Virginia de' Medici
| Virginia | |||||
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| Duchess of Modena and Reggio | |||||
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Art critic Maike Vogt-Lüerssen believes this portrait by Bronzino, usually identified as Maria de' Medici, is actually of Virginia de' Medici.
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| Born |
29 May 1568 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany |
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| Died | 15 January 1615 (aged 46) Modena, Duchy of Modena |
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| Spouse | Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena | ||||
| Issue | Giulia d'Este Alfonso III, Duke of Modena Laura, Duchess of Mirandola Luigi d'Este, Marquis of Montecchio and Scandiano Caterina d'Este Ippolito d'Este Niccolo d'Este Borso d'Este Foresto d'Este Angela Caterina d'Este |
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| House | Medici | ||||
| Father | Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | ||||
| Mother | Camilla Martelli | ||||
| Full name | |
|---|---|
| Virginia de' Medici |
Virginia de' Medici (29 May 1568 – 15 January 1615) was an Italian princess, a member of the House of Medici and by marriage Duchess of Modena and Reggio.
Regent of the Duchy of Modena and Reggio during the absence of her husband, she was able to protect the autonomy of the city of Modena from the attacks of the local Podestà and Judge. Her husband's infidelities increased her already erratic behavior and led to a permanent mental illness, who lasted until her death. She was the protagonist of the novel Io, Virginia from the writer Chiara Guidarini.
Born in Florence on 29 May 1568, Virginia was the illegitimate daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his mistress Camilla Martelli. Her paternal grandparents were the famous condottiere Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and his wife Maria Salviati (in turn the granddaughter of Lorenzo the Magnificent) and her maternal grandparents were Antonio Martelli and Fiammetta Soderini, both members of the most important families among the Florentine patricians.
Virginia was born after the formal resignation of her father of the government on behalf of her half-brother Francesco. Cosimo I contracted a morganatic marriage with Camilla Martelli on 29 March 1570 on the advice of Pope Pius V, and this allowed him to legitimize their daughter on the principle of per subsequens. Since that time, she lived with her parents at the Villa di Castello during the summer and in Pisa in winter. Cosimo I's older children resented their father's second marriage, and after the death of the Grand Duke in 1574, they imprisoned Camilla in the Florentine convent of Murate.
Despite the controversy about her illegitimate birth and ambiguous position in the Grand Ducal house, Virginia's older brothers began negotiations with the House of Sforza of a marriage between her and one of his members. In 1581 she was betrothed to Francesco Sforza, Count of Santa Fiora, but the wedding didn't take place because the groom chose the ecclesiastical career and became a Cardinal. After this, it was decided to arrange her marriage with a member of the House of Este with the purpose to improve the relations between both families and break the isolation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany from the other Italian states. Virginia's half-brother Cardinal Ferdinando has agreed with Cardinal Luigi d'Este for the marriage of his nephew and Virginia. In addition, the second wife of Grand Duke Francesco I, Bianca Cappello, also played a big role in the conclusion of this alliance.
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