Geography and physical characteristics Duchy Political Development Obizzo dEsta I abolished guilds in Ferrara during 1287 as a retaliation

on to pressure from Venice and dissatisfaction from guilds Never developed a popular commune The Este came into power through careful acceptance of the Ferrarese parliament, pressure, communal cooperation and papacy support through trade promises Estensi bureaucracy included: o Communal offices o Podesta o Magistrates o Casa/Household officials all directly selected by the signory, most important, largest in number Borso dEste was given the title of Duke of Ferrara in 1470 after over 200 years of control of the city Economic Development Contado (the countryside surrounding an urban centre in Italy) produced the mass wealth Additional income came from traffic tolls, salt production, nobles land estates production Ferrara lacked in industry, mineral resources and financial institutions After re-establishing the guilds in the late 15th century (Ercole dEste). The most important industries became the textiles and glass making As Ferrara is more of a courtly and feudal town, the most important industry was the: servicing, provisioning, staffing, transporting, housing, and maintenance of the court Social and Cultural Significance Known as the centre for linguistic and philological studies Borso dEste was a major patron for his university and funded it so it could succeed for entertainment as well as for propaganda Ercole dEste was a patron for religious music and visual arts Became on the greatest centres for Renaissance painting The School of Ferrara is a group of prestigious painters which flourished during the early Renaissance, famous artists include: Lorenzo Costa, Ercole deRoberti, Dosso Dossi and Garofalo Interactions with other city-states Played off the Venetians against the Milanese in order to ensure the Este independence

Venetian support was vitally important for Ferraras stability and economy Alfonso dEste I married Lucrezia Borgia at Ferraras height in the Renaissance, strengthening short-lived weak ties with the Papacy Borso dEste became the Duke of Modena and Reggio during the 1450s Fought in the War of the League of Cambrai (1508-1516) originally with the Papal States and against Venice but ended the war with Venice and against the Papal States and the Duchy of Milan