 In 1587 Cosimo's successor, Francesco, was offering Philip II a million gold pieces for just one of the "Presidi", but the king of Spain refused on the grounds that he had no other ports between Catalonia and Naples.In the 16th century, the "Presidi" also provided pasture for Tuscan shepherds, who brought their flocks of sheep to the warm coastal grazing lands during the winter.The Tuscan authorities even taxed the head of sheep as their shepherds brought them to the coast, an act which provoked some complaints to the Spanish authorities.