Duchy of Florence
Duchy of Florence | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1532–1569 | |||||||||||
The Duchy of Florence (green) in 1548 | |||||||||||
| Capital | Florence 43°47′N 11°15′E / 43.783°N 11.250°E | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Italian | ||||||||||
| Religion | Catholic Church | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
| Duke of Florence | |||||||||||
• 1532–1537 | Alessandro | ||||||||||
• 1537–1569 | Cosimo I | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Established | 1532 | ||||||||||
| 1554 | |||||||||||
• Elevated to Grand Duchy | 1569 | ||||||||||
| Currency | Florin | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Today part of | Italy | ||||||||||
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The Duchy of Florence (Italian: Ducato di Firenze) was an Italian principality that was centred on the city of Florence, in Tuscany, Italy. The duchy was founded after Pope Clement VII, himself a Medici, appointed his relative Alessandro de' Medici as Duke of the Florentine Republic, thereby transforming the Republic of Florence into a hereditary monarchy.
The second Duke, Cosimo I, established a strong Florentine navy and expanded his territory, purchasing Elba and conquering Siena. In 1569, Pope Pius V declared Cosimo Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Medici ruled the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until 1737.