Duchy of Ferrara

Duchy of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio
Ducato di Ferrara
Fief of the Papacy
1450–1597
Flag Coat of arms
Territories of the House of Este in 1494 (shown in canary yellow)
Capital		Ferrara
Languages		Latin (official) Italian (common)
Religion		Catholic Church
Government		Non-sovereign monarchy
Duke of Ferrara
•	1450–1471	Borso I
•	1559–1597	Alfonso II
History
•	Borso d'Este becomes Duke	1450
•	Modena and Reggio become Duchies	1452
•	Ferrara made into Duchy	1471
•	House of Este lose Ferrara to Papacy	1597
Currency		Ferrara mint
Preceded by Succeeded by Commune of Ferrara Duchy of Modena and Reggio Papal States

The Duchy of Ferrara (Italian: Ducato di Ferrara) was a sovereign state in what is now northern Italy. It consisted of about 1,100 sq km south of the lower Po River, stretching to the valley of the lower Reno River, including the city of Ferrara. The territory was ruled by the House of Este from 1146 as vassals of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1471, the territory was transferred from the Empire to the Papal States. Borso d'Este, already Duke of Modena and Reggio, was created Duke of Ferrara by Pope Paul II. Borso and his successors ruled Ferrara as a quasi-sovereign state until 1597, when it came under direct papal rule.

The origin of Ferrara is uncertain. It was probably settled by the inhabitants of the lagoons at the mouth of the Po. There are two early centers of settlement: one round the cathedral, the other, the castrum bizantino, being the San Pietro district, on the opposite shore, where the Primaro empties into the Volano channel. Ferrara appears first in a document of the Lombard king Desiderius of 753 AD, as a city forming part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. Desiderius pledged a Lombard ducatus ferrariae ("Duchy of Ferrara") in 757 to Pope Stephen II.

In 984, Ferrara was given as a fief to Tedaldo, count of Modena and Canossa, nephew of Emperor Otto I. Ferrara afterwards became independent, but in 1101 was besieged and taken by Matilda of Tuscany. At this time it was mainly dominated by several great families, among them the prominent Adelardi (or Aleardi) family.