During this period Dufay also began his long association with the d'Este family in Ferrara , some of the most important musical patrons of the Renaissance . During this period Dufay also began his long association with the Este family in Ferrara , some of the most important musical patrons of the Renaissance , and with which he probably had become acquainted during the days of his association with the Malatesta family ; Rimini and Ferrara are not only geographically close , but the two families were related by marriage , and Dufay composed at least one ballade for NiccolÃ III , Marquis of Ferrara .