Azzo VI (Italian: Arco) (1170 – November 1212), known as Azzolino, was the Marquis of Este (marchio Eystensis) from the death of his father, Azzo V, in 1190 until his death. He was heavily involved in the Guelph politics of Lombardy in the first decade of the 13th century, serving as podestà of Ferrara (1196, 1205, and 1208), Padua (1199), Verona (1206–1207), and Mantua (1207–1208 and 1210–1211). On 20 January 1210 he was created Marquis of Ancona and Count of Loreto by the Emperor Otto IV. On 10 May 1212 this was reaffirmed by Pope Innocent III.
Azzo's court was a cultural centre in northern Italy, drawing poets and artists from afar. He played host and patron to the troubadours Aimeric de Peguilhan, Peire Raimon de Tolosa, and Rambertino Buvalelli. Rambertino celebrated Azzo's daughter Beatrice in all of his love songs, an overtly political act in the climate of the times.
In his capacity as a leading Guelph condottiero Azzo fought a prolonged war with Salinguerra Torelli. In 1205 he conquered and razed the castle of Frotta, residence of Salinguerra. His opponent responded by allying with Ezzelino II da Romano and drove Azzo away, but the next year (1206) he had reconquered Frotta and held it until 1209.
Azzo's first wife Elisa, a daughter of a count Aldobrandino, was dead by 1192, by which time he had remarried to a daughter of Humbert III of Savoy, named either Sophia or Eleanor (as per the epitaph of their daughter Beatrice). She died on 3 December 1202. On 22 February 1204 Azzo married for the third time to Alice (also called Alix), daughter of Reynald de Châtillon, Prince of Antioch. While Alberic de Trois-Fontaines calls Aleydem marchionis Eystensis in Italia as the third of the three daughters of Raynaldus de Castellione uxor ... relictam principis Raymundi, that is, by Reynald's first wife, the daughter of Raymond of Antioch, it is unlikely that Alice could have been born before 1167, the latest possible date for Reynald's first wife's death. She was more likely the daughter of Reynald's last wife, Stephanie de Milly.
By his first wife, Azzo had a son, Aldobrandino I, who succeeded his father in 1212. By his second wife he had his only daughter, the aforementioned Beatrice, later Abbess of Monte Gemmola. By his third and last wife he left a son, Azzo VII, who eventually succeeded his elder brother and became head of the family.
In a contemporary vernacular vita of his daughter, the biography sums up Azzo's character and reputation: "he was beautiful of form, almost more than all other men. A prudent yet daring man, valiant in feats of arms and of perspicacious learning: a wise and marvellous conversationalist."[1] Azzo is also mentioned in the third canto of Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, where the sorceress is telling Bradamant of his illustrious descendants:
Here is another Azzo; Verona shall be his, with its fair territory; and to him shall the Fourth Otto and Honorius II grant the title of Marquis of Ancona. It would tak me all too long were I to show you every one of your descendants who shall be standard-bearer at the Consistory, or were I to relate every exploit accomplished by them for the Church of Rome.[2]
| Preceded by Folco I |
Marquis of Este 1209–1212 |
Succeeded by Azzo VII |
| Lord of Ferrara 1209–1212 |