ABSTRACT
All through her life, Isabella kept a strong bond with the family into which she was born. She called herself Isabella d’Este, rather than Isabella Gonzaga, but married women often continued to be known by the surname of their family of origin, and it would be wrong to attach too much significance to this. A variety of reasons brought Isabella to Ferrara several times, sometimes with Francesco, sometimes on her own. Beatrice’s marriage gave Isabella family ties to a more glamorous court. Ludovico Sforza was only the regent in Milan until late 1494, but it was no secret that he wanted to be duke. He behaved as though he was the duke, and he wanted his young wife to be every inch the duchess. Isabella’s own identification with the Este and with Ferrara was never more obvious than during the crisis of 1510-1511.
