Sante Bentivoglio

[1] Through his putative noble father, Sante could claim to be a cousin of Annibale I Bentivoglio, at the time ruler of Bologna (also of dubious paternity).

When Annibale was killed in an ambush by a rival family, the people of Bologna gave him control of city government with the title of Gonfaloniere di Giustizia.

He obtained from the Pope control over the city and established a communal senate including local nobles and Papal representatives.

He died in Bologna in 1462 due to illness, being succeeded by Giovanni II Bentivoglio, Annibale's son, who later remarried his widow Ginevra.

The great Bolognese historian Cherubino Ghirardacci wrote that 'Sante Bentivoglio had achieved the highest reputation, not just among the citizens of Bologna, but also among the lords of Italy, which was a marvellous thing'.