Giancarlo de' Medici
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Giancarlo | |
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Roman Catholic |
Giancarlo de' Medici (24 July 1611 – 22 January 1663) was an Italian
Biography
He was born at
On 14 November 1644 Pope Innocent X created Giancarlo a cardinal-deacon as a token of his affection toward the Medici.[1] Thus forced to give up his military career and with it the title of "General of the Spanish Seas", Giancarlo could not reconcile himself to his new "religious" lifestyle.[2]
Cardinal de' Medici participated in the
Here, Giancarlo led a life of dissipation, taking many mistresses; nevertheless, Ferdinando II delegated to him the management of the state's financial affairs. After one of his mistresses died, "the sexton who buried her said that Cardinal Gian Carlo, remembering the convulsions of that ivory body, came to look once more; and overcome by so much beauty, entered the vault and lay with her for the last time." He murdered a romantic rival, Cavaliere Luna, but his brother, Duke Ferdinando II, did nothing. [4][5] He was patron of science, letters and music. He founded the Accademia degli Immobili and contributed to the construction of Teatro della Pergola and the enrichment of the Galleria Palatina di Palazzo Pitti.[6]
In later years, Giancarlo donated his sizeable art collection to form the Pitti Gallery.[7] He died at Florence, of an apoplexy, at the age of 51, and was interred in the Medicean necropolis, the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence.[8]
Four years after the death of Giancarlo, his younger brother Leopoldo was created a cardinal.[citation needed]
Ancestors
Ancestors of Giancarlo de' Medici | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, pp. 424 – 425.
- ^ Acton, Harold: The Last Medici, p 46.
- ^ Acton, Harold: The Last Medici, p 47.
- ^ Acton, Harold: The Last Medici, p 48.
- ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 434.
- ^ Miranda, Salvador. "Medici, Giancarlo de'", The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
- ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 444.
- ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 452.
Sources
- Acton, Harold: The Last Medici, Macmillan, London, 1980, ISBN 0-333-29315-0
- Young, G.F.: The Medici: Volume II, John Murray, London, 1920