grand duke july seventh grand duke second son grand duke sister arranged marriage wealthy widowed couple despised children grand prince elder brother succeeded father reign marked reversal predecessor conservative policy abolished taxes poorer people repealed laws restricted jews discontinued public executions wanting male heirs father wanted succeed spain great_britain austria disregarded plan appointed charles spain mother great granddaughter heir charles later transferred claim preliminary peace finalized duly succeeded demise july ending years rule florence reign chose remain confined bed tended entourage biography early years anniversary grandfather death born florence grand duke derived maternal grandfather duke frequently result years birth returned home france siblings left care grandmother company prince hardly left prince avid intellectual antiquarian botanist amateur scientist addition speak english languages traits earned disdain father elder brother grand prince granted father enjoy court considered compelling cardinal order rally cause spain concerned cardinal uncle duke enjoyed dignity tip scales favour france papal offered create general spanish seas portugal things mind wanted marry daughter princess marry convince father adequate stature grand duke refused portuguese marriage sympathy befriended unhappy sister law bavaria husband grand prince thought ugly dull time sank state melancholy attempt condition cardinal summoned festivities villa effect continued private rooms marriage married years lacked issue sister concerned future dynasty urged find currently siblings unmarried suitable bride forward brother law widow potential bride hailed like bohemian peasant princess contemporary married capital electorate july like cities courts demanded establish bohemian residences post found life little village unpredictable prone rage held conversations stables horses remained widow married lack intellectual society wife hostility drove arms alcohol unable disgust abandoned paris year arrived enraged explicitly told son leave prior consent ordered effort welcome mood turned sour brought prospect prague went prague suite favourite attendant acclaimed weight ruined course dissipation pursued prague respectively acted prince countless young men master enjoyment prince frequently debts losing occasion crowns behaviour relayed florence replied ensuing account married life blaming faces sharp words desperate conduct considering florence sent younger son debts horrified learn creditors greeted warmly implied gambling debts concluded holy roman empress florence forced quell wife returned holy roman empress advice reconciliation brief left hamburg october return prague february grand duke tired princess ways help pope sent tell florence princess point going absolutely conceded defeat recalled florence saw wife return florence prince disliked father hyper pious character elected stay away royal court closed court dominated favourite slowly dying making immediate succession likely nonetheless suffering french took note mental decline carries far said opens letter avoid having answer additionally fragile temperament required long periods isolation spent hours night drinking staring moon grand prince finally succumbed october sparking succession crisis deposited bill senate nominal legislature male line succession failure making passed europe austria refused fearing fall hands france england returned florence october following death husband previous summer bavaria attached disliked left grand court position governor town lady good terms marrying years life april england france later austria selected charles spain elder child great granddaughter heir rights throne completely disregarded process ambitions regards succession thwarted distributed final proclamation shortly death october shall succeed unfortunately declaration completely ignored reign inherited state army numbered royal florence condition capital noted philosopher years reign town men live luxury florence despite aged commenced reign burst releasing prisoners taxes creed paid converts christianity public executions recalled governor royal court banished sister governor reigned supreme society delegated public duties chose spend time bed entertained team poor handsome young men assembled performed sexual acts grand duke aristocracy called foremost names prominent nobles contemporary dubbed head court exploited influence grand duke offering anybody willing bribe audience monarch period powers solution question spain endorsed candidate charles spain heir powers enjoy universal recognition austria accept monarch italy knowing probably succeed went ensuring sister inheritance house private property separated possessions state hitherto distinction governor following rome spite mutual dislike attempted public image organised remove sway behaviour sent guests running carriages wiped mouth wig told rude jokes parties ceased died devastated loss beloved sister law rumours grand duke died public saw discredit induced public appearance final baptist day alcoholic drank ceremony repeatedly carried unconscious royal palace litter ankle incurred july left grand duke bed ridden barring occasions rest life question finally resolved treaty vienna exchange spain allies recognition austria confirmed heir grand duke wasn consulted appointed joint guardian rhine sister law thirty thousand spanish troops occupied behalf october charles known duke january arrived florence march taken duke gifts went far duke created grand prince title borne heir apparent wishes soon grant revoked war polish succession broke charles marched spanish army south defeated austrians holding kingdoms naples sicily preliminary peace terms negotiated finalized death treaty vienna charles surrendered claim throne exchange crowned king naples sicily francis forced surrender losing polish throne grand duke consulted reluctant homeland france soon father law compelled angry attached duke didn like prospect ruling spain accordingly withdrew troops january austrians took place francis behalf death legacy time spanish withdrawal grand duke dying accumulation diseases final acts order erection statue great grandfather grandfather grand duke rushed apparent recover eat condition steadily worsened subsequently moved clean bed worried brother soul sins july fourteenth year reign grand duke expired anna inherited possessions accordance wishes great powers francis succeeded title grand duke gave reforming realm corrupt government reversing ban teaching new ideas philosophy income taxes result people french politician writer wrote thirds property rid sentiment diminish years french occupation people called long dead ascend throne remains interred corpse dressed black velvet according examination tombs great grand master head crown worn cap crown body august access white rectangular marble tomb slab denied remains white slab grey circular stone near slab grey stone red brick staircase leads underground burial chamber studied 1st time chamber family members lead coffin wooden frame replaced modern coffin near remains children buried unmarked graves unlike historians descended line magnificent descendant elder referred cadet branch descended understands common ancestor father elder kings france descended cadet branch confirming titles styles honours arms titles styles october prince october october royal grand prince october july royal grand duke honours october july grand master martyr ancestors
Gian Gastone de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany