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House of Gonzaga
Noble house
Motto: "Conduct us to the Mount"
(Latin: Ad montem duc nos)[1]
Country Italy
 France
Founded1328; 696 years ago (1328)
FounderLudovico I Gonzaga
Current headMaurizio Ferrante Gonzaga
(of the Vescovato cadet branch)
Final rulerFerdinando Carlo Gonzaga
Titles
Estate(s)Ducal Palace (Mantua)
Ducal Palace (Nevers)
Deposition1708 (1708) (Duchy of Mantua)
Cadet branchesGonzaga di Vescovato
(only remaining branch)

The House of Gonzaga (US: /ɡənˈzɑːɡə, ɡɒn-, -ˈzæɡ-/,[2] Italian: [ɡonˈdzaːɡa]) is an Italian princely family that ruled Mantua in Lombardy, northern Italy from 1328 to 1708 (first as a captaincy-general, then margraviate, and finally duchy). They also ruled Monferrato in Piedmont and Nevers in France, as well as many other lesser fiefs throughout Europe. The family includes a saint, twelve cardinals and fourteen bishops. Two Gonzaga descendants became empresses of the Holy Roman Empire (Eleonora Gonzaga and Eleonora Gonzaga-Nevers), and one became Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (Marie Louise Gonzaga).

History

The first members of the family of historical importance are known to have collaborated with the Guelph faction alongside the monks of the Polirone Abbey.[3] Starting from the 12th century they became a dominant family in Mantua, growing in wealth when their allies, the Bonacolsi, defeated the traditional familiar enemy, the Casalodi. In 1328, however, Ludovico I Gonzaga overthrew the Bonacolsi lordship over the city with the help of the Scaliger, and entered the Ghibelline party as capitano del popolo ("people's captain") of Mantua and imperial vicar of Emperor Louis IV.[4]

Ludovico was succeeded by Guido (1360–1369) and Ludovico II (1369–1382), while Feltrino, lord of Reggio until 1371, formed the cadet branch of the Gonzaga of Novellara, whose state existed until 1728. Francesco I (1382–1407) abandoned the traditional alliance with the Visconti of Milan, in order to align their rising power with the Republic of Venice.

In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua with the recognition of Emperor Sigismund, while obtaining recognition from the local nobility through the marriage of his daughter Margherita to Leonello d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara in 1435. In 1530 Federico II (1500–1540) received the title of Duke of Mantua. Also the two brothers of Federico II are historical characters of a certain importance: Ercole Gonzaga became a cardinal, presided over the Council of Trent and was almost elected Pope; Ferrante was a faithful ally of the Emperor Charles V who covered him with honors and positions, Ferrante was also the progenitor of the cadet branch of the Gonzaga of Guastalla. In 1531, the family acquired the Marquisate of Montferrat through marriage. Through maternal ancestors, the Gonzagas inherited also the Imperial Byzantine ancestry of the Paleologus, an earlier ruling family of Montferrat.

A cadet branch of the Mantua Gonzagas became dukes of Nevers and Rethel in France when Luigi (Louis) Gonzaga, a younger son of Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, and Margherita Paleologa, married the heiress. The Gonzaga-Nevers later came to rule Mantua again when Louis's son Charles (Carlo) inherited Mantua and Montferrat, triggering the War of the Mantuan Succession.

Another cadet branch were first sovereign counts, later dukes of Guastalla. They descended from Ferrante, a younger son of Duke Francesco II of Mantua (1484–1519). Ferrante's grandson, Ferrante II, also played a role in the War of the Mantuan Succession. A further cadet branch was that of Sabbioneta, founded by Gianfrancesco, son of Ludovico III.

Marie Louise Gonzaga, daughter of Prince Charles Gonzaga-Nevers, was a queen consort of Poland and grand duchess consort of Lithuania from 1645 to her death in 1667.

Two daughters of the house, both named Eleanor Gonzaga, became Holy Roman Empresses, by marrying emperors Ferdinand II of Germany and Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, respectively. From the latter Empress Eleonora, the current heirs of the Gonzaga descend.

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga was a member of a junior branch of this family.

The House of Gonzaga is the inspiration for the play-within-the-play in Shakespeare's Hamlet. In Act 3 scene 2, they act out a play called The Murder of Gonzago (or The Mousetrap).

Gonzaga rule continued in Mantua until 1708 and in Guastalla until 1746. Both ruling lines going extinct until passing on to a minor Gonzaga-Vescovato branch, which is the only remaining existing branch.

Patronage of the arts

The House of Gonzaga was an important patron of the arts. This began when Gianfrancesco Gonzaga funded a school led by Vittorino da Feltre where music and art were core subjects along with mathematics, history, Greek and Latin, religion, and philosophy. The music theorist and composer Franchinus Gaffurius was trained at this school. Isabella d'Este, wife of Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, used her influence to financially support native composers at court (such as Bartolomeo Tromboncino and Marchetto Cara) which contributed to popularizing the frottola. Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga founded an ecclesiastical chapel which employed musicians and further advance the musical live of the region through sacred music composition and performance.[5]

Guglielmo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, himself a gifted composer, founded the Basilica palatina di Santa Barbara (construction began 1562) which became a cultural center for sacred art and music. He also brought several notable composers to the Mantua court, including Alessandro Striggio, Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi, Giaches de Wert, Benedetto Pallavicino and Claudio Monteverdi. Through Monteverdi, the court witnessed some of the first operas ever staged, including L'Orfeo (1607) and L'Arianna (1608). Marco da Gagliano's La Dafne was staged in 1608.[5]

