Medici Rule Reimagined: Cosimo III, the Dutch Republic, and Grand Ducal Aspirations for Seventeenth-Century Tuscany (c. 1667-1723)

Description

The well-prepared sojourns of Prince Cosimo III De’ Medici in the Dutch Republic (1667-1669) were motivated not merely by Cosimo’s wish to escape Florence’s courtly context. Rather, the future Grand Duke was intrigued by the particular strain of republicanism that accompanied the Dutch Golden Age and was to prove a forceful means to re-imagine Tuscany’s own, administrative past and present. Through comparative analysis of the unpublished travel journal of Medici secretary Apollonio Bassetti and the diary in rhyme by court physician Giovanni Andrea Moniglia, we argue that Cosimo III’s ambitious agenda abroad stems predominantly from his desire to implement reform at home. Cosimo’s