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Your Majesty's brother, who loves you better than he does himself, URBINO, July 20, 1502. Shortly after this he surprised his sister by visiting her in the palace of Belfiore, whither he came in disguise with five cavaliers.
The war had deprived Ferrara of much of its brilliancy, although it was still one of the most attractive of the princely courts of Italy. During the following years of peace Alfonso devoted himself to the cultivation of the arts. The most famous masters of Ferrara Dossi, Garofalo, and Michele Costa worked for him in the castle, in Belriguardo, and Belfiore.
The courtyard of the ancient Este palace was adorned with wide marble staircases, the villa of Belfiore was enlarged and beautified, while that of Belriguardo, twelve miles from the city, on the banks of the Po, became celebrated as the most sumptuous of all the stately pleasure-houses in which Renaissance princes took delight.
He immediately despatched Cardinal Ferrari to Ercole with the contract, whereupon Don Ramiro Remolini and other proxies hastened to Ferrara, where, in the castle of Belfiore, the nuptial contract was concluded ad verba, September 1, 1501.
At this point all the trumpeters and fifes were massed. It is impossible to tell exactly where the palace was situated to which Lucretia was conducted. The Este had built a number of residences in the city, which they occupied in turn. Among them were Schifanoja, Diamanti, Paradiso, Belvedere, Belfiore, and Castle Vecchio.
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