House of Gonzaga
Noble house
Motto: "Conduct us to the Mount" (Latin: Ad montem duc nos)[1]
Country	Italy  France
Founded	1328; 696 years ago (1328)
Founder	Ludovico I Gonzaga
Current head	Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga (of the Vescovato cadet branch)
Final ruler	Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga
Titles	Prince of Arches Duke of Montferrat Duke of Mantua Duke of Guastalla Duke of Nevers Duke of Rethel Duke of Mayenne Marquis of Mantua Marquis of Montferrat County of Novellara and Bagnolo
Estate(s)	Ducal Palace (Mantua) Ducal Palace (Nevers)
Deposition	1708 (1708) (Duchy of Mantua)
Cadet branches	Gonzaga 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 (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.

• 
  Ducal palace, Mantua.
• 
  Ludovico III Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua and Barbara of Brandenburg with their children, fresco by Andrea Mantegna at San Giorgio Castle, Mantua, around 1470.
• 
  Arms of the Gonzaga-Nevers branch that inherited the Duchy of Mantua from the extinct senior line and ruled it from 1627 to 1708, when that branch died out in the male line.

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 Polish queen consort 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.

Rulers of the House of Gonzaga

House of Gonzaga

Partitions of Mantua under Gonzaga rule

Table of rulers

Ruler		Born	Reign	Ruling part	Consort	Death	Notes
Ludovico I		1268 Mantua Son of Guido Corradi da Gonzaga and Estrambina di San Martino	16 August 1328 – 18 January 1360	Lordship of Mantua	Richilda Ramberti 1312 four children Caterina Malatesta c.1320 four children Giovanna Malaspina of Fosdinovo 1340 six children	18 January 1360 Mantua aged 91-92	With the help of Cangrande I della Scala, lord of Verona, Ludovico became Capitano del popolo of Mantua, and also the first effective ruler of his family.
Feltrino		c.1290 Mantua Third son of Ludovico I and Richilda Ramberti	1335 – 28 December 1374	Lordship of Novellara-Bagnolo	Antonia da Correggio c.1340 four children	28 December 1374 Padua aged 83-84?	Conquered the region of Reggio as early as 1335, and on 17 May 1371 sold to Milan all this land, with the exception of Novellara and Bagnolo.
Guido		1290 Mantua Second son of Ludovico I and Richilda Ramberti	18 January 1360 – 22 September 1369	Lordship of Mantua	Agnese Pico di Mirandola c.1310/20? two children Camilla Beccaria c.1330? no children Beatrice of Bar 1340 six children	22 September 1369 Mantua aged 78-79	Elected in Mantua. Got firstly elected in Reggio Emilia in 1335.
Ludovico II		1334 Mantua Second son of Guido and Beatrice of Bar	22 September 1369 – 4 October 1382	Lordship of Mantua	Alda d'Este 1356 two children	4 October 1382 Mantua aged 47-48
Guido II[6]		1 February 1340 Novellara Second son of Feltrino I and Antonia da Correggio	28 December 1374 – 2 February 1399	Lordship of Novellara	Ginevra Malatesta 1374 four children	2 February 1399 Novellara aged 59
Francesco I		1366 Mantua Son of Ludovico II and Alda d'Este	4 October 1382 – 7 March 1407	Lordship of Mantua	Agnese Visconti 15 August 1375 (by proxy) 25 December 1380 (formal) one child Margherita Malatesta 1399 two children	7 March 1407 Cavriana aged 40-41
Giacomo		c.1375 Novellara First son of Guido II and Ginevra Malatesta	2 February 1399 – 1441	Lordship of Novellara	Ippolita Pio five children	1441 Novellara aged 64-65	Children of Guido II, divided their inheritance.
Feltrino II		c.1375 Novellara Second son of Guido II and Ginevra Malatesta	2 February 1399 – 1424	Lordship of Bagnolo	Antonia Gonzaga of Mantua four children	1424 aged 48-49?
