 After the death of Gian Gastone de' Medici in 1737, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Medici's assets, including their villas, were acquired by Francis, Duke of Lorraine (later Holy Roman Emperor).Francis only visited Tuscany once in 1739 and for the next twenty six years the villas were neglected.Consequently when Leopold I inherited the duchy in 1765 many were in a poor state and were disposed of.