1069–1070, he tried to acquire

Maine Maine () is a U.S. state, state in the New England and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and territories of Canad ...

for his son Hugh, because his wife, Garsende, was a co-heiress of the previous counts of Maine. With his second wife, Garsende, Azzo had: * Fulco I, Margrave of Milan (died 1128), ancestor of the Italian branch of the House of Este made the first documented use of the title "Marquis d'Este." * Hugh V, Count of Maine (died 1131), was declared count of Maine, but he could not prevail against Robert, the Duke of Normandy. Some sources say he also married Vitalia Orseolo, daughter of Peter Orseolo. They had a daughter: Itta. He had an extra-marital affair with, or perhaps married, Matilda, sister of William/Guglielmo, Bishop of Pavia (r.1069-1102/3), with whom he had a daughter named Adelasia, who married Guglielmo Adelardi.

Death

Alberto Azzo II lived to at least his 90s. He died in August 1097 at the monastery of Vangadizza (

Badia Polesine Badia Polesine is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rovigo in the Italian region Veneto, located about southwest of Venice and about west of Rovigo. It is part of the upper Polesine, and is bounded by the Adige river, which sep ...

), where he was buried.L.A. Muratori, ''Della antichità estensi'', p. 316
.

Notes

References

*H. Bresslau, ''Jahrbücher des deutschen Reiches unter Konrad II.'' vol. 1 (Leipzig, 1879). * * * * * *

External links

(in German)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Albert Azzo 02, Margrave of Milan House of Este 11th-century Italian nobility Year of birth uncertain 1097 deaths