duchy · Italy
Duchy of Ferrara
Origins
In 1264 the citizens of the Commune of Ferrara proclaimed Obizzo II d'Este their perpetual lord. The Este, a feudal family with lands near Padua, held Ferrara as papal vicars and added Modena and Reggio. Pope Paul II made Borso d'Este duke of Ferrara in 1471.
Rule and society
The Este ran a brilliant court. Ercole I's planned extension of the city, the Addizione Erculea, was one of the first modern urban plans. Ferrara supported the poets Boiardo, Ariosto and Tasso and the painters of the Schifanoia frescoes. Alfonso I, husband of Lucrezia Borgia, was famous for his artillery. The duchy was a papal fief, while Modena was held from the emperor.
Decline and legacy
Alfonso II died without a legitimate heir in 1597. Pope Clement VIII refused to recognise his cousin Cesare, and in 1598 Ferrara passed to the Papal States. The Este moved their court to the Duchy of Modena and Reggio.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (3)
- Commune of Modena was conquered by Duchy of Ferrara1288 CE
- Commune of Reggio was conquered by Duchy of Ferrara1409 CE
- Duchy of Ferrara in personal union with Duchy of Modena and Reggio1452 CE – 1598 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Duchy of Ferrara. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-ferrara
- MLA
- “Duchy of Ferrara.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-ferrara. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Duchy of Ferrara.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-ferrara.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Duchy of Ferrara’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-ferrara (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