Ferrara Renaissance under Ercole I d'Este
Borso d'Este was made Duke of Ferrara by the pope in 1471, completing the elevation of a small Po valley state into one of the most brilliant courts in Europe. The Este had ruled Ferrara since the thirteenth century as papal vicars, and Modena and Reggio as imperial fiefs. Borso obtained a ducal title from the emperor for the imperial lands in 1452 and spent nineteen years pressing Rome for the equivalent, finally receiving it from Paul II months before his death. The city's wealth came from position and engineering. It sat on the Po with control of river traffic, and generations of reclamation had turned marsh into some of the best farmland in Italy. The court's cultural programme was systematic. Borso commissioned the frescoes of the Salone dei Mesi in the Palazzo Schifanoia, a cycle of months combining classical gods, astrological decans and scenes of the duke governing, which is among the most complete secular painting schemes of the fifteenth century. He also commissioned the Bible that carries his name, illuminated over six years. His successor Ercole I laid out the Addizione Erculea, doubling the city on a rational plan of straight streets and squares — often called the first modern urban extension in Europe. The Este patronised Pisanello, Cosmè Tura, Francesco del Cossa and later Titian and Dosso Dossi, and supported Boiardo and Ariosto, whose Orlando Furioso was written for them. Ferrara reverted to direct papal rule in 1598 when the line failed, and the court moved to Modena.
- Year: 1471 CE
- Category: Cultural
