Author name: medici

Marie de’ Medici (Maria de’ Medici) (1573-1642) was the wife of Henry IV. She was the daughter of Francesco I, Grand Duke of Tuscany and lived in Florence until her marriage in 1600. The Florentine court supplied her with several artists who settled in Paris, notably Thomas Francini, Alexandre Francini and Pietro Francavilla, and this influenced her […]

Catherine de’ Medici (1519-1589) was the wife of Henry II and the daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de La Tour d’Auvergne. Without influence during the reign of her husband, she ruled France from his death in 1559 until the first years of her son Henry III’s reign, continuing to spend lavishly

Gian Gastone de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1671-1737) was the son of Cosimo III de’ Medici. He showed promise as a youth, gaining a reputation for learning that ranged from antiquarian studies to an interest in the work of the mathematician Leibniz. At the same time, however, he was prone to bouts of hypochondria and

Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, Electress Palatine (1667-1743) was the daughter of Cosimo III de’ Medici. She married John William, Elector Palatine of the Rhine in Düsseldorf in 1691 but returned to Florence in 1717 after his death. She survived her brother Gian Gastone de’ Medici, the last Grand Duke, and remained the only Medici after Tuscany passed

Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany (1663-1713) was the first son of Cosimo III de’ Medici. He was the last great personality of the Medici family and inherited the taste and spirit of his great-uncle Cardinal Leopoldo de’ Medici. His enlightened patronage made Florence once again an artistic centre and encouraged the development of the lighter,

Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1642-1723) was the son of Ferdinando II de’ Medici and Vittoria della Rovere. He was a vigorous patron of the arts, concerned to uphold the splendor of his court and the prestige of Medici patronage. The considerable breadth of his interests in learning and the arts was influenced by the example

Vittoria della Rovere, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (1622-1694) was the wife of Ferdinando II de’ Medici. She was the daughter of Federigo-Ubaldo della Rovere (1604–1648) and Claudia de’ Medici. She is best known as the last heir of the art collection assembled by her family in Urbino and as the person who, through marriage, passed them

Cardinal Leopoldo de’ Medici (1617-1675) was the son of Cosimo II de’ Medici. His education was unusually wide-ranging, including instruction in painting by Sigismondo Coccapani and in the natural sciences by disciples of Galileo Galilei. He served his eldest brother Ferdinando II de’ Medici as Governor of Siena in 1637 and 1644 and made official visits to Modena

Mattias de’ Medici (1613-1667) was the son of Cosimo II de’ Medici. In 1630 he became Governor of Siena, where he lived for most of his life. Fascinated by engraving, he collected works by Stefano della Bella, Giulio Parigi and Giuliano Periccioli and was himself an amateur engraver. He encouraged artistic interchange between Florence and Siena

Cardinal Giovanni Carlo de’ Medici, also known as Gian Carlo de’ Medici, (1611 – 1663) was the son of Cosimo II de’ Medici. He became a cardinal in 1644, yet his main interests were in collecting paintings, books and furnishings and in the art of the theatre. In 1629 he bought the Villa di Mezzomonte, which