GONZAGA, gEn-zillgit, HOUSE OF. A princely Italian family whose members for a number of centuries ruled over Mantua and Montferrat. It claimed descent from the German Emperor Lothair. The rule of the Gonzaga in Mantua was established in 1328 by the final defeat of the Bonacossi family and the murder of their chief, Passerino de' Bonacossi. In 1433 the cap taincy was changed to a marquisate, and in 1530 to a dukedom. In 1536 the Gonzaga became marquises of Montferrat, in 1539 they acquired the Duchy of Guastalla, and in 1565 that of Nevers. Other important possessions of the family at various times were the duchies of Sol ferino, Rethel, and Sabbionetta, the Principality of Bozzolo, the Marquisate of Medola, the count ships of Torelli and Novellara, and the Princi pality of Castiglione. The members of the House of Gonzaga were the faithful champions of Im perial interests in Italy, and waged war with the Visconti, dukes of Milan. They produced many men who became famous soldiers, statesmen, churchmen, and patrons of art and letters. The most illustrious of these were: GIovANNI FRAN CESCO (died 1444), in whose favor Mantua was created a marquisate by the Emperor Sigismund, in return for services to the Empire.—GrovANNI FRANCESCO II. (reigned 1484-1519). who was defeated by Charles VIII. of France at the battle of Fornovo, on the banks of the Taro, in 1495, and who took part in the engagement of Atella (1496), which led to the capitulation of the French forces in Naples. His son, FEDERICO II. (reigned 1519-90), was invested by the Emperor Charles V. with the ducal dignity in 1530, and also obtained the Marquisate of Montferrat in 1536. During the reign of this prince the Court of Mantua was one of the most magnificent in Europe.—Glinustato (1550-87), son of Federigo, proved a wise and enlightened ruler; his secre tary was Bernardo Tasso, father of the poet.— VICE:1Z° (1587-1612), son of Guglielmo, was the warm friend and patron of Tasso, and was much esteemed for his piety, justice, and liberal ity. His brother Lute' was a Jesuit missionary,
and died of the plague in Rome in 1591. He was canonized as Saint Aloysius in 1726. Vi cenzo was followed by his three sons, FRANCESCO, FERDINAND, and VieExzo, all of whom died with out heirs, and thus the direct line of the ducal branch became extinct in 1627. A collateral branch in the person of Charles I., Duke of Nevers, son of Ludovico, the brother of Guglielmo, mentioned above, claimed the duchy, which was contested by his cousin, CESARE, Duke of Guastalla. This family feud led to a war, in which France sup ported Nevers, while the Emperor Ferdinand II. claimed the right of adjudging Mantua, as an Imperial fief, to a. candidate of his choice. Spain supported Austria in this War of the Mantuan Succession. Mantua was stormed, sacked, and stripped of all its treasures by the Imperialists in 1630, and never regained its former splendor. The war was terminated a few months later, CHARLES DE NEVERS beine. of being recognized by the Em peror. The successors Charles were weak and dissipated rulers, and the tenth and last Duke of Mantua, Charles IV., was the worst of all. As he had allied himself with the French in the War of the Spanish Succession, the Emperor Joseph I. placed him under the ban of the Empire. and he was deprived of his possessions, the Duke of Savoy seizing Montferrat, and Austria taking Mantua and the minor fiefs. This division was confirmed by the treaty of peace that followed. Charles died in exile in 1708, leaving no issue, and the family became extinct, save for the branch which ruled Guastalla until 1746. Con sult: Letta, Famine celebri Italiane, vol. iv. (Milan, 1819 et seq.) ; Symonds, The Renaissance in Italy (7 vols., London, 1875-86).