Editing Isabella d'Este (section)

==== Lucrezia Borgia ====
A year after her 1502 marriage to Isabella's brother Alfonso, the notorious [[Lucrezia Borgia]] became the mistress of Francesco.<ref>Note:In June 1505, Alfonso succeeded their father as duke, making Lucrezia Duchess of Ferrara</ref> At about the same time, Isabella had given birth to a daughter, Ippolita, and she continued to bear him children throughout Francesco and Lucrezia's long, passionate affair, which was more sexual than romantic.{{sfn|Marek|1976|pp=166–69}} Lucrezia had previously made overtures of friendship to Isabella which the latter had coldly and disdainfully ignored. From the time Lucrezia had first arrived in Ferrara as Alfonso's intended bride, Isabella, despite having acted as hostess during the wedding festivities, had regarded Lucrezia as a rival, whom she sought to outdo at every opportunity. {{sfn|Marek|1976|pp=147–48}} Francesco's affair with Lucrezia, whose beauty was renowned,{{sfn|Marek|1976|p=33}} caused Isabella much jealous suffering and emotional pain.{{sfn|Marek|1976|pp=166–69}} The liaison ended when he contracted [[syphilis]] as a result of encounters with prostitutes.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}