County of Novellara

Origins

After losing the lordship of Reggio in 1371, Feltrino Gonzaga, of the family that ruled Mantua, kept the small territory of Novellara and Bagnolo in the plain north of Reggio. His descendants ruled it as an imperial fief, later recognised as a county.

Rule and society

The counts of Novellara governed a few villages and a fortified town from their castle, the Rocca. They lived from farming the rich plain and from service at larger courts, and maintained a modest Renaissance court; the painter Lelio Orsi worked for them in the 16th century. The state survived by careful loyalty to the emperors and good relations with the Este and Gonzaga.

Decline and legacy

The line of Gonzaga-Novellara died out in 1728. After disputes over the succession, the emperor granted the county to Rinaldo d'Este in 1737, and it became part of the Duchy of Modena and Reggio.