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Ducato 'Hungarian' - Alfonso II
| Issuer | Ferrara, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1559-1597 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 3.5 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Mintage | ND (1559-1597) - MIR 306/3 - 1596 - MIR 306/1 - 1597 - - |
| Additional information |
Alfonso II inherited Ferrara at a moment when Este dynastic survival depended heavily on Spanish favor, and his close ties to Philip II of Spain explain the persistent "Hungarian" ducat type — a coin deliberately modeled on the Hungarian gold ducat that had become the dominant trade currency across Central Europe and the Levant. Ferrara was not alone in this imitation; dozens of Italian and German states produced near-copies to satisfy merchants who trusted the type's fineness above all else.
The duchy's gold coinage effectively ended with Alfonso II. He died in 1597 without a legitimate heir, and Pope Clement VIII immediately claimed Ferrara for the Papal States, ending over three centuries of Este rule.