Isabella Gonzaga
Encyclopedia
Isabella Gonzaga was a duchess consort of Mantua
and Montferrat
as married to Vincenzo II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
.
Isabella Gonzaga was the daughter of Alfonso Gonzaga, Marquess of Novellara, and Vittoria Capua. She married for the first time to Ferrante de Gazzuolo, who died in 1605. Isabella was described as a beauty. In 1617, she married her relative Vincenzo Gonzaga, twenty-two years her junior. Vincenzo had in 1615 been appointed cardinal by his brother, the sovereign duke of Mantua, but he fell in love with Isabella and dismissed his position of cardinal in 1616 after an appeal to the Pope to make it possible for him to marry her. The wedding was opposed by Vincenzo's brother Ferdinando Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. Vincenzo eventually became unhappy with the match because of the pressure of having children, which they could not have. Isabella Gonzaga was accused of witch craft in an accusation staged by Ferdinando Gonzaga; her husband eventually supported the accusations. Her husband, however, left Mantua, where he was affraid of being attacked, and transformed the witch trial
to the jurisdiction directly under the Pope. In the following witch trial, Isabella was cleared of all charges of sorcery
. In 1626, her husband inherited the throne of Mantua from his brother. Though the couple was separated, they were not divorced, which formally made her duchess consort. The couple had no children.
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
and Montferrat
Montferrat
Montferrat is part of the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. It comprises roughly the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy...
as married to Vincenzo II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
Vincenzo II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua
Vincent II Gonzaga was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat from 1626 until his death.He was the son of Duke Vincent I and Eleonora de' Medici and inherited the duchy at the death of his elder brother Ferdinand, receiving the imperial investiture on February 8, 1627...
.
Isabella Gonzaga was the daughter of Alfonso Gonzaga, Marquess of Novellara, and Vittoria Capua. She married for the first time to Ferrante de Gazzuolo, who died in 1605. Isabella was described as a beauty. In 1617, she married her relative Vincenzo Gonzaga, twenty-two years her junior. Vincenzo had in 1615 been appointed cardinal by his brother, the sovereign duke of Mantua, but he fell in love with Isabella and dismissed his position of cardinal in 1616 after an appeal to the Pope to make it possible for him to marry her. The wedding was opposed by Vincenzo's brother Ferdinando Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. Vincenzo eventually became unhappy with the match because of the pressure of having children, which they could not have. Isabella Gonzaga was accused of witch craft in an accusation staged by Ferdinando Gonzaga; her husband eventually supported the accusations. Her husband, however, left Mantua, where he was affraid of being attacked, and transformed the witch trial
Witch trial
A witch trial is a legal proceeding that is part of a witch-hunt. * Witch trials in Early Modern Europe, 15th–18th centuries** Salzburg witch trials - 1675-1690, Salzburg, Austria** Spa witch trial - 1616, Belgium...
to the jurisdiction directly under the Pope. In the following witch trial, Isabella was cleared of all charges of sorcery
Sorcery
Sorcery may refer to:* Magic * Maleficium * Witchcraft* Sorcery , a video game for the PlayStation 3 utilizing the PlayStation Move* Sorcery , 1995* Sorcery , 1974...
. In 1626, her husband inherited the throne of Mantua from his brother. Though the couple was separated, they were not divorced, which formally made her duchess consort. The couple had no children.