Arms of Gianfrancesco I Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua

During its

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

as independent entity,

Mantua Mantua ( ; it, Mantova ; Lombard and la, Mantua) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy, and capital of the province of the same name. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the Italian Capital of Culture. In 2017, it was named as the Eur ...

had different rulers who governed on the city and the lands of Mantua from the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

to the early modern period. From 970 to 1115, the Counts of Mantua were members of the House of Canossa. During its time as free commune and '' signoria'' ("lordship"), the Lords of Mantua were exponents of the

Bonacolsi The Bonacolsi were a noble family who ruled Mantua in the last quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th. Pinamonte Bonacolsi was appointed one of two ''rectors'' of the commune on 12 July 1272, at first for a period of two ...

and Gonzaga families. From 1328, Mantua was informally led by Gonzagas until 1433, when Gianfrancesco Gonzaga assumed the noble title of Marquess of Mantua. In 1530, Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the vacant Marquisate of Montferrat through marriage. In 1627, Duke Vincent II deceased without heirs, ending the original line of Gonzagas. From 1628 to 1631, a succession war was fought between the Duke of Guastalla, supported by the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...

, and the

Duke of Nevers The counts of Nevers were the rulers of the County of Nevers, which became a French duchy in 1539, with the rulers of the duchy calling themselves dukes. History The history of the County of Nevers is closely connected to the Duchy of Burgundy. ...

, supported by

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, for the control of the

Duchy of Mantua The Duchy of Mantua was a duchy in Lombardy, northern Italy. Its first duke was Federico II Gonzaga, member of the House of Gonzaga that ruled Mantua since 1328. The following year, the Duchy also acquired the March of Montferrat, thanks to ...

. Finally, the Duke of Nevers was recognized as only Duke. In 1708, Mantua was seized by the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

s, ending Gonzaga rule. Montferrat's territories were ceded to the

Duke of Savoy The titles of count, then of duke of Savoy are titles of nobility attached to the historical territory of Savoy. Since its creation, in the 11th century, the county was held by the House of Savoy. The County of Savoy was elevated to a duchy at ...

. The emperor compensated the Duke of Lorraine, heir in the female line of the Gonzaga, for the loss of Montferrat by ceding the Duchy of Teschen to the Lorraine. In 1745, Mantua was formally unified with the

Duchy of Milan The Duchy of Milan ( it, Ducato di Milano; lmo, Ducaa de Milan) was a state in northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti family, which had been ruling the city sin ...

, until its dissolution in 1796.

Counts of Mantua (970–1115)

House of Canossa

Lords of Mantua (1272–1433)

Marquesses of Mantua (1433–1530)

House of Gonzaga

Dukes of Mantua (1530–1708)

House of Gonzaga

House of Gonzaga-Nevers

References

External links

"A complete genealogical tree of the House of Gonzaga"
* ttp://digilander.libero.it/gonzagadimantova/I%20Gonzaga%20di%20Mantova.htm I Gonzaga di Mantova {{DEFAULTSORT:Duke of Mantua Mantua 1328 establishments in Europe 1708 disestablishments in Italy Duchy of Mantua