Niccolò II d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara

Niccolò II d'Este (1338 – 26 March 1388) was Lord of Ferrara, Modena and Parma from 1361 until his death.

He was the son of Obizzo III, who had ruled in Ferrara from 1317 to 1352 and the noblewoman Lippa degli Ariosti. After inheriting his lands from Aldobrandino III, he allied with Padua, Verona and Mantua against Bernabò Visconti and, after a meeting at Viterbo, he managed to obtain also the support of Pope Urban V (1367).

During Niccolò's reign, Ferrara started to gain a reputation as an art city. He commissioned to Bartolino da Novara the construction of the Castello Estense after a popular revolt in 1385.

Marriage On 19 May 1362 Niccolo was married to Verde della Scala, daughter of Mastino II della Scala and sister of Beatrice della Scala, making him a brother-in-law of the powerful Bernabó Visconti.

They had one daughter;

Taddea d´Este (1365 – 23 November 1404) who married Francesco II da Carrara, the last lord of Padua and had issue.