Richarda here named is not the same lady mentioned above, canto XIII stanza 67. This was Ricciarda, Marchioness of Saluzzo, wife of Niccolò III d’Este. She died in 1474. ↩
Diana and Bianca (Blanche) were daughters of Sigismondo of Este; the former married to Uguccione de Gontrari, and the latter to Alberigo Sanseverino, both knights of Ferrara: Sigismondo was son of Niccolò III and of Ricciarda of Saluzzo, his third wife; and from him descended the branch of the Estes, Lords of San Martino in Rio. Diana of Este was mentioned above, canto XLIII stanza 90. ↩
I know nothing of this Barbara. The family of the Turchi was, however, an ancient and powerful family at Ferrara.
Laura I suspect to be Laura Danti, afterwards Laura Eustochia, first the mistress then the third wife of Alfonso I, Duke of Ferrara, Her marriage has been indisputably proved by Muratori; yet, on the plea that this lady was never lawfully wedded to Alfonso, the Popes robbed the House of Este of Ferrara. ↩
This is, I think, Ginevra Malatesta, celebrated for her beauty and for the vehement affection which Bernardo Tasso bore to her. She was married to a knight of the family of Obizzi of Ferrara, and on her marriage Tasso wrote a most elegant sonnet. The Malatestas were lords of Rimini or Arimino. ↩
I suppose that Ariosto alludes to the lady of Federigo Gonzaga, lord of Bozzolo, whose mother, Francesca Fieschi, as well as the sister, Cammilla Gonzaga, married to the Marquis Tripalda, and the relations, Isabella and Cammilla Gonzaga da Gazzuolo, are celebrated as very accomplished ladies by cotemporary authors. It is, however, difficult to ascertain who were the ladies meant, as the house of Gonzaga, then divided into the branches of Mantova, Bozzolo, Gazzuolo, Luzzara, San Martino, Sabbionetta, etc. counted several ladies of very prominent merits, many of whom bore the same christian name. ↩
Four of the noblest families of Italy, and the former one of the oldest in the world. They are still existing, except the last. They were all related to Este, Gonzaga, Montefeltro; and many ladies of those families were celebrated for their accomplishments and beauty in the poet’s time. ↩
This lady, celebrated for her learning, and still more for her extraordinary beauty, was married, when very young, to Vespasiano, Colomno, duke of Trajetto and earl of Fondi, who was old and infirm, and very soon afterwards died. Julia, after his death, refused the most splendid offers of marriage, and lived in a secluded manner at Fondi. Ariadeno Barbarossa, the famous pirate, afterwards dey of Tunis, on hearing her beauty so much praised, landed 2,000 men at Fondi one night, in 1534, to carry her off to the Sultan Solyman II. She had scarcely time to jump out of a window and fly from her brutal enemies, and, undressed as she was, succeed in making her escape to the neighbouring mountains. ↩
Isabella Colonna, married to Luigi, brother of Giulia Gonzaga, surnamed Rodomonte on account of his bravery. The pope opposed their marriage, but the steady attachment of Isabella triumphed over all obstacles. To this Ariosto has alluded more at length in canto XXXVII stanza 9, et seq. Rodomonte Gonzaga was a great friend of Ariosto, and wrote some stanzas in praise of the Furioso. He was lord of Gazzuolo, and is also mentioned canto XXVI stanza 50. ↩
Anna, daughter of Ferrante d’Arragona, duke of Montalto, married to Alfonso Davalo, Marquis Vasto—a great general, a good poet, and a splendid patron of literature, who, on the 18th of October, 1531, settled an annuity of one hundred golden ducats on Ariosto. He is praised more than once in the poem; see canto XV stanza 28; canto XXXIII stanza 24, et seq.; and canto XXXIII stanza 47. ↩
Giovanna d’Arragona, married to Ascanio Colonna.
Vittoria, daughter of Fabrizio Colonna, married to Ferdinando Francesco, son of Alfonso Davalo (not the one just mentioned, but an older one), marquis of Pescara. He was one of the greatest generals of his day, and died of the wounds which he received at the battle of Pavia, where he had a great share in the capture of King Francis I of France. There was a scheme set on foot for making him king of Naples. He pretended to acquiesce in some proposals concerning this, only to betray the conspirators and the Italian powers who were privy to it to Charles V. The reciprocal love of Vittoria and Francesco has never been surpassed. In her thirty-third year Vittoria lost her husband; a loss for which she was inconsolable all her life. Her poems are very good, and no lady has ever written better. She was as beautiful and virtuous as accomplished. Hence the infamous Aretino calumniated her. She was in correspondence with all the great geniuses of her
