Mattias de' Medici

Mattias
Governor of Siena
Grand Ducal	House of Medici
Father	Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Mother	Maria Maddalena of Austria
Born	9 May 1613(1613-05-09) Florence, Tuscany
Died	11 October 1667(1667-10-11) (aged 54) Siena, Tuscany
Burial	The Basilica of San Lorenzo
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Mattias de' Medici (9 May 1613 – 11 October 1667) was the third son of Grand Duke Cosimo II de' Medici of Tuscany and Archduchess Maria Maddalena of Austria. He was governor of Siena, with interruptions, from 1629. He never married.^[1]

Biography

Mattias pursued an ecclesiastical career, like his brother Gian Carlo, but found it was not to his liking. Instead, he embarked on a military career at the age of 16. His father, Cosimo II, died on 28 February 1621; he was succeeded by Ferdinando de' Medici, the elder son. On 29 May 1629, Grand Duke Ferdinando appointed Mattias governor of Siena, following the death of their aunt and the then governor, Catherine de' Medici.^[2]

He arrived in his domain on 27 August and took up residence in the Piazza del Duomo. Spending the bulk of his time in Siena, he was immensely popular among the Sienese.^[2] In 1631, he joined the Austrian belligerency in the Thirty Years' War. He took part in the famous battle of Lützen,^[3] in October 1632, where he met Sienese politician Ottavio Piccolomini.

Upon his return to the grand duchy in 1641, he resumed the reins of Sienese government. He did not stay long, nevertheless, as the Wars of Castro broke out. Ferdinando II vested in him supreme authority over the grand duchy's military affairs,^[2] and thus he commanded the league of the Republic of Venice, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Parma and the Duchy of Modena and Reggio against the Barberini Pope, entrusting the government of Siena to his brother Cardinal Leopoldo de' Medici for the duration of his absence.

Mattias adored the arts, patronising Justus Sustermans, Volterrano Volterra and many other eminent artists. While in Germany, he acquired scientific instruments, such as dials, astrolabes and compasses; all of which he later deposited in the Ufizi.

In later life, suffering from gout, he pondered re-assuming ecclesiastical garb; however, he fell ill and died in Siena on 11 October 1667 at 54 years of age. He was buried in the Medici tombs in San Lorenzo, Florence.^[4]

References

Citations

1. ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 531.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 433.
3. ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 403.
4. ^ Young, The Medici: Volume II, p 455.

Bibliography

• Young, G.F.: The Medici: Volume II, John Murray, London, 1920

Ancestors

External links

• Online archive of documents on the Medici family

Mattias de' Medici House of Medici Born: May 9 1613 Died: October 11 1667
Political offices
Preceded by Catherine de' Medici	Governor of Siena 1629-1636	Succeeded by Leopoldo de' Medici
Preceded by Leopoldo de' Medici	Governor of Siena 1641-1643
	Governor of Siena 1644-1667	Succeeded by Francesco Maria de' Medici

Persondata
Name	Medici, Mattias De
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	9 May 1613
Place of birth	Florence, Tuscany
Date of death	11 October 1667
Place of death	Siena, Tuscany