Gian Gastone de' Medici (May 24, 1671 – July 9, 1737) was the last Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany (1723-1737) and the last direct scion of the line of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Marguerite Louise d'Orléans, except for his sister Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici. Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1737 ( MDCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Title grand duke (in Latin, magnus dux; in Spanish, gran duque; in Russian, Великий Герцог Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 Year 1723 ( MDCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1737 ( MDCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Cosimo III de' Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany (14 August 1642 &ndash 31 October 1723 was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1670 to 1723 and husband of Marguerite Louise d'Orléans Marguerite Louise d'Orléans Grand Duchess Consort of Tuscany ( July 28 1645 &ndash September 17 1721) was the wife of Cosimo III de' Medici Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, ( August 11, 1667 &ndash February 18, 1743, Florence) was the last of the Medici to live
Contents |
Early years
Born in Florence and baptised Giovanni Battista Gastone, he was introverted and inclined to solitude as a child. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany He was raised essentially motherless, by a father that never thought much of him. Indifferent to public affairs, he loved the arts and sciences - especially botany. Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life
His older sister Anna Maria Luisa, who loved him fondly, felt obliged to arrange a marriage for him. Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, ( August 11, 1667 &ndash February 18, 1743, Florence) was the last of the Medici to live It was a well-intentioned gesture that would have disastrous results for Gian Gastone, who began to show homosexual tendencies from a very young age. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. She set her eye on Anna Maria Franziska, daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. The young woman was widowed by the Palatine Count Philip of Neuberg, younger brother of Anna Maria's husband Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who - it seems - took to drinking in order to forget about his plain, simple wife, who was and would always remain completely absorbed in hunting and other outdoor activities. This article gives details on the history of the Count Palatine in Mediaeval European Palatinate regions and social structure Johann Wilhelm II Elector Palatine, also known as Johann Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg, ( April 19, 1658 &ndash June 8, 1716) was
Anna Maria Franziska doggedly opposed the marriage, probably realizing that she was not cut out for conjugal life, but in the end she was compelled to surrender to the collective wills of Cosimo III, elector Palatine Johann Wilhelm and his wife. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** The Prince-Electors (or simply Electors) of the Holy Roman Empire ( German: Kurfürst ( pl The Palatinate of the Rhine (Pfalzgrafschaft bei Rhein later the Electoral Palatinate (Kurpfalz was a historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire Johann Wilhelm II Elector Palatine, also known as Johann Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg, ( April 19, 1658 &ndash June 8, 1716) was The wedding was celebrated in Düsseldorf in 1697, and it was decided that Gian Gastone would live in his wife's homeland. Düsseldorf (ˈdʏsəldɔɐf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Here, as could well be predicted, the difficulties emerged almost at once. Anna, who lacked any inclination whatsoever for the arts or sciences, lived in a small and dismal castle near Reichstadt, a tiny village perched in the mountains of Bohemia. Reichstadt redirects here See also Reichsstadt (Imperial Free City Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Exiled at the side of a wife who by far preferred the pleasures of hunting to those of the nuptial bed, and surrounded by a hostile countryside, Gian Gastone became more melancholy than ever, and after spending some time in Hamburg, where he met Georg Frideric Handel, he fled to his mother in Paris. Compelled by Cosimo to return to Bohemia, he took to frequenting Prague to get away from Anna Maria Franziska. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Here he would pass his time not, as one might imagine, in the libraries or laboratories, but in the pubs. In short, Gian Gastone would end up an alcoholic.
Meanwhile in Florence, Prince Ferdinando was dying. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Ferdinando de' Medici (August 9 1663 &ndash October 31 1713 was Grand Prince of Tuscany The elderly Cosimo called his youngest son, the future Grand Duke, back to the homeland, and for ten years (1698-1708) tried in vain to bring back his wife as well. The Title grand duke (in Latin, magnus dux; in Spanish, gran duque; in Russian, Великий Герцог Year 1708 ( MDCCVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a
Grand Duke
He came to power at age 57, over a Florence in decline, and although he made a start on needed reforms, reducing the taxation on corn, discontinuing public executions, rescinding restrictions on Jewish life, encouraging the sciences, and reducing the power of the Church which it had gained during his father's later years[1], his inherent indolence soon overtook him. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany
He was known to have a hired agent procure young male prostitutes for his pleasure. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. They were called the "ruspanti" because they were paid a fee from one to five ruspi for their services. In the last years of his life Gian Gastone had around 370 ruspanti Sometimes he would order his ruspanti to adopt pompous attitudes and he would call them by the well-known names of grave counselors and revered matrons.
Also known for drunkenness, he went to a reception given by his brother's widow, Violante of Bavaria (1673-1731), and became so drunk that he uttered all kinds of obscenities and was pushed vomiting into his coach, wiping his mouth with his wig. Year 1731 ( MDCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In contrast to his father's religious fanaticism, Gian Gastone's contempt for the Church became notorious. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete".
In 1730 Gian Gastone sprained his ankle and took to his bed and from then on he left it only on some very rare occasions. Year 1730 ( MDCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a His bed became the centre of his existence. In his later years Gian Gastone became nearly blind and could hardly walk anymore. He let his fingernails, toenails and beard grow. Gradually he became senile. In June 1737 he became seriously ill, suffering from a large stone in the bladder and died within a month. Year 1737 ( MDCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a
On his death, the Grand Duchy passed to Francis, Duke of Lorraine, whom the European powers had picked to replace Gian Gastone, without troubling to consult anyone in Florence. A grand duchy is a territory whose Head of state is a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess. Early life He was born in Nancy, Lorraine (now in France) the oldest surviving son of Leopold Joseph, duke of Lorraine and his wife The rulers of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions Florence became part of the Habsburg Empire. Habsburg Monarchy (alternatively Habsburg Empire) refers to the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor
Ancestors
References
- Cesati, Franco (2005). "The twillight of the dynasty", in Monica Fintoni, Andrea Paoletti: The Medici: Story of a European Dynasty. La Mandragora s. r. l. , 131-132.
- Hibbert, Christopher (1979). "The last of the Medici", The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici. Penguin Books, London.
- Dean, W. & J. M. Knapp (1996) Handel's Operas 1704-1726. Clarendon Press Oxford.
Notes
- ^ C. Hibbert, p307.
| Preceded by Cosimo III de' Medici |
Grand Duke of Tuscany 1723–1737 |
Succeeded by Francis II Stephen of Lorraine |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic