Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara

Ercole II d'Este (5 April 1508 – 3 October 1559) was Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio from 1534 to 1559. He was the eldest son of Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia.

Marriage
On 28 June 1528	he married Renée of France, daughter of Louis XII of France an sister of the future Queen Claude of France.

Issue

 * 1) Anna d'Este (16 November 1531 – 1607) married, Francis, Duke of Guise before marrying Jacques, Duke of Nemours
 * 2) Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara (22 November 1533 – 1597)
 * 3) Lucrezia Maria d'Este 16 December 1535 – 1598) married Francesco Maria II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino.
 * 4) Eleonora d'Este (1537-1581)
 * 5) Luigi d'Este, 21 December 1538 – 1586) Bishop of Ferrara and Archbishop of Auch.