Rinaldo d'Este (shortly after 1221 – c. 1251) was a member of the

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 ...

. He was the son of

Azzo VII d'Este Azzo VII d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara (also known as ''Novello''; 1205 – 16 February 1264) was marquis of Ferrara from 1215 to 1222, and again from 1240 until his death. The son of Azzo VI d'Este and a noblewoman from the Aldobrandeschi family, ...

Marquis of Ferrara This is a list of rulers of the estates owned by the House of Este, Este family, which main line of Marquesses (''Marchesi d'Este'') rose in 1039 with Albert Azzo II, Margrave of Milan. The name "Este" is related to the city where the family came ...

, from his first marriage c. 1221 to Giovanna (+1233). Azzo VII became the leader of the

Guelph Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as The Royal City, it is roughly east of Kitchener, Ontario, Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Ontario Highway 6, ...

forces against Frederick II Hohenstaufen, King of Germany. He captured Ferrara from

Ezzelino III da Romano Ezzelino III da Romano (25 April 1194, Tombolo, Veneto, Tombolo7 October 1259) was an Italian feudal lord, a member of the Ezzelini family, in the March of Treviso (in modern Veneto). He was a close ally of the emperor Frederick II, Holy Roman ...

and his Ghibelline troops. He became Marquis (Margrave) of Ferrara. Rinaldo was the only son and heir. He married Adelaide, but she was barren. He had a relation to a Neapolitan laundress and an illegitimate child by her, Obizzo, born c. 1247. Soon after the birth, Obizzo and his mother were expelled from Ferrara; they settled in

Ravenna Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...

. In 1238 Rinaldo and his wife were captured by Frederick II and died as prisoners in

Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...

in 1251. They were poisoned. Azzo VII had three daughters but no other sons to continue his line, and thus saw in Obizzo the only chance of survival of the House of Este. Obizzo's mother was drowned in the Adriatic; shortly after, Obizzo was legitimized by

Pope Innocent IV Pope Innocent IV (; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254. Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universities of Parma and Bolo ...

, in 1252. He finally succeeded his grandfather in 1264 as Marquis of Ferrara.

Family

In c. 1233 Rinaldo married Adelaide di Romano (+1251), daughter of Alberigo di Romano. He had no children. From an illegitimate relation to a Neapolitan laundress he had one natural son: * Obizzo II d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara (c. 1247 – 1293).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rinaldo d'Este Obizzo 2 Assassinated Italian people 13th-century Italian nobility People from Ferrara Medieval assassinated people 1250s deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain it:Rinaldo I d'Este