Obizzo II d'Este (c. 1247 – 13 February 1293) was Marquis of

Ferrara Ferrara (; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, capital of the province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main ...

and

Ancona Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...

Biography

He was a bastard, the illegitimate son of Rinaldo I d'Este – the only son and heir of the Margrave Azzo VII d'Este – and a Neapolitan laundress.Cronica Fratris Salimbene de Adam, Ordinis Minorem, MGH SS XXXII, pp. 167-8. Soon after his birth, Obizzo was expelled from

with his mother and settled in

Ravenna Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...

. For his birth, Obizzo was destined to an obscure future. Nevertheless, this situation changed in 1251 when his father Rinaldo, a hostage of emperor Frederick II since 1238, was poisoned with his barren wife, Adelaide da Romano. Without any other sons to continue his line, the Margrave Azzo VII saw in Obizzo the only chance of survival of the

House of Este The House of Este ( , , ) is a European dynasty of North Italian origin whose members ruled parts of Italy and Germany for many centuries. The original House of Este's elder branch, which is known as the House of Welf, included dukes of Bavaria ...

and fought for his recognition as his heir. Obizzo was legitimated by the

Pope Innocent IV Pope Innocent IV (; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254. Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universities of Parma and Bolo ...

in 1252, shortly after his mother was drowned in the

Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

. In 1264 he was proclaimed lifelong ruler of Ferrara, Lord of

Modena Modena (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. A town, and seat of an archbis ...

in 1288 and of Reggio in 1289. His rule marked the end of the communal period in Ferrara and the beginning of the Lordship, which lasted until the 17th century. He was most likely killed by his son Azzo VIII d'Este without having nominated an heir. Azzo claimed the government as the eldest son (

primogeniture Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn Legitimacy (family law), legitimate child to inheritance, inherit all or most of their parent's estate (law), estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some childre ...

) but his brothers Aldobrandino and Francesco made a violent dispute for their rights. Finally, they made a divisionary treaty over the lands: Azzo retained

, Aldobrandino received Modena and Francesco obtained

Reggio Emilia Reggio nell'Emilia (; ), usually referred to as Reggio Emilia, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, and known until Unification of Italy, 1861 as Reggio di Lombardia, is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 172,51 ...

. Obizzo d'Este is cited in Dante's ''Inferno'' and is in the first compartment of the Seventh Circle of Hell for purchasing Ghisola from her brother Venedico Cacciamenico for sexual relations.

Family

Parents: Rinaldo I d'Este (d.1251) and Adelaida di Romano (1212-1251) Grandparents: Azzo VII d'Este (1205-1264),Giovanna Aldobrandeschi (1208-1233) and Alberigo di Romano (1196-1260) Spouse: In 1263 Obizzo married firstly with Giacomina (died December 1287), daughter of Niccolò Fieschi di Lavagna and niece of

Pope Adrian V Pope Adrian V (; – 18 August 1276), born Ottobuono de' Fieschi, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 July 1276 to his death on 18 August 1276. He was an envoy of Pope Clement IV sent to England in May 1 ...

. They had five children: * Azzo VIII (after 1263 – 31 January 1308). * Beatrice (died 15 September 1334), married firstly with Ugolino Visconti, Giudice of Gallura and secondly on 24 June 1300 to Galeazzo I Visconti, Lord of Milan. *Maddalena, married firstly with Aldobrandino Turchi, from Ferrara, and secondly with Raniero di Canossa. * Aldobrandino II (died 1326). *

Francesco Francesco, the Italian language, Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis (given name), Francis", is one of the List of most popular given names, most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name inclu ...

. In 1289 Obizzo married secondly with Costanza (died 1306), daughter of Alberto I della Scala, Lord of

Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...

. This union was childless.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obizzo II dEste 1240s births 1293 deaths Obizzo 2 Assassinated Italian people 13th-century Italian nobility People from Ravenna Medieval assassinated people Year of birth uncertain