List of grand dukes of Tuscany facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grand Duke of Tuscany
Coat of arms (1569–1737)
Longest reigning Cosimo III de' Medici 23 May 1670 – 31 October 1723
Details
First monarch	Cosimo I de' Medici
Last monarch	Leopold II (de jure) Ferdinand IV (de facto/titular)
Formation	27 August 1569
Abolition	16 August 1859
Residence	Palazzo Pitti

The title of Grand Duke of Tuscany was a special royal title given to the rulers of Tuscany, a region in Italy. This important title was created on August 27, 1569. It was given by Pope Pius V to Cosimo I de' Medici. Cosimo was a very important member of the famous House of Medici family.

His official crowning ceremony happened in Rome on March 5, 1570. The Pope himself placed the crown on Cosimo's head. The Medici family had ruled Florence, the main city in Tuscany, since 1434. Before becoming Grand Dukes, they were known as Lords of Florence and then Dukes. The title of Grand Duke was a higher honor. It showed that the Medici family had even more power in Tuscany.

The Grand Dukes lived in a beautiful palace called the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. The Medici family bought this palace in 1549.

How Tuscany Became a Grand Duchy

For a long time, the region of Tuscany was divided. It had many independent cities. These included Pisa, Florence, Siena, and Lucca. Each city ruled itself.

Over time, Florence grew stronger and bigger. It started to bring other parts of Tuscany under its control. This made the region more united. This unity became even clearer when the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was created in 1569. Eventually, the Grand Duchy included almost all of what is now Tuscany. Later, it became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany (1569–1737)

The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a time when most of the region was ruled by one leader. This was a big change after many centuries of separate cities. The Grand Duchy covered almost all of modern Tuscany. Some small areas, like the Republic of Lucca, remained independent.

Here are the Grand Dukes from the Medici family:

Portrait	Name	Lifespan	Reign	Consorts	Succession
	Cosimo I de' Medici	12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574	21 August 1569 – 21 April 1574	(1) Eleanor of Toledo 29 June 1539 Florence 11 children (2) Camilla Martelli 1570 1 daughter	First Grand Duke of Tuscany.
	Francesco I de' Medici	25 March 1541 – 19 October 1587	21 April 1574 – 17 October 1587	(1) Joanna of Austria 18 December 1565 Florence 8 children (2) Bianca Cappello 10 June 1579 1 son	Son of Cosimo I
	Ferdinando I de' Medici	30 July 1549 – 3 February 1609	19 October 1587 – 7 February 1609	Christina of Lorraine 1589 Florence 9 children	Son of Cosimo I
	Cosimo II de' Medici	12 May 1590 – 28 February 1621	17 February 1609 – 28 February 1621	Maria Maddalena of Austria 1608 8 children	Son of Ferdinando I
	Ferdinando II de' Medici	14 July 1610 – 23 May 1670	28 February 1621 – 23 May 1670	Vittoria della Rovere 6 April 1637 4 children	Son of Cosimo II
	Cosimo III de' Medici	14 August 1642 – 31 October 1723	23 May 1670 – 31 October 1723	Marguerite Louise d'Orléans 17 April 1661 Louvre 3 children	Son of Ferdinando II
	Gian Gastone de' Medici	24 May 1671 – 9 July 1737	31 October 1723 – 9 July 1737	Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg 2 July 1697 Düsseldorf no issue	Son of Cosimo III

Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes (1737–1801)

After the Medici family line ended, a new family took over. These were the Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes. They began ruling Tuscany in 1737.

Here are the Grand Dukes from the Habsburg-Lorraine family:

Portrait	Name	Lifespan	Reign	Consorts	Succession
	Francesco II Stefano	8 December 1708 – 18 August 1765	12 July 1737 – 18 August 1765	Maria Theresa 12 February 1736 Vienna 16 children	Became ruler of Tuscany through a special agreement called the Treaty of Vienna.
	Leopoldo I	5 May 1747 – 1 March 1792	18 August 1765 – 22 July 1790	Maria Luisa of Spain 16 February 1764 Madrid 16 children	Second son of Francesco II Stefano.
	Ferdinando III	6 May 1769 – 18 June 1824	22 July 1790 – 3 August 1801	(1) Luisa of Naples and Sicily 19 September 1790 Vienna 6 children (2) Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony 6 May 1821 Florence no issue	Second son of Leopoldo I.

Kings of Etruria (1801–1807)

Around 1801, Napoleon Bonaparte changed things in Tuscany. He created a new kingdom called the Kingdom of Etruria. He put the Bourbon-Parma family in charge as "Kings" instead of Grand Dukes. This kingdom included much of modern Tuscany.

Here are the Kings of Etruria:

Portrait	Name	Lifespan	Reign	Consorts	Succession
	Ludovico I	5 July 1773 – 27 May 1803	21 March 1801 – 27 May 1803	Maria Luisa of Spain 25 August 1795 Madrid 2 children	Grandson of Francesco II Stefano.
	Ludovico II	22 December 1799 – 16 April 1883	27 May 1803 – 10 December 1807	Maria Teresa of Savoy 5 September 1820 Lucca 2 children	Son of Ludovico I.

Tuscany was then taken over by France from 1807 to 1814. Napoleon's sister, Elisa Bonaparte, was given the honorary title of Grand Duchess of Tuscany. However, she didn't actually rule the region.

Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes (1814–1860)

After Napoleon's time, the Habsburg-Lorraine family returned to rule Tuscany. They were Grand Dukes again from 1814 until 1860.

Here are the Grand Dukes from the Habsburg-Lorraine family during this period:

Portrait	Name	Lifespan	Reign	Consorts	Succession
	Ferdinando III	6 May 1769 – 18 June 1824	27 April 1814 – 18 June 1824	(1) Luisa of Naples and Sicily 19 September 1790 Vienna 6 children (2) Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony 6 May 1821 Florence no issue	Restored to the throne.
	Leopoldo II	3 October 1797 – 29 January 1870	18 June 1824 – 21 July 1859	(1) Maria Anna of Saxony 28 October 1817 Dresden 4 children (2) Maria Antonia of the Two Sicilies 7 June 1833 Naples 10 children	Son of Ferdinando III.
	Ferdinando IV	10 June 1835 – 17 January 1908	21 July 1859 – 22 March 1860	(1) Anna of Saxony 24 November 1856 Dresden 2 daughters (2) Alice of Parma 11 January 1868 Frohsdorf 10 children	Son of Leopoldo II.

Leopoldo II was forced to leave Tuscany by a revolution twice. He gave up his title to his son, Ferdinando IV, on July 21, 1859. However, Ferdinando IV was never truly accepted as ruler in Tuscany. He was removed from power on August 16. Tuscany then became part of Piedmont-Sardinia on March 22, 1860.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Soberanos de Toscana para niños

• List of heads of state of Florence (1434 to 1569)
• List of Tuscan consorts
• Grand Duchy of Tuscany
• History of Tuscany