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Violante Beatrice of Bavaria

Violante Beatrice of Bavaria
ViolanteBeatrix1673.jpg
Grand Princess of Tuscany
Tenure 9 January 1689 – 31 October 1713
Governor of Siena
Tenure 12 April 1717 – 30 May 1731
Born (1673-01-23)23 January 1673
Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Bavaria
Died 30 May 1731(1731-05-30) (aged 58)
Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Tuscany
Burial Convent of Saint Teresa, Florence, Tuscany
Spouse Ferdinando de' Medici
Full name
Violante Beatrix
House House of Wittelsbach
House of Medici
Father Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria
Mother Henriette Adelaide of Savoy
Full name
Violante Beatrix

Violante Beatrice of Bavaria (Violante Beatrix; 23 January 1673 – 30 May 1731) was Grand Princess of Tuscany as the wife of Grand Prince Ferdinando of Tuscany and Governor of Siena from 1717 until her death. Born a Duchess of Bavaria, the youngest child of Elector Ferdinand Maria, she married the heir to the Tuscan throne, Ferdinando de' Medici, in 1689. Violante Beatrice loved him but Ferdinando did not return her affection, declaring her too ugly and too dull. Her brother-in-law, Prince Gian Gastone, befriended her out of sympathy, a friendship that lasted until Violante Beatrice's demise.

Grand Prince Ferdinando expired from syphilis in 1713, leaving his childless widow without purpose at the Tuscan court. Upon the return of the Electress Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, daughter of the then reigning, Cosimo III, thus Violante Beatrice's sister-in-law, the Dowager Grand Princess contemplated retiring to her brother's court at Munich; however, Gian Gastone convinced her to stay, and Cosimo III appointed her Governor of Siena, where she then resided. As Governor, she formally defined the boundaries, names and number of Sienese Contrade — akin to administrative divisions — in 1729.

During Grand Duke Gian Gastone's rule, the Governor was responsible for formal court audiences. Violante Beatrice, in collaboration with the Electress Anna Maria Luisa, attempted to withdraw Gian Gastone from the Ruspanti, his salacious entourage, by arranging banquets and public appearances. Gian Gastone, however, was immune to these approaches and spent the last eight years of his reign confined to bed, entertained by the myriad Ruspanti.


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