Rovigo

Was the city where Niccolò Ariosto moved with his family, as of early1481 and until 1482, where he was captain of the city. It was the first city to which the young Ludovico moved, leaving Reggio Emilia at the age of seven. In Rovigo Niccolò Ariosto benefitted from free accommodation and other advantages. It was here that Virginia Ariosto, the poet’s sister and the fourth daughter of Niccolò Daria Malaguzzi Valeri, was born. Whilst there, Niccolò Ariosto entertained a great deal of correspondence with Duke Ercole I, of which we still have 86 letters. In the summer of 1482 Rovigo found itself involved in the war between the Republic of Venice and the Este family of Ferrara. The ambition of the Republic was to take over the Duchy of Ferrara that penetrated into its landward territories, between the lagoon and the lands of Ravenna. The Venetian army rapidly occupied the Polesine of Rovigo bringing heavy destruction to the city. The people of Rovigo, abandoned by the Duke of Ferrara and fearing a catastrophe, despite being very well equipped with artillery, renounced war and negotiated surrender with the Venetians. On 14 August they greeted within their walls their conquerors, led by Captain Gaspare, nicknamed Fracasso, son of Roberto Sanseverino who had beaten the army of Ferrara at Adria a few weeks before. Niccolò Ariosto and the Duke’s Commissioner Giacomo dal Sacrato were freed immediately after the surrender of Rovigo. In the preceding phase, when the situation started looking very bad for the city, Niccolò had in all haste transferred his family to Reggio Emilia to stay with the Malaguzzi but, due to problems with transport or other unknown reasons, he was unable to save his belongings that were thus lost with grave damage to the family. There is no evidence that Ludovico passed by the city as an adult.

G.B. Aleotti, Corographia dello Stato di Ferrara con le vicine parti

delli altri Stati che lo circondano (Corography of the State of Ferrara with nearby parts of surrounding States), Ferrara, Vittorio Baldini Stampator Camerale, 1603, Biblioteca Ariostea of Ferrara, maps series XIV-41

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