Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara
| Alfonso II d'Este | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio | |
 Alfonso II d'Este by Girolamo da Carpi | |
| Spouse(s) |
Lucrezia di Cosimo de' Medici Barbara of Austria Margherita Gonzaga |
| Noble family | House of Este |
| Father | Ercole II d'Este |
| Mother | Renée of France |
| Born | 22 November 1533 |
| Died |
27 October 1597 (aged 63) Ferrara |
Alfonso II d'Este (22 November 1533 – 27 October 1597) was Duke of Ferrara from 1559 to 1597. He was a member of the House of Este.
Biography
He was the elder son of Ercole II d'Este and Renée de France, the daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne of Brittany.
As a young man, he fought in the service of Henry II of France against the Habsburgs. Soon after his accession, he was forced by Pope Pius IV to send back his mother to France due to her Calvinist creed. The 1570 Ferrara earthquake fell into his reign. In 1583 he allied with Emperor Rudolf II in the war against the Turks in Hungary.
Marriages
He married three times:
- On 3 July 1558, Alfonso married his first wife Lucrezia di Cosimo de' Medici (14 February 1545 – 21 April 1561), a daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Eleonora di Toledo. She died two years afterwards; poisoning has been suspected, although it is now thought that she died of tuberculosis.[1]
- On 5 December 1565, Alfonso married his second wife Barbara of Austria (30 April 1539 - 19 September 1572), eighth daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary.
- On 24 February 1579, Alfonso married his third wife Margherita Gonzaga (27 May 1564 - 6 January 1618). She was the eldest daughter of William I, Duke of Mantua and Eleonora of Austria. Margherita was the niece of his second wife Barbara.
He had no known children, legitimate or otherwise.
Succession
The legitimate line ended in 1597 with him. Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor recognized as heir his cousin Cesare d'Este, member of a cadet branch, who continued to rule in the imperial duchies and carried on the family name. The succession, however, was recognized only by the Emperor but not by the Popes. In 1598 Ferrara was therefore incorporated into the Papal States by Pope Clement VIII, on grounds of doubtful legitimacy.
Patron of the arts and sciences
Alfonso II raised the glory of Ferrara to its highest point, and was the patron of Torquato Tasso, Giovanni Battista Guarini, and Cesare Cremonini—favouring the arts and sciences, as the princes of his house had always done. Luzzasco Luzzaschi served as his court organist.
In addition, he was the sponsor of the Concerto delle donne, a type of group which was to be copied all over Italy. He also restored the Castello Estense, damaged by an earthquake in 1570.
His expenses, however, went at damage of the public treasure.
Ancestors
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Trivia
Some specialists claim that Alfonso II is the duke upon whom Robert Browning based his poem My Last Duchess.
References
- ↑ Murphy, Caroline P. Murder of a Medici Princess. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-19-531439-7
External links
- Illustrious people (English)
| Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara Born: 22 November 1533 Died: 27 October 1597 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ercole II |
Duke of Modena and Reggio 1559–1597 |
Succeeded by Cesare |
| Preceded by Ercole II |
Duke of Ferrara 1559–1597 |
Succeeded by The Papal States |
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