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,[1] who had ruled in Ferrara from 1317 to 1352 and the noblewoman Lippa degli Ariosti.[2] 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.[2]
Marriage
On 19 May 1362 Niccolo was married to Verde della Scala,[2] 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,[1] the last lord of Padua and had issue.