The Gonzaga House also sponsored theatre. The Mantua court staged Giovanni Battista Guarini's plays Il pastor fido and L'idropica. These plays included incidental music by several different composers, including Monteverdi, Gastoldi, Gagliano, Paolo Birt, and Salamone Rossi. Ferdinando Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua also supported the arts, but financial problems for the court led to a decline in support during his reign.[5]

Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat employed Antonio Caldara as maestro di cappella from 1701-1707.[5]

Rulers of the House of Gonzaga

House of Gonzaga

Partitions of Mantua under Gonzaga rule

      
             
       Lordship of
Bagnolo

(1399-1509)
Lordship of Mantua
(1328-1433)

Raised to:
Marquisate of Mantua
(1433-1530)
Marquisate
of Ostiano

(1st creation)
(1444-1466)
Lordship
of Luzzara

(1444-1561)
(brief reunion
with Mantua
1460-1478)


Raised to:
Marquisate
of Luzzara

(1561-1794)
      
Raised to:
Duchy of Mantua
(1530-1708)
(with Montferrat
since 1536)
County of Sabbioneta
(1478-1577)
Marquisate
of Ostiano

(2nd creation)
(1478-1495)
      
Lordship
of Bozzolo

(1st creation)
(1496-1529[6])
Raised to:
Duchy of Sabbioneta
(1577-1637)
       Lordship of
Castiglione

(1494-1593)

Raised to:
Marquisate of
Castiglione

(1593-1707)
                           
Lordship of
Novellara

(1360-1501)

Raised to:
County of
Novellara

(1501-1737)
Lordship of
Vescovato

(1519-1559)

Raised to:
Marquisate of
Vescovato

(1559-1796)
             
       Lordship
of Bozzolo

(2nd creation)
(1591-1668)
Marquisate
of Ostiano

(3rd creation)
(1591-1703)
      
       Annexed to the
Carafa and
Guzmán families
(1637-1689)

Annexed to Spain
       County of
Guastalla

(1539-1621)
(purchased from
the Torelli family)
Mantua annexed
to Austria;
Montferrat annexed
to Savoy
Annexed to Austria
(1703-08)
Annexed to Austria
Raised to:
Duchy of Guastalla
(1621-1746)
Annexed to Austria
Annexed to the
Duchy of Modena
Annexed to the
Duchy of Parma
Annexed
to Savoy

Table of rulers

Family tree

The branches of the Gonzaga family, showing marquises and (subsequently) dukes of Mantua in bold, dukes of Nevers and Rethel in italics and the Guastalla line to the right.

Gianfrancesco
Marquis of Mantua
1407–1444
Ludovico III
Marquis of Mantua
1444–1478
Federico I
Marquis of Mantua
1478–1484
Francesco II
Marquis of Mantua
(1484–1519)
Margaret Paleologa
Marquises of Montferrat
Federico II
Marq. (1519–30), Duke (1530–40)
Ercole
Bishop (1521)
Cardinal (1527)
Ferrante I
Count of Guastalla
(1539–1557)
Francesco III
(1540–1550)
Guglielmo I
(Guglielmo X in Montferrat)
(1550–1587)
Louis of Nevers (1581–1595)Cesare I
Count of Guastalla
(1557–1575)
Vincenzo I
(1587–1612)
Charles III of Nevers
a.k.a.
Carlo I of Mantua
(1627–1637)
Ferrante II
1st. Duke of Guastalla
(1575–1630)
Francesco IV
(1612)
Ferdinando I
(1612–26)
Vincenzo II
(1626–27)
Charles of Nevers
(1609–1631)
m. Maria of Mantua
Cesare II
Duke of Guastalla
(1630–1632)
Andrea
Count of San Paolo (d.1686)
Maria of Mantua
(1609–1660), m.
Charles of Nevers
Carlo II
(1637–1665)
Ferrante III
Duke of Guastalla
(1632–1678)
Ferdinando Carlo
(1665–1708)
Anna Isabella
(1678–1692)
Maria Vittoria
(1659–1707)
Vincenzo
Duke of Guastalla
(1692–1714)
Eleonora Luisa
(1686–1741)
m. Francesco de' Medici
Antonio Ferrante
Duke of Guastalla
(1714–1729)
Giuseppe
Duke of Guastalla
(1729–1746)

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Roman Catholic cardinals

See also

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ Francesca Cappelletti; Gerlinde Huber-Rebenich (1997). Der Antike Mythos und Europa. Gebrüder Mann Verlag. p. 250.
  2. ^ "Gonzaga". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  3. ^ Page at sapere.it
  4. ^ Brunelli, Roberto (2010). I Gonzaga. Quattro secoli per una dinastia. Mantua. ISBN 978-88-89832-98-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ a b c d Claudio Gallico (2001). "Gonzaga". Gonzaga. Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.11445.
  6. ^ In Gazzuolo and San Martino dell'Argine the Bozzolo branch held rule until 1570 and 1555, respectively.
  7. ^ This numbering II includes Guido, Lord of Mantua as Guido I
  8. ^ Obtained the personal title of marquis in 1565, and the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1574. The land he ruled was elevated to a Duchy in 1577.
  9. ^ Officially invested on 20 March 1559.