Regency of Carlo I Malatesta, Lord of Rimini (1407-1409)							On 22 September 1433, the lordship was officially raised to a Marquisate, as Gian Francesco purchased his title from Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor.
Gian Francesco		1 June 1395 Mantua Son of Francesco I and Margherita Malatesta	7 March 1407 – 25 September 1444	Lordship of Mantua (1407-1433) Marquisate of Mantua (1433-1444)	Paola Malatesta 22 August 1409 Pesaro six children	25 September 1444 Mantua aged 49
Guido		c.1410? Novellara Second son of Feltrino II and Antonia Gonzaga of Mantua	1424 – 1456	Lordship of Bagnolo	Unmarried	1456 aged 45-46?
Francesco I		c.1420 Novellara First son of Giacomo and Ippolita Pio	1441 – 8 February 1484	Lordship of Novellara	Costanza Strozzi seven children	8 February 1484 Novellara aged 53-54
Ludovico III the Turk		5 June 1412 Mantua First son of Gian Francesco and Paola Malatesta	25 September 1444 – 11 June 1478	Marquisate of Mantua	Barbara of Brandenburg 12 November 1433 Mantua fourteen children	11 June 1478 Goito aged 66	Children of Gian Francesco, divided the land. After Alessandro's death, Ostiano returned to Mantua, only to be partitioned off again in the next generation.
Carlo		1415 Mantua Second son of Gian Francesco and Paola Malatesta	25 September 1444 – 21 December 1456	Lordship of Luzzara	Lucia d'Este 1437 no children Ringarda Manfredi two children	21 December 1456 Ferrara aged 40-41
Alessandro		26 August 1427 Mantua Third son of Gian Francesco and Paola Malatesta	25 September 1444 – 16 January 1466	Marquisate of Ostiano	Agnese da Montefeltro 1446 no children	16 January 1466 Mantua aged 38
Regency of Ringarda Manfredi (1456-1466)							After his death, Luzzara returned to Mantua, only to be later partitioned off again and given to his cousin Rodolfo.
Ugolotto		1452 Mantua Son of Carlo and Ringarda Manfredi	21 December 1456 – c.1470	Lordship of Luzzara	Unmarried	c.1470? aged 17-18?
Giorgio		c.1420 Novellara Second son of Giacomo Gonzaga, Lord of Novellara and Ippolita Pio	1456 – 1487	Lordship of Bagnolo	Paola Schianteschi two or four children Alda Torelli at least four children	1487 Novellara aged 56-57?
Federico I		25 June 1441 Mantua Second son of Ludovico III and Barbara of Brandenburg	11 June 1478 – 14 July 1484	Marquisate of Mantua	Margaret of Bavaria 6 June 1463 Mantua six children	14 July 1484 Mantua aged 43	Children of Ludovico III, divided the land.
Gian Francesco		4 October 1446 Mantua Fourth son of Ludovico III and Barbara of Brandenburg	11 June 1478 – 27 August 1496	County of Sabbioneta	Antonia del Balzo 17 July 1479 eleven children	27 August 1496 Bozzolo aged 49
Rodolfo I		18 April 1452 Mantua Fifth son of Ludovico III and Barbara of Brandenburg	11 June 1478 – 6 July 1495	Lordship of Luzzara	Antonia Malatesta 11 January 1481 no children Caterina Pico della Mirandola 1484 six children	6 July 1495 Fornovo aged 43
Ludovico		21 August 1460 Mantua Sixth son of Ludovico III and Barbara of Brandenburg	11 June 1478 – 19 January 1511	Marquisate of Ostiano	Unmarried	19 January 1511 Gazzuolo aged 50
Ostiano annexed to Sabbioneta
Gian Pietro		1469 Novellara First son of Francesco I and Costanza Strozzi	8 February 1484 – 18 November 1515	Lordship of Novellara (1484-1501) County of Novellara and Bagnolo (1501-1515)	Caterina Torelli c.1495 eight children	18 November 1515 Novellara aged 45-46	On 7 July 1501, obtained the comital title from Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor.
Francesco II		10 August 1466 Mantua First son of Federico I and Margaret of Bavaria	14 July 1484 – 29 March 1519	Marquisate of Mantua	Isabella d'Este 11 February 1490 (by proxy) 15 February 1490 Pesaro (formal) eight children	29 March 1519 Mantua aged 52
