Obertenghi

The House of Obertenghi was an Italian noble family of Longobard origin. The family rose to prominence in the 10th and 11th centuries. It traced its lineage to Viscount Adalbert III, a Frankish noble and the first Margrave of Milan, who established the family's authority in Northern Italy. The dynasty played a foundational role in the creation of the Marca Obertenga, a vast frontier territory of the Holy Roman Empire that encompassed much of present-day Northwest Italy and parts of Switzerland. The Obertenghi were the progenitors of several important dynasties, including the House of Este, the House of Welf, and later the House of Hanover.