How exactly did Welf I of Bavaria 'found' the Younger House of Welf? Why isn't he simply considered an Este?
Forgive my lack of knowledge, I kind of thought Western European noble houses having their names/dynasties inherit matrilineally started in the Early Modern era with, say Maria Theresa of Austria and Francis II (and even then, the house would be called 'Habsburg-Lorraine') and later there were the House of Braganza that continued with Pedro V (whose father was from a branch of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) and Charles III of the UK, who is a (Mountbatten-(?)) Windsor. I'm not sure if this would've flown in mediaeval Europe.
So why do we know Welf I as the founder of the Younger House of Welf? My ignorant self just thought maybe it was a Salic law thing that that house is considered a cadet branch of the House of Este, while the 'Elder' House of Welf died out, it's just that the Younger Welves descended cognatically from the Elder Welves...?
Thanks.