<P> Lucrezia was not well educated , and the Medicis could be considered `` nouveau riche '' in comparison to the venerable and distinguished Este family ( Alfonso II d'Este's remark regarding his gift of a `` nine - hundred - years - old name '' clearly indicates that he considered his bride beneath him socially ) . She came with a sizeable dowry , and the couple married in 1558 . He then abandoned her for two years before she died on 21 April 1561 , at age 17 . There was a strong suspicion of poisoning . The Duke then sought the hand of Barbara , eighth daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary and the sister of the Count of Tyrol , Ferdinand II . The count was in charge of arranging the marriage ; the chief of his entourage , Nikolaus Madruz , a native of Innsbruck , was his courier . Madruz is presumably the listener in the poem . </P>
<P> Lucrezia was not well educated , and the Medicis could be considered `` nouveau riche '' in comparison to the venerable and distinguished Este family ( Alfonso II d'Este's remark regarding his gift of a `` nine - hundred - years - old name '' clearly indicates that he considered his bride beneath him socially ) . She came with a sizeable dowry , and the couple married in 1558 . He then abandoned her for two years before she died on 21 April 1561 , at age 17 . There was a strong suspicion of poisoning . The Duke then sought the hand of Barbara , eighth daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary and the sister of the Count of Tyrol , Ferdinand II . The count was in charge of arranging the marriage ; the chief of his entourage , Nikolaus Madruz , a native of Innsbruck , was his courier . Madruz is presumably the listener in the poem . </P>
who is the duke speaking to in the poem my last duchess
who is the duke speaking to in the poem my last duchess
Nikolaus Madruz
Nikolaus Madruz