page_title: Leonello d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara
section_title: Parents and succession
hierarchical_section_title: Leonello d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara / Family background and history / Parents and succession
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Copia novecentesca, collocata di fronte al Palazzo del Municipio di Ferrara, del quattrocentesco monumento equestre in bronzo a Niccolò III d'Este, marchese d'Este. L'originale è attribuito a Leon Battista Alberti. English: The 20th century replica, before the Palazzo Municipale (Town Hall) of Ferrara (Italy), of the 15th century equestrian bronze monument to Niccolò III of Este. It is given to Leon Battista Alberti.
context_page_description: Leonello d'Este was Marquis of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio Emilia from 1441 to 1450. Despite the presence of legitimate children, Leonello was favoured by his father as his successor. In addition, his virtuous qualities, high level of education, and popularity among the common people as well as his formal papal recognition ultimately made him the most suitable heir.
  Leonello had little influence over the Italian political landscape and aristocracy in Ferrara. Contrary to other prior d’Este family leaders, such as Azzo VII, Niccolò III, and Isabella d’Este, who had a drive for power and control, Leonello is recognized principally for his sponsorship of the arts, literature, and culture. In 1441–1450, his learned courts and developing knowledge assisted him in transforming the city of Ferrara. Under the guidance of Guarino Veronese, his humanist teacher, and with the approval of the commune, Leonello began the reformation, particularly, the University of Ferrara.
  Leonello not only elevated the humanistic cultural movements during his rule, but it also influenced the political and artistic advancements of his successors.
context_section_description: Leonello d’Este's father, Niccoló d’Este III, was also an illegitimate son himself. At the age of nine, Niccoló became legitimated as the successor of Leonello's grandfather, Alberto. However, Leonello's circumstances for securing his rights to succession differed from his father's, primarily because Niccoló was Alberto's only son while Leonello was in a competition with his younger legitimate brothers.
  In the presence of his legitimate sons from his later marriage, Niccoló needed to prove that Leonello was qualified to be chosen as his successor. Niccoló defended Leonello's rights to succession on three grounds: Leonello's personal attributes, popularity among his subjects, and official papal recognition. Leonello was often praised for exhibiting strong leadership skills and virtuous characteristics, which would make him a worthy heir and future ruler of Ferrara.  In addition, Leonello was taught under esteemed humanist teachers such as Guarino da Verona. His father noted that this high level of education further distinguished Leonello from his siblings. Leonello was also popular among the people and his father recognized the wide support that Leonello would receive from his subjects, who approved of Leonello being chosen as Niccoló's successor. Furthermore, the papacy officially recognized Leonello as a legitimate heir. Thus, by 1434, Leonello was given a great deal of authority to co-rule with his father.
  Leonello's succession and subsequent marriage would also serve an important role in relations with neighbouring city-states. Previously, the House of Este owed a great debt to Gianfrancesco Gonzaga, the ruler of Mantua. Instead of having this debt paid monetarily, Gonzaga agreed to have his daughter Margarita marry Leonello, in exchange for Niccoló promising his daughter's line of descendants the position of lords in Ferrara. Hence, the two rulers sought to use the marriage of their children to both their advantages, by resolving the issue of debt and also improving their relationship with the other city-state. This was also advantageous for Leonello, as he was guaranteed political support from another ruler through his marriage.
  Meanwhile, Leonello's younger legitimate brothers were also vying for the same position. Because of the potential political conflict that could arise between these siblings, Leonello's father was very cautious of officially appointing Leonello as his successor. Although Leonello was able to co-rule with his father since 1434, Niccoló waited until his last will, which was written just before his death, to formally recognize Leonello as his heir. Niccoló's final will also protected the claims of his legitimate sons Ercole and Sigismondo and ensured that they were each given 10, 000 ducats. Following his father's death in 1441, Leonello finally became recognized as the formal heir and the new Marquis of Ferrara.
caption: A statue of Leonello's father, Niccolò III d'Este. It is a 20th-century replica, before the Town Hall of Ferrara (Palazzo Municipale), of the 15th century equestrian bronze monument to Niccolò III of Este. The original statue is attributed to Leon Battista Alberti.
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "<Digimax i50 MP3, Samsung #1 MP3>", "Image Make": "Samsung Techwin", "Image Model": "<Digimax i50 MP3, Samsung #1 MP3>", "Image XResolution": "96", "Image YResolution": "96", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "510271", "Image DateTime": "2008:03:01 13:41:07", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image Copyright": "COPYRIGHT, 2005", "Image ExifOffset": "382", "Image ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "Image WhiteBalance": "Auto", "Image DigitalZoomRatio": "0", "Image FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "39", "Image SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "Image Saturation": "Normal", "Image Sharpness": "Normal", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "1", "Thumbnail YResolution": "1", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "41904", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "9635", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/125", "EXIF FNumber": "63/10", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "50", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2008:03:01 13:41:07", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2008:03:01 13:41:07", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "319261/80000", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "223/32", "EXIF ApertureValue": "85/16", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "29/8", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "33/5", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1200", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1600", "EXIF RelatedSoundFile": "RelatedSound", "EXIF ExposureIndex": "1", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed"}