The Duchy of Ferrara was a sovereign state in northern Italy that existed from 1450 to 1597, with Ferrara serving as its capital. The duchy was a fief of both the Holy Roman Empire and the Papal States; it was transferred to Papal control in 1471. The House of Este ruled the duchy throughout its existence, and they were patrons of the arts and great military leaders. Ferrara allied with France during the Italian Wars, and Alfonso d'Este married Lucrezia Borgia, the daughter of Pope Alexander VI. The city remained a major Italian city-state even after the wars ended, and the extinction of the main line of the House of Este led to the Papal States reclaiming Ferrara; the Este family continued ruling the Duchy of Modena and Reggio until 1859.
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