Editing Ferdinand I of Naples (section)

==== Youth ====
[[File:SOAOTO - Folio 074R.jpg|thumb|left|Ferrante d'Aragona, depicted as a member of the [[Order of the Golden Fleece]]]]
Ferdinand was born on 2 June 1424 in [[Valencia]]. His mother, Gueraldona Carlino,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lVfiBAAAQBAJ&dq=Gueraldona+Carlino&pg=PT136|title=I Signori di Napoli|first=Sara|last=Prossomariti|date=October 30, 2014|publisher=Newton Compton Editori|isbn=9788854173460 |via=Google Books}}</ref> was probably a woman of Neapolitan origin who in December 1423 had accompanied [[Alfonso V of Aragon|Alfonso]] on his return to [[Spain]], where she later married a certain Gaspar Reverdit of Barcelona.

In order to ensure a good future for his illegitimate son, his father Alfonso had called him to [[Kingdom of Naples|Naples]]. At the behest of the king, on 26 July 1438 the governor de Corella, the bishop [[Pope Callixtus III|Borgia]], and the young Ferrante, with their entourage of young Catalan gentlemen, set sail from [[Barcelona]] for [[Italy]]. Alfonso's purpose was to prepare his only son, albeit illegitimate, for the role of heir to the kingdom he was conquering. The whole company landed in [[Gaeta]] on 19 August, where Ferrante was reunited with his father, whom he hardly knew.

A strong emotional bond soon developed between father and son, as Alfonso appreciated the young man's acute intelligence and courage, while Ferrante showed complete reverence for his parent. Alfonso, on 9 September 1438, created Ferrante a knight on the [[Maddaloni]] field where [[René of Anjou|René of Anjou-Valois]], challenged to battle, did not appear.

In Naples he had as teachers [[Lorenzo Valla|Valla]], [[Antonio Beccadelli (poet)|Panormita]], Borgia, and Gabriele Altilio, who taught him for many years. He also had as [[Tutoring|tutor]] Paris de Puteo who taught him [[law]].<ref name="Le vite de Re di Napoli" /> When the ''Sacro regio consiglio, judicial'' ''authority'' of the kingdom, was established by Alfonso, he was assigned the position of president.<ref name="Nicolò Morelli-1849">{{cite book|title=Vite de Re di Napoli, con lo stato delle scienze, delle arti, della navigazione, del commercio e degli spettacoli sotto ciascun sovrano: Volumi 1-2|author=Nicolò Morelli|year= 1849|editor=G. Nobile|location=Naples}}</ref>

Following the death of his uncle [[Peter of Aragon, Count of Alburquerque|Peter]], in April 1439 Ferrante was appointed lieutenant general of the kingdom. On February 17, 1440, King Alfonso, by his own authority, legitimized and declared his son his heir to the throne of Naples, and then, in January 1441, he secured the approval of the parliament of the barons of the kingdom that he had summoned in [[Benevento]] and which was then transferred to [[Naples]]. Still in parliament, Alfonso, worried about the succession, promoted a petition, in which the barons, knowing they were doing the king a great pleasure, proposed to establish Don Ferrante as his future successor, with the title of [[Duke of Calabria]], usually given to the first-born of the king of Naples. Then Onorato Caetani, with the consent of all, kneeling before the king, begged him to create as Duke of Calabria and his future successor Don Ferrante, and the King with a cheerful face made him answer these words by the secretary:<ref name="Le vite de Re di Napoli" />

{{blockquote|The Most Serene Majesty of the King thanks you infinitely Distinguished, Respectable and Magnificent Barons for the petition made in favor of the Illustrious Lord Don Ferrante, his dearest son, and to satisfy your request he entitled him from this moment, and declares him Duke of Calabria, immediate heir and successor of this Kingdom, be happy and swear homage to him from the present day|[[Domenico Lalli|Bastian Biancardi]], "Le vite de Re di Napoli, Raccolte succintamente con ogni accuratezza"}}

After this, Don Ferrante Duke of Calabria and successor of the kingdom was shouted with great joy and, on March 3, 1443, the king, accompanied by his son and baronage, went to the [[San Gregorio Armeno|Monastery of the Nuns of San Ligoro]], where the mass was celebrated with public solemnity and where Alfonso gave the sword in Ferrante's right hand, the flag in his left hand, and placing the ducal circle over his head, ordered everyone to call him Duke of Calabria.<ref name="Le vite de Re di Napoli" />
[[File:Adorazione_dei_magi_don_ferrante_di_Napoli.jpg|thumb|Don Ferrante of Naples depicted as one of the [[Biblical Magi|Magi]] in the Adoration of the Magi by [[Marco Cardisco]], Civic Museum of [[Castel Nuovo]], [[Naples]]]]

The recognition of the rights of succession Ferrante was sealed by the Papal bull Regnans in altissimis issued by [[Pope Eugene IV]] in July 1443, and later confirmed in 1451 by [[Pope Nicholas V]].<ref name="test1">{{Cite book|author=Massimo Buchicchio|title=La guerra tra Aragonesi e Angioini nel Regno di Napoli. La Battaglia di Sarno|year=2009|location=Cava de' Tirreni}}</ref> Ferrante in 1444 married the heiress [[Isabella of Clermont|Isabella of Taranto]], daughter of [[Tristan of Clermont]] and [[Catherine of Taranto, Countess of Copertino|Catherine of Taranto]], designated heir of Prince [[Giovanni Antonio Orsini del Balzo|Giovanni Antonio Orsini Del Balzo of Taranto]], his maternal uncle, who had no children. Isabella was also the niece of Queen [[Mary of Enghien]] who, having married [[Ladislaus of Naples|Ladislaus I of Anjou]], had therefore been queen of Naples, [[Kingdom of Sicily|Sicily]] and the [[Kingdom of Jerusalem]] from 1406 to 1414.