During its history as independent entity, Mantua had different rulers who governed on the city and the lands of Mantua from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.
From 970 to 1115, the Counts of Mantua were members of the House of Canossa. During its time as free commune and signoria ("lordship"), the Lords of Mantua were exponents of the Bonacolsi and Gonzaga families. From 1328, Mantua was informally led by Gonzagas until 1433, when Gianfrancesco Gonzaga assumed the noble title of Marquess of Mantua. In 1530, Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the vacant Marquisate of Montferrat through marriage.
In 1627, Duke Vincent II deceased without heirs, ending the original line of Gonzagas. From 1628 to 1631, a succession war was fought between the Duke of Guastalla, supported by the Holy Roman Empire, and the Duke of Nevers, supported by France, for the control of the Duchy of Mantua. Finally, the Duke of Nevers was recognized as only Duke.
In 1708, Mantua was seized by the Habsburgs, ending Gonzaga rule. Montferrat's territories were ceded to the Duke of Savoy. The emperor compensated the Duke of Lorraine, heir in the female line of the Gonzaga, for the loss of Montferrat by ceding the Duchy of Teschen to the Lorraine. In 1745, Mantua was formally unified with the Duchy of Milan, until its dissolution in 1796.
See main article: House of Canossa.
| width=8% | Portrait | width=10% | Coat of Arms | width=20% | Name | Reign | width=15% | Relationship with Predecessor(s) | width=10% | Marriage(s) Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adalbert Atto | 970 | 13 February 988 | Son of Sigifred of Lucca[1] | Hildegard of Supponids 4 children | ||||||
| Tebald | 13 February 988 | 1007 | Son of Adalbert Atto | Willa of Tuscany 2 children | ||||||
| Boniface | 1007 | 6 May 1052 | Son of Tebald | (1) Richelida Giselbertiner Childless(2) Beatrice of Lorraine 3 children | ||||||
| Matilda | 6 May 1052 | 24 July 1115 | Daughter of Boniface | (1) Godfrey of Lorraine Childless(2) Welf of Bavaria Childless |
| Portrait | width=10% | Coat of Arms | width=20% | Name | Reign | width=15% | Relationship with Predecessor(s) | width=10% | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinamonte dei Bonacolsi | 28 July 1272 | 9 September 1291 | None | ||||||
| Bardellone dei Bonacolsi | 9 September 1291 | 2 July 1299 | Son of Pinamonte | ||||||
| Guido dei Bonacolsi | 2 July 1299 | 21 January 1309 | Nephew of Bardellone | General Captain | |||||
| Rinaldo dei Bonacolsi | 21 January 1309 | 16 August 1328 | Brother of Guido | General Captain | |||||
| Ludovico Gonzaga | 16 August 1328 | 18 January 1360 | None; supported by Cangrande of Verona | Captain of the People | |||||
| Guido Gonzaga | 18 January 1360 | 22 September 1369 | Son of Ludovico | Captain of the People | |||||
| Ludovico II Gonzaga | 22 September 1369 | 4 October 1382 | Son of Guido | Captain of the People | |||||
| Francesco Gonzaga | 4 October 1382 | 7 March 1407 | Son of Ludovico II | Captain of the People | |||||
| Gianfrancesco Gonzaga | 7 March 1407 | 22 September 1433 | Son of Francesco | Captain of the People | |||||
See main article: House of Gonzaga.
| width=8% | Portrait | width=10% | Coat of Arms | width=20% | Name | Reign | width=15% | Relationship with Predecessor(s) | width=10% | Marriage(s) Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Francis I (Gianfrancesco I) | 22 September 1433 | 25 September 1444 | Son of FrancescoPurchased the title from Emperor Sigismund | Paola Malatesta 6 children | ||||||
| Louis III (Ludovico III) | 25 September 1444 | 11 June 1478 | Son of John Francis I | Barbara of Brandenburg 11 children | ||||||
| Frederick I (Federico I) | 11 June 1478 | 14 July 1484 | Son of Lewis III | Margaret of Bavaria 6 children | ||||||
| Francis II (Francesco II) | 14 July 1484 | 29 March 1519 | Son of Frederick I | Isabella d'Este 9 children | ||||||
| Frederick II (Federico II) | 29 March 1519 | 8 April 1530 | Son of Francis II | Margaret Paleologa 7 children |
| width=8% | Portrait | width=10% | Coat of Arms | width=20% | Name | Reign | width=15% | Relationship with Predecessor(s) | width=10% | Marriage(s) Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick II (Federico II) | 8 April 1530 | 28 June 1540 | Son of Francis II(Title obtained by Emperor Charles V) | Margaret Paleologa 7 children | ||||||
| Francis III (Francesco III) | 28 June 1540 | 21 February 1550 | Son of Frederick II | Catherine of Austria Childless | ||||||
| William (Guglielmo) | 21 February 1550 | 14 August 1587 | Son of Frederick II | Eleanor of Austria 3 children | ||||||
| Vincent I (Vincenzo I) | 14 August 1587 | 18 February 1612 | Son of William | (1) Margherita Farnese (nullified) Childless(2) Eleanor de' Medici 6 children | ||||||
| Francis IV (Francesco IV) | 18 February 1612 | 22 December 1612 | Son of Vincent I | Margaret of Savoy 3 children | ||||||
| Ferdinand (Ferdinando) | 22 December 1612 | 29 October 1626 | Son of Vincent IBrother of Francis IV | Caterina de' Medici Childless | ||||||
| Vincent II (Vincenzo II) | 29 October 1626 | 25 December 1627 | Son of Vincent IBrother of Ferdinand and Francis IV | Isabella Gonzaga Childless |
| width=8% | Portrait | width=10% | Coat of Arms | width=20% | Name | Reign | width=15% | Relationship with Predecessor(s) | width=10% | Marriage(s) Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles I (Carlo I) | 17 January 1628 | 22 September 1637 | Grandson of Frederick II | Catherine of Lorraine 6 children | ||||||
| Charles II (Carlo II) | 22 September 1637 | 14 August 1665 | Grandson of Charles I | Isabella Clara of Austria 1 children | ||||||
| Ferdinand Charles (Ferdinando Carlo) | 14 August 1665 | 5 July 1708 | Son of Charles II | (1) Anna Isabella Gonzaga Childless(2) Suzanne Henriette of Lorraine Childless |