Ferrante d'Este

Ferrante d'Este (19 September 1477, Castel Capuano, Naples – February 1540, Ferrara) was a Ferrarese nobleman and condottiero. He was the son of Ercole I d'Este and Eleonora d'Aragona - he was named after his mother's father Ferdinand I of Naples. His five siblings were Alfonso I d'Este, cardinal Ippolito d'Este, Isabella d'Este, wife of Francesco II Gonzaga, Beatrice d'Este, and Sigismondo d'Este. His two illegitimate half-siblings were Giulio and Lucrezia d'Este. He was born in Naples, where his mother had gone into seclusion. He was christened on 7 October 1477 with Giuliano della Rovere as his godfather and raised at the Aragonese court in Naples. In 1493 his father invited him to join the court of Charles VIII of France. When Charles invaded Italy, Ferrante decided not to follow the French army to Naples but remained in Rome, spending his regular allowance from his father dissolutely. Ercole accidentally allowed a letter to get through to the French army. The letter was reproaching Ferrante for his behaviour and ordering him not to lose Charles' favour.