Cristoforo		c.1470? First son of Giorgio and Alda Torelli	1487 – 1510	Lordship of Bagnolo (until 1509; at Vescovato since 1494)	Latina Ubaldini three children	After 1510	Children of Giorgio, ruled jointly. Despite losing Bagnolo in 1509 (which merged again in Novellara), they kept rulership at Vescovato which they ruled from 1494. Cristoforo gave up his part in Vescovato in 1510. This feud was then sold in 1519 to Mantua, and given to a collateral line.
Giacomo		c.1470? Second son of Giorgio and Alda Torelli	1487 – 1519		Unmarried	After 1519
Marco Antonio		c.1470? Third son of Giorgio and Alda Torelli	1487 – 1509		Unknown four children	1509 aged c.38-39?
Guido II		c.1470? Fourth son of Giorgio and Alda Torelli	1487 – 1519		Laura Martinengo six children	1519 aged 48-49?
Bagnolo reannexed to Novellara
Regency of Caterina Pico della Mirandola (1495-1502)							Children of Rodolfo, divided officially their inheritance on 30 January 1511. Gian Francesco abdicated to his son shortly before his own death.
Gian Francesco		2 February 1488 Luzzara First son of Rodolfo I and Caterina Pico della Mirandola	6 July 1495 – 11 October 1524	Lordship of Luzzara	Laura Pallavicino c.1510 eight children	18 December 1524 Luzzara aged 36
Aloisio		20 April 1494 Luzzara Second son of Rodolfo I and Caterina Pico della Mirandola	6 July 1495 – 19 July 1549	Lordship of Luzzara (until 1511) Lordship of Castiglione (from 1511)	Ginevra Rangoni 24 July 1519 Mantua no children Caterina Anguissola December 1540 three children	19 July 1549 Castel Goffredo aged 55
Ludovico		1481 Bozzolo First son of Gian Francesco and Antonia del Balzo	27 August 1496 – 1 July 1540	County of Sabbioneta	Francesca Fieschi 1497 eleven children	1 July 1540 Bozzolo aged 58-59	Children of Gian Francesco, divided the land, but given Federico's lack of descendants, the patrimony was inherited by Pirro. After Pirro's death Bozzolo (only) was annexed to Sabbioneta. Gazzuolo lived on until the next generation.
Federico I		c.1480 Bozzolo Second son of Gian Francesco and Antonia del Balzo	27 August 1496 – 28 December 1527	Lordship of Bozzolo	Giovanna Orsini 1503 Asola no children	28 December 1527 Todi aged c.46-47
Pirro I		1490 Bozzolo Third son of Gian Francesco and Antonia del Balzo	27 August 1496 – 22 January 1529	Lordship of Bozzolo (at Gazzuolo 1496-1529; at Bozzolo proper 1527-1529)	Camilla Bentivoglio c.1500? seven children	22 January 1529 Gazzuolo aged 38-39
Bozzolo (only) briefly annexed to Sabbioneta (1529-1591)
Alessandro I		1496 Novellara First son of Gian Pietro and Caterina Torelli	18 November 1515 – 26 February 1530	County of Novellara and Bagnolo	1518 four children	August 1530 Naples aged 33-34	Abdicated shortly before his death.
Regency of Isabella d'Este (1519-1521)							On 8 April 1530, the marquisate was officially raised to a Duchy, as Federico II obtained his title from Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
Federico II		17 May 1500 Mantua First son of Francesco II and Isabella d'Este	29 March 1519 – 28 June 1540	Marquisate of Mantua (1519-1530) Duchy of Mantua (1530-1540)	Margherita Palaiologina of Montferrat 3 October 1531 Mantua seven children	28 June 1540 Mantua aged 40
Giovanni		1474 Mantua Third son of Federico I and Margaret of Bavaria	29 March 1519 – 23 September 1525	Lordship of Vescovato	Laura Bentivoglio 20 June 1491 Bologna eight children	23 September 1525 Mantua aged 50-51	Youngest child of Federico I of Mantua, inherited Vescovato at the same time as his nephew, Federico II was inheriting Mantua.
