| Ercole D'este I |
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His parents were (who would later marry the infamous Lucrezia Borgia ), Isabella , Beatrice , Ferrante, Ippolito and Sigismondo. The Este alliance with Naples was to prove a powerful one. In 1482-1484 he fought a war over the salt monopoly with Venice , which was allied with Pope Sixtus IV . Ercole was able to end the war by ceding the Polesine at the Peace Of Bagnolo , and Ferrara escaped the fate of destruction or absorption into the papal dominions. Although Ercole lost the war with the Pope and Venice , ceding the Polesine , he was successful in setting up a musical establishment which was for a few years the finest in Europe, overshadowing the Vatican chapel itself. For the next century Ferrara was to retain the character of a center of Avant-garde music with a decidedly secular emphasis. In music history Ercole was one of the Italian nobles most responsible for bringing the talented Franco-Flemish musicians from northern Europe into Italy. The most famous composers of Europe either worked for him, were commissioned by him, or dedicated music to him, including Alexander Agricola , Jacob Obrecht , Heinrich Isaac , Adrian Willaert , and Josquin Desprez , whose ''Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' not only is dedicated to him, but is based on a theme drawn from the syllables of the Duke's name. Ercole is equally famous as a patron of the arts. He made the poet Boiardo his minister, and also brought the young Ludovico Ariosto into his household. Under Ercole Ferrara became one of the leading cities of Europe; it underwent substantial growth, approximately doubling in size. Many of Ferrara's most famous buildings date from his reign. He extended the city's walls, hiring architect Biagio Rossetti for the work. Ercole died in 1505 , and his son Alfonso became Duke. SOURCES
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