▁ 1 5 9 7 ) ▁was ▁Duke ▁of ▁Ferr ara ▁from ▁ 1 5 5 9 ▁to ▁ 1 5 9 7 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Este . ▁ ▁Biography ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁elder ▁son ▁of ▁Er cole ▁II ▁d ' E ste ▁and ▁Ren ée ▁de ▁France , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Louis ▁XII ▁of ▁France ▁and ▁Anne ▁of ▁Brit t any ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁fifth ▁and ▁last ▁Duke ▁of ▁Ferr ara . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁young ▁man , ▁he ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁Henry ▁II ▁of ▁France ▁against ▁the ▁H abs burg s . ▁So on ▁after ▁his ▁acc ession , ▁he ▁was ▁forced ▁by ▁Pope ▁P ius ▁IV ▁to ▁send ▁back ▁his ▁mother ▁to ▁France ▁due ▁to ▁her ▁Cal vin ist ▁cre ed . ▁The ▁ 1 5 7 0 ▁Ferr ara ▁earth qu ake ▁fell ▁into ▁his ▁reign . ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 3 ▁he ▁al lied ▁with ▁Emperor ▁Rudolf ▁II ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁against ▁the ▁Tur ks ▁in ▁Hung ary . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 5 5 0 s , ▁Alfonso ▁had ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁Cas tr ato ▁singing ▁voices . ▁Given ▁his ▁child less ness ▁amongst ▁multiple ▁mar ri ages , ▁this ▁additional ▁fact ▁has ▁prompt ed ▁some ▁histor ians ▁to ▁spec ulate ▁that ▁the ▁Duke ▁was ▁hom osex ual . ▁ ▁Mar ri ages ▁ ▁He ▁married ▁three ▁times : ▁On ▁ 3 ▁July ▁ 1 5 5 8 , ▁Alfonso ▁married ▁his ▁first ▁wife ▁Lu