Alfonso II. d´Este, Herzog von Ferrara und Modena

The Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Alfonso II d’Este (1533–1597) first fought on Henry’s II of France side against Emperor Charles V. for the dioceses of Lorraine. In 1565 he married Barbara, a sister of Emperor Maximilian II. As his lieutenant general he fought against the Ottomans in 1596. Under Alfonso’s rule Ferrara reached it cultural summit. Having no male successor, Ferrara was given back to Pope Clemens VIII. after his death. The portrait is part of a set of three similar paintings, Archduke Ferdinand II and Alessandro Farnese, framed with flowers.