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| Parisina (Laura) Malatesta arrived as 14-years-old girl (1418) at the court of Ferrara as bride of the rather old Signore (35) of Ferrara Niccolo d'Este. The youth of the bride, the great difference in age to the male husband, were not uncommon at that time, many examples are known. Filippo Maria Visconti, 36 years in 1428, married Maria of Savoyen (17), Francesco Sforza (40), in concurrence to Lionello (35) married Bianca Maria (16) in 1441 and Ludovico Sforza (42) married Bianca d'Este (15), might serve as examples. It was Niccolo's (* 1383) second marriage, his first wife Gigliola da Carrara (* ca. 1382) stayed childless and died in 1416 of the plague. Niccolo, himself an illegitime son, started to produce sons outside of his marriage with Ugo (1405), Lionello (1407), Borso (1413) and others following. Parisina got two daughters (1419, probably twins) and a son, who died early. Perhaps the dead son (1421) attacked her health, no children followed till 1425. Ginevra, *1419; m.1440 Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (possibly killed by her husband) Luzia, *24.3.1419, +28.6.1437; m.1437 Carlo Gonzaga, Signore di Sabbioneta (+21.12.1450) Alberto Carlo, *1421, +aged 21 days Any legal surviving son of Parisina would've attacked the chances of Ugo (* 1405), the oldest of the illegitimes sons of Niccolo, to become Signore at Ferrara. It is reported, that first Ugo reacted with antipathy towards Parisina, who reduced his own chances and the rights of his mother. Other reports believe in a strong antipathy against Ugo at Parisanas side. Card history knows Parisina from 3 documents, which means, that most of the early card documents of Ferrara are related to Parisina. 1422: In the oldest Ferrarese card document. Parisina is not mentioned 1423: Marchesa Parisina Malatesti orders, that the painter Giovanni dalla Gabella should be paid 40 gold ducats for an extreme valuable pack of cards. 1423: October, Parisina wrotes to Florence to get "a pack of VIII imperadori cards made with fine gold". The costs are 7 florins plus some expenses for bringing them to Ferrara. It is the first appearance of the name "Imperatori" as a card deck, the "8" associates, that these are additional cards. 1424: 18th of September, Parisana wrote from the Portomaggiore residence to Ferrara asking for two packs "cartiselle de quelle de docena", worth around 4 or 5 soldi per pack (relatively cheap). 3 days later she wrote again and notes, that she had received the two packs "sent to be used by our girls", probably refering to her daughters (both ca. 5 years old). Niccolo ordered Ugo to accompany Parisina on a journey to Ravenna in 1424. A short time after the journey the black death appeared at Ferrara and Niccolo did send his young wife together with Ugo to a villa in Fossaldalbero near the Po (he already had bad experiences with the plague and the death of his first wife in 1416), the stay endured from late summer till early autumn. In the silent hours at this unobserved location a deep and forbidden love affaire arose between Ugo and Parisina - the case couldn't stay in secrecy and in May 1425 Niccolo reacted very severe. In a few days he settled the outcome by beheading both, wife and son and also some others, who were guilty in the case (just the same year Niccolo got another illegitime child, it was only possible for women to be guilty in such matters). Ugo was then 19, Parisina 20 years old, both returned as romantic pair in stories and opera. Poem by Lord Byron Illustration to Byron, Ugo and Parisina Ouverture Mascagni, Opera Around that time San Bernardino was active in Northern Italy, preaching with large success against card playing and other signs of moral decay. It is possible, that his actions were used as background for Niccolo's harsh operation. After the Parisina affaire the notes about playing cards in Ferrara took a pause - probably a shock has met the happy court society and it took some time to recover (playing cards in Ferrara are first mentioned in 1334 again, they imported from Florence and not made in a local production). Niccolo - it is said, that he also took some time at the card table - is known as a good chess-player, perhaps he took more interest in serious games and the early entries about playing cards in Ferrara might refer only to an older man's interest to amuse his young bride. The 2 daughters of Parisina died early. The first, Luzia, in 1437, very short after her marriage (reasons unknown). The second, Ginevra, in 1440, short after her marriage to Sigismondo Malatesta. It is said, that she was killed by her husband. Sigismondo married an illegitime daughter of Francesco Sforza, Drusiana, which was killed by him in 1449. Sigismondo was accused to be the worst man of his time, but was not attackable. Affects on the situation of 1441 and the visit of Bianca Maria The series of women murdering, just in the early-Tarot related families, started with the mother of Filippo Visconti, probably killed by her oldest son, the Duke of Milano, Giovanni Maria 1404 in prison. This was Bianca Marias grand-mother, the murderer was her uncle and Filippo Visconti became her father. Biancas Marias aunt, Valentino Visconti, was accused to be a witch (1396), having caused the illness of the French king Charles VI. the Mad. But she wasn't killed, only condemned to live on the country. The next step took place, when Filippo Visconti killed Beatrice of Tenda, also heroine in a later opera, his 20-years-older wife and the widow of Ficino Cane, a condottieri, who took strong influence on the political situation in Milan between 1404 and 1412, being in fact the ruler of Milan. Beatrice de Tenda had a lot of money and influence upon the mercenaries of her earlier husband and with her help Filippo Maria could establish after 1412 the more or less broken dukedom in Milano again. Beatrice of Tenda was accused to have sexual intercourse with Michael Orombello, a page, and the case ended in the death of both and some others in 1418. Filippo was free again to produce his desired male heir (which probably couldn't be expected to be borne from Beatrice de Tender), but he missed the opportunity and only produced one illegitime daughter, just Bianca Maria, in 1425, the same year, when Parisina was killed. Beatrice de Tenda was - not really, but somehow - Bianca Marias step-mother. Parisina Malatesta herself was cousin to Sigismondo Malatesta, who married her daughter later. It seems not possible to research which was the definite reason, why the young condottieri killed his young wife, but actually the situation looks like a hidden vendatta. This happened 1440, short before 1441, so all the things related to Parasina (also the death of the other Parisina-daughter from 1437 and also the death of Lionello's first wife 1439) were still in the air of 1441, when Bianca Maria was send to Ferrara - eventually to become the new wife of Lionello, possibly the Signora of Ferrara and by this the direct successor of Parisina, the beheaded female card player of 1425. And Bianca had also to do with the cards ... The birth of Tarot (or, better said, Trionfi cards) took - possibly - place in a murderous community. And it went on. Niccolo III., possibly the father-in-law of Bianca Maria in January 1441, is said to be poisoned in Milan December 1441, same year, possibly by Filippo Visconti, Bianca Marias father. Polissena, Francesco Sforzas illegitime daughter, was killed by her husband (marriage April 1442) Sigismondo Malatesta in 1449. By the marriage to Francesco Sforza this was Bianca Marias step-daughter. Bianca Maria herself - possibly - was killed by her son Galeazzo Maria, in 1468 - like her grandmother. Galeazzo Maria, the killing son, was killed by assasination in 1476 - like the mother-murderer of Bianca Marias grand-mother, the Milanese duke Giovanni Maria, was killed in 1412, also by assasination. And Niccolo (* 1438), the remaining son of Lionello out of his first marriage - nearly the step-son of Bianca Maria in 1441 - was beheaded by Ercole d'Este, together with many of his followers, when fighting for his rights for the throne of the dukedom of Ferrara in 1475. |
| Parisina, the Girl with the Cards |
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