Le scuole di una comunità emiliana nel Rinascimento tra religione e politica. Il caso di Novellara

The Schools of an Emilian Renaissance Community between Religion and Politics. The Case of Novellara This paper inquires the links and the mutual influence between the political and educational structures of the rural community of Novellara during the XVI century. The analysis will focus in particular on the evolution of these structures from the late medieval humanistic school system to the new post-Tridentine catholic school system. This dynamic will also be taken into account under the perspective of the political strategies undertaken by the ruling family of this community, a cadet branch of the Gonzaga family, in order to allow the survival of their little state. The only way to achieve this purpose was to put the fathers of the Society of Jesus in charge of the local schools.