Ludovico Ariosto was born in Reggio Emilia on September 8, 1474, to Daria Malaguzzi and Niccolò Ariosto, military governor of the city at the time. His father’s service to Duke Ercole I d’Este of Ferrara led the family to Rovigo in 1481, back to Reggio Emilia during the Venice-Ferrara War (1482-1484), and finally to Ferrara in 1484, where he would spend most of his life. The eldest of ten children, Ludovico was initially compelled by his father to study law at the University of Ferrara in 1489, but after five years he was allowed to follow his inclination and dedicate himself to literary studies, which at the time consisted primarily of classical Latin works. During the 1490s Ludovico also frequented the Ferrarese court, a vibrant cultural and intellectual center. After his…

2775 words

Citation: Cavallo, Jo Ann. "Ludovico Ariosto". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 April 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=146, accessed 13 December 2024.]

146 Ludovico Ariosto 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

Save this article

Leave Feedback

The Literary Encyclopedia is a living community of scholars. We welcome comments which will help us improve.