Ferrante d'Este
Ferrante d'Este (19 September 1477,
Life
At Charles VIII's court
He was born in Naples, where his mother had gone into seclusion. He was christened on 7 October 1477 with
All the sources of the time agree in describing him as a beautiful young man of good intelligence, and he was even compared to Saint George.
Return to Ferrara
In 1498 he gained a
The Este brothers argued over a musician named don Rainaldo. He was in the service of
Conspiracy
In 1506 Ferrante, his half-brother Giulio and other nobles opposed to Ippolito and Alfonso conspired to assassinate him and put Ferrante in his place. However, its planning was poor and their assassins failed to kill Alfonso at night with their poisoned daggers as they had hoped.[1] Ippolito's spies brought the plan to light and told Alfonso.[1] He set up an inquest and Giulio, Ferrante and three other men were found guilty and condemned to death. Giulio fled to Mantua but Francesco Gonzaga handed him over to Alfonso. Ferrante was led to the ducal castello a couple of months before the trial. Giulio and Ferrante were both pardoned but stripped of their lands (which were given to Alfonso's favourites) and imprisoned in the torre dei Leoni.[1] Ferrante spent the rest of his life in prison, dying aged 63, after 34 years' imprisonment and with no visits from any family members. Giulio was released by Alfonso II d'Este aged 80, after 53 years' imprisonment.
References
- ^ ISBN 88-04-55627-7
Bibliography
- Sarah Bradford, Lucrezia Borgia, Milano, Mondadori, 2005. ISBN 88-04-55627-7
- Sergio Mantovani, "Ad honore del signore vostro patre et satisfactione nostra". Ferrante d'Este condottiero di Venezia, Ferrara-Modena, 2005.
- Litta Biumi, Pompeo. Famiglie celebri italiane (in Italian). Milano: Luciano Basadonna Editore.