Regency of Laura Pallavicino (1524-1527)							Fought with his brother Rodolfo, who wanted a condominium in Luzzara. Massimiliano won the war, and his brother eventually got a separate property at Poviglio, given by the Guastalla branch. In 1561 Massimiliano's lordship was elevated to a Marquisate.
Massimiliano		1513 Luzzara Son of Gian Francesco and Laura Pallavicino	11 October 1524 – 4 March 1578	Lordship of Luzzara (until 1561) Marquisate of Luzzara (from 1561)	Caterina Colonna 1548 five children	4 March 1578 Luzzara aged 64-65
Alessandro		1497 Third son of Giovanni and Laura Bentivoglio	23 September 1525 – 17 September 1527	Lordship of Vescovato	Ippolita Sforza one child	17 September 1527 Riozzo aged 29-30	Left a son, but was succeeded by his brother in the lordship.
Sigismondo I		1499 Fifth son of Giovanni and Laura Bentivoglio	17 September 1527 – December 1530	Lordship of Vescovato	Antonia Pallavicino 1529 two children	December 1530 aged 30-31
Federico II		c.1520 Gazzuolo (?) First son of Pirro I and Camilla Bentivoglio	22 January 1529 – 1570	Lordship of Bozzolo (at Gazzuolo only)	Lucrezia d'Incisa 1550 two children.	1570 Gazzuolo aged 49-50	Children of Pirro I. Having lost Bozzolo, got control of the remaining territories. However, after their deaths these territories were also lost.
Carlo		1523 Gazzuolo Second son of Pirro I and Camilla Bentivoglio	22 January 1529 – 13 June 1555	Lordship of Bozzolo (at San Martino dell'Argine)	Emilia Cauzzi Gonzaga c.1500? seven children	13 June 1555 Gazzuolo aged 32-33
Gazzuolo and San Martino divided and annexed to Sabbioneta and Mantua
Regency of Costanza da Correggio (1530-1540)							Children of Alessandro I, ruled jointly.
Francesco II		16 January 1519 Novellara First son of Alessandro I and	26 February 1530 – 1577	County of Novellara and Bagnolo	Caterina Torelli c.1495 eight children	1577 Mantua aged 45-46
Camillo I		27 March 1521 Bologna Second son of Alessandro I and	26 February 1530 – 24 April 1595	County of Novellara and Bagnolo	Barbara Borromeo (1538 – 1572) 1555 no children	24 April 1595 Novellara aged 74 Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=House_of_Gonzaga Text je dostupný za podmienok Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Unported; prípadne za ďalších podmienok. Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Podmienky použitia.  Navigácia: Veda > Analytika Antropológia Aplikované vedy Bibliometria Dejiny vedy Encyklopédie Filozofia vedy Forenzné vedy Humanitné vedy Knižničná veda Kryogenika Kryptológia Kulturológia Literárna veda Medzidisciplinárne oblasti Metódy kvantitatívnej analýzy Metavedy Metodika Metodológia vedy Náboženstvo a veda Náučná literatúra Podvody vo vede Popularizácia vedy Potravinárstvo Prírodné vedy Pseudoveda Scientometria Spoločenské vedy Teórie Teatrológia Technické vedy Technika Terminológia Umenie Výskum Veda Veda a technika podľa štátu Veda a technika podľa kontinentu Veda a technika podľa roka Veda v kozme Vedci Vedecká literatúra Vedecké databázy Vedecké experimenty Vedecké konferencie Vedecké metódy Vedecké ocenenia Vedecké organizácie Vedecké parky Vedeckí spisovatelia Vzdelávanie Záhady Príbuzné výrazy: Text je dostupný za podmienok Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Unported; prípadne za ďalších podmienok. Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Podmienky použitia. www.astronomia.sk | www.biologia.sk | www.botanika.sk | www.dejiny.sk | www.economy.sk | www.elektrotechnika.sk | www.estetika.sk | www.farmakologia.sk | www.filozofia.sk | Fyzika | www.futurologia.sk | www.genetika.sk | www.chemia.sk | www.lingvistika.sk | www.politologia.sk | www.psychologia.sk | www.sexuologia.sk | www.sociologia.sk | www.veda.sk I www.zoologia.sk