House of Gonzaga

House of Gonzaga
Noble house
Motto: "Conduct us to the Mount" (Latin: Ad montem duc nos)[1]
Country	Italy  France
Founded	1328; 696 years ago (1328)
Founder	Ludovico I Gonzaga
Current head	Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga (of the Vescovato cadet branch)
Final ruler	Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga
Titles	Prince of Arches Duke of Montferrat Duke of Mantua Duke of Guastalla Duke of Nevers Duke of Rethel Duke of Mayenne Marquis of Mantua Marquis of Montferrat County of Novellara and Bagnolo
Estate(s)	Ducal Palace (Mantua) Ducal Palace (Nevers)
Deposition	1708 (1708) (Duchy of Mantua)
Cadet branches	Gonzaga di Vescovato (only remaining branch)

The House of Gonzaga (US: /ɡənˈzɑːɡə, ɡɒn-, -ˈzæɡ-/,^[2] Italian: [ɡonˈdzaːɡa]) is an Italian princely family that ruled Mantua in Lombardy, northern Italy from 1328 to 1708 (first as a captaincy-general, then margraviate, and finally duchy). They also ruled Monferrato in Piedmont and Nevers in France, as well as many other lesser fiefs throughout Europe. The family includes a saint, twelve cardinals and fourteen bishops. Two Gonzaga descendants became empresses of the Holy Roman Empire (Eleonora Gonzaga and Eleonora Gonzaga-Nevers), and one became queen of Poland (Marie Louise Gonzaga).