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History of
Ferrara (Back to
Ferrara main information page)
The origin
of Ferrara is uncertain. It was probably settled by the
inhabitants of the lagoons at the mouth of the Po.
Historical
records are found only at the time of the Lombard king Aistulf
in 754, when the city was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna.
Independent
until 1101, Ferrara was then mainly dominated by several great
families, among them the Adelardi and in 1146 the Este.
The Este
family has been known as the most powerful family in Ferrara as
it succeeded in strengthening its position.
Under
Nicol?II (reigned 1361?88) there was built the famous Este
Castle, the work of the architect Bartolino da Novara, which
became a symbol of the power of the city of Ferrara and a sure
defense against external dangers.
The reign
of Nicol?III (1393?1441), son of Alberto, marked the
strengthening of Estensi domination in Ferrara and the
introduction of Estensi influence generally in Italian politics.
With
Leonello (reigned 1441?50), Ferrara developed considerable
distinction in the fields of art and culture. Leonello reign was
one in which Ferrara represented a lively centre of culture and
humanism, filled with painters like Pisanello, Jacopo Bellini,
Rogier van der Weyden, Andrea Mantegna, and architects like Leon
Battista Alberti.
Dukes of
Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio. Leonello's brother and successor,
Borso (reigned 1450?71) rule increased the city of aesthetic and
cultural prestige.
Beatrice
and Isabella, married into the Sforza and Gonzaga families, thus
sealing the Este's status as one of the most glittering of
Renaissance dynasties.
Alfonso I,
married Lucrezia Borgia, who continued to support the retinue of
artists and poets, patronizing Titian and Ariosto - as did the
last Este duke, Alfonso II, who invited Tasso and Guarini to his
court.
Visitors
came to hear the spectacular productions of the Este musicians,
the activities of which mostly ceased in 1598 with the demise of
the Este court.
The town
remained a part of the states of the Church, being occupied by
the Austrian from 1832 until 1859, when it became part of the
kingdom of Italy.
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