The
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( it, Granducato di Toscana; la, Magnus Ducatus Etruriae) was an Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In th ...
was founded in 1569. It succeeded the
Duchy of Florence
The Duchy of Florence ( it, Ducato di Firenze) was an Italian principality that was centred on the city of Florence, in Tuscany, Italy. The duchy was founded after Emperor Charles V restored Medici rule to Florence in 1530. Pope Clement VII, himse ...
. The
grand duchy
A grand duchy is a sovereign state, country or territory whose official head of state or ruler is a monarch bearing the title of grand duke or grand duchess.
Relatively rare until the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the term was oft ...
was initially ruled by the
House of Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mug ...
, until their extinction in 1737. The grand duchy passed to the
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine (german: link=no, Haus Lothringen) originated as a cadet branch of the House of Metz. It inherited the Duchy of Lorraine in 1473 after the death without a male heir of Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine. By the marriage of Fran ...
, and then, to its cadet branch, the
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
The House of Habsburg-Lorraine (german: Haus Habsburg-Lothringen) originated from the marriage in 1736 of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis III, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Maria Theresa, Maria Theresa of Austria, later successively List ...
. The House of Habsburg Lorraine ruled Tuscany from 1765 to 1801, and then 1814 to 1859.
A reigning grand duchess was styled:
*(1569–1691) ''
Her Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style used to address (in second person) or refer to (in third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty. It is typically used with a possessive adject ...
'' The Grand Duchess of Tuscany
*(1691–1737) ''
Her Royal Highness'' The Most Serene Grand Duchess of Tuscany
*(1737–1765) ''
Her Imperial Majesty'' Holy Roman Empress, the Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, the Archduchess of Austria, the Most Serene Grand Duchess of Tuscany, etc.
[Maria Theresa of Austria was '']suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
'' Queen of Hungary, Queen of Bohemia, Archduchess of Austria, and, as the consort of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, she was Holy Roman Empress
*(1765–1804) ''Her Royal Highness'' The Most Serene Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Archduchess of Austria, etc.
*(1804–1859) ''
Her Imperial and Royal Highness
Imperial and Royal Highness ( abbreviation HI&RH) is a style possessed by someone who either through birth or marriage holds two individual styles, ''Imperial Highness'' and ''Royal Highness''. ''His/Her Imperial Highness'' is a style used by memb ...
'' The Most Serene Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Archduchess of Austria, etc.
Margravine of Tuscany
House of Bonifacii, 812–931
House of Arles, 931–1001
House of Bologna, 1004–1011
*
Interregnum
An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...
1011–1014
House of ?, 1014–1027
House of Canossa
The House of Canossa was an Italian noble family from Lucca holding the castle of Canossa, from the early tenth to the early twelfth century.
Sigifred of Lucca, Sigifred of Lucca built the castle at Canossa around 940. Adalbert Atto appears in Can ...
, 1027–1115
*
Interregnum
An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...
1115–1120
House of Scheiern, 1120–1127
*
Interregnum
An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...
1127–1135
House of Sponheim
The House of Sponheim or Spanheim was a medieval German noble family, which originated in Rhenish Franconia. They were immediate Counts of Sponheim until 1437 and Dukes of Carinthia from 1122 until 1269. Its cadet branches ruled in the Imperial C ...
, 1135–1137
:None
House of Welf
The House of Welf (also Guelf or Guelph) is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th to 20th century and Emperor Ivan VI of Russia in the 18th century. The originally Franconia, Franconian family from ...
, 1137–1139
House of Attems
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
, 1139–1152
House of Welf
The House of Welf (also Guelf or Guelph) is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th to 20th century and Emperor Ivan VI of Russia in the 18th century. The originally Franconia, Franconian family from ...
, 1152–1173
*
Interregnum
An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...
1173–1195
House of Hohenstaufen
The Hohenstaufen dynasty (, , ), also known as the Staufer, was a noble family of unclear origin that rose to rule the Duchy of Swabia from 1079, and to royal rule in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages from 1138 until 1254. The dynasty ...
, 1195–1197
Consorts of the Lords of Florence
House of Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mug ...
, 1434–1531
Duchess of Florence
House of Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mug ...
, 1531–1569
Grand Duchess of Tuscany
House of Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mug ...
, 1569–1737
The Medici became extinct in 1737. Francis Stpehen, Duke of Lorraine acceded the grand-ducal throne.
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine (german: link=no, Haus Lothringen) originated as a cadet branch of the House of Metz. It inherited the Duchy of Lorraine in 1473 after the death without a male heir of Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine. By the marriage of Fran ...
, 1737–1765
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
The House of Habsburg-Lorraine (german: Haus Habsburg-Lothringen) originated from the marriage in 1736 of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis III, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Maria Theresa, Maria Theresa of Austria, later successively List ...
, 1765–1801
The House of Habsburg-Lorraine was deposed by the
Treaty of Aranjuez in 1801. The
House of Bourbon-Parma
The House of Bourbon-Parma ( it, Casa di Borbone di Parma) is a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family, whose members once ruled as King of Etruria and as Duke of Parma and Piacenza, Guastalla, and Lucca. The House descended from the French ...
ruled over Tuscany in the form of the
Kingdom of Etruria
The Kingdom of Etruria (; it, Regno di Etruria) was an Italian kingdom between 1801 and 1807 that made up a large part of modern Tuscany. It took its name from Etruria, the old Roman name for the land of the Etruscans.
History
The kingdom ...
until their own deposition by forces of
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
in 1807.
Elisa Bonaparte
Maria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy (French: ''Marie Anne Elisa Bonaparte''; 3 January 1777 – 7 August 1820), better known as Elisa Bonaparte, was an imperial French princess and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. She was Princess of Lucca ...
become Duchess of her ancestral homeland in 1809 by appointment from her own second older brother and King of Italy, Napoleon himself.
Queen of Etruria
House of Bourbon-Parma
The House of Bourbon-Parma ( it, Casa di Borbone di Parma) is a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family, whose members once ruled as King of Etruria and as Duke of Parma and Piacenza, Guastalla, and Lucca. The House descended from the French ...
, 1801–1807
Grand Duchess of Tuscany
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
The House of Habsburg-Lorraine (german: Haus Habsburg-Lothringen) originated from the marriage in 1736 of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis III, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Maria Theresa, Maria Theresa of Austria, later successively List ...
, 1814–1859
The Habsburgs were restored by the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
in 1814.
Tuscany was annexed to the
United Provinces of Central Italy
The United Provinces of Central Italy, also known as Confederation of Central Italy or General Government of Central Italy, was a short-lived military government established by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. It was formed by a union of the for ...
in 1859, and then absorbed into the
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
in 1860.
Titular Grand Duchesses, 1868–2013
See also
*
List of rulers of Tuscany
The rulers of Tuscany varied over time, sometimes being margraves, the rulers of handfuls of border counties and sometimes the heads of the most important family of the region.
Margraves of Tuscany, 812–1197 House of Boniface
:These were origin ...
*
List of consorts of Urbino
The Duchy of Urbino was an independent duchy in early modern central Italy, corresponding to the northern half of the modern region of Marche. It was directly annexed by the Papal States in 1625.
It was bordered by the Adriatic Sea in the east ...
*
List of Parmese consorts
Duchess consort of Parma House of Farnese, 1545–1731
House of Bourbon-Anjou, 1731–1735
:None
House of Habsburg, 1735–1748
House of Bourbon-Parma, 1748–1802
House of Habsburg-Lorraine, 1814–1847
House of Bourbon-Parma ...
*
List of Savoyard consorts
This is a list of consorts of the Savoyard monarchs.
Countess of Savoy, 1003–1416
Duchess of Savoy, 1416–1713
;As courtesy title
Queen of Sardinia, 1720–1861
Between 1859 and 1861 the Kingdom of Sardinia incorporated the majo ...
*
List of consorts of Montferrat
The Marchioness and Duchesses of Montferrat were the consorts of the rulers of a territory in Piedmont south of the Po and east of Turin called Montferrat. The March of Montferrat was created by Berengar II of Italy in 950 during a redistribution ...
*
List of Sardinian consorts
This is a list of consorts of the Savoyard monarchs.
Countess of Savoy, 1003–1416
Duchess of Savoy, 1416–1713
;As courtesy title
Queen of Sardinia, 1720–1861
Between 1859 and 1861 the Kingdom of Sardinia incorporated the majo ...
*
List of Sicilian consorts
This is a list of consorts of the Kingdom of Sicily. Many Kings of Sicily had more than one wife; they may have divorced their wife or she might have died.
Countesses of Sicily House of Hauteville, 1130–1198
Queens consort of Sicily H ...
*
List of Neapolitan consorts
This is a list of consorts of Naples. Many Kings of Naples had more than one wife; they may have divorced their wife or she might have died.
Early Byzantine Duchesses of Duchy of Naples, Naples
:''See Also'': Dukes of Naples
* Drosu, wife of S ...
*
List of consorts of the Two Sicilies
The following is a list of consorts of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Queen consort of the Two Sicilies
House of Bonaparte (Edict of Bayonne), 1806–1815
Joachim Murat was the first king to rule a kingdom which was called "Two Sicilies" ...
*
List of Italian consorts
Queen of Italy (''regina Italiae'' in Latin and ''regina d'Italia'' in Italian) is a title adopted by many spouses of the rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire. The details of where and how the ruling kings ruled ...
*
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( it, Granducato di Toscana; la, Magnus Ducatus Etruriae) was an Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In th ...
*
Grand Princesses of Tuscany
Notes
{{reflist
House of Medici
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze'').
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
Duchesses of Florence
Tuscany, List of royal consorts of