city state · Italy
Commune of Ferrara
Origins
Ferrara was held by Matilda of Canossa, who besieged it in 1101 to put down a revolt. In the years that followed, citizens formed a commune under consuls, profiting from Po river traffic and salt. The cathedral was begun in 1135.
Rule and society
Consuls and later a podestà ruled, but power was really contested between noble factions: the Adelardi, the Ghibelline Torelli led by Salinguerra II Torelli, and the Guelph Este marquises. Ferrara's position on the Po made it a hub for trade between Venice and the Lombard plain. Azzo VII d'Este expelled Salinguerra in 1240 with Venetian and papal help.
Decline and legacy
After Azzo VII's death in 1264, the citizens proclaimed his grandson Obizzo II d'Este perpetual lord, and the commune gave way to the Duchy of Ferrara under the Este.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (1)
- Commune of Ferrara was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Commune of Ferrara. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/commune-of-ferrara
- MLA
- “Commune of Ferrara.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/commune-of-ferrara. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Commune of Ferrara.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/commune-of-ferrara.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Commune of Ferrara’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/commune-of-ferrara (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