Wi33 Cosimo Gheradini/Gherardini was the son of Otterus Gheradini b 840 d c 900 Florence Italy
| Baptized
Born c 870 in Florence Italy Married: Died: d c 950 Florence. Buried: Cosimo Gheradini was first Grand Duke of Florence supposedly of the Ferrara-Modena branch of the House D'Este, the younger branch penetrating to the Teutonic domains of Charlemagne to found the royal families of Brunswick and Hanover in what is now Germany. But the information to the right on this family does not show exactly where he fits in. |
The Estensi were a branch of the great 10th-century dynasty of the Obertenghi, which held power and wealth in Lunigiana, Genoa, and Milan and which also gave rise to the feudal houses of the Malaspina, the Pallavicini, and the margraves of Massa and Parodi. Subsequently, after various vicissitudes, the members of the Obertenghi dynasty removed to the lands of the Venetians, where they had estates at Este, Monselice, Rovigo, and Friuli. The Estensi took their name from the township and castle of Este, 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Padua, and the true founder of the family was the margrave Alberto Azzo II (died 1097). From his son Welf IV, duke of Bavaria, there began a related branch that gave origin to the dukes of Bavaria, Brunswick, and Lüneburg, as well as the electors of Hanover. Another son, Ugo, tried without success to establish in France, while a third son, Folco I (died c. 1136), became second in line in the house of Este. Neither he nor his successor, Obizzo I (died 1193), however, achieved any great distinction, beyond the offices and titles that fell naturally to the upper feudal families, but it was during the lifetime of Obizzo I that the Estensi first acquired political importance in Ferrara, through the marriage of his son (Azzo V, who predeceased him) to the heiress of one of the two great and rival families of Ferrara. Obizzo was succeeded by his grandson, Azzo VI, who acquired considerable authority in the city, though his premature death in 1212 left the family temporarily weakened. Not until 1240 did a descendant, Azzo VII, return to power in the city, in alliance with the Guelf league formed by Pope Gregory IX. This marked the true beginning of Este rule in Ferrara. |
| His son:
Wi32 Matthias Gheradini b 900 Florence |
The Obertenghi were a family of Italian nobility descended from Count Obert I of Luni, the first margrave of Milan and Eastern Liguria, a march called the marca Januensis, marca Obertenga or march of Genoa. Early in 951, Berengar II of Italy finished the reorganisation of the Italian feudal structure begun by his predecessor Hugh. He named three new margraves to three new territories: Aleram, Count of Vercelli, he named margrave of Western Liguria: (Vercelli, Monferrato, Ceva, Acqui Terme, Oneglia, Albenga) (marca Aleramica); Arduin Glaber was elevated from count to margrave of Turin: (Torino, Ivrea, Maritime Alps, Nice, Ventimiglia, Sanremo) (the marca Arduinica); Obert I margrave of Milan and count of Luni, was given the new marca Obertenga, Milan and Eastern Liguria. Eastern Liguria at this time contained the counties of Genoa, Luni, Tortona, Bobbio, Parma and Piacenza, Modena and Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Ascoli Piceno. The Obertenghi margraviate was the source of the fiefs of the Este, Pallavicini, Vicini, Malaspina, Fieschi, Della Torre, Visconti of Gallura, Parodi, Pinelli, Lupi, Massa, Della Berardenga, Cavalcabò, Adalbertina, etc. |