LUIGI D'ESTE. - Cardinal, born in Ferrara on 25 December 1538 to Ercole II and Renée of France, died in Rome on 30 December 1586. He was archbishop of Ferrara, and in February 1561 was created cardinal by Pius IV. He held the protection of France. He wished to lay down the purple in order to marry, but the Pope would not consent. In 1580, because of incidents provoked by the overbearing conduct of his servants, Gregory XIII expelled him from the State; but a few months later he revoked the banishment through the intercession of the ambassador of France. From 1565 to 1572 Luigi had Torquato Tasso among his gentlemen. - See plate XLIII.
Bibliography6 works
BIBL.: V. Pacifici, Luigi d'E., in Atti e memorie Soc. Tibertina di storia e d'arte, 9-10 (1929-30), pp. 3-128; 11-12 (1931-32), pp. 262-316; 16 (1936), pp. 5-50; 17 (1937), pp. 154-80; 18-19 (1938-39), pp. 173-78; 20-21 (1940-41), pp. 125-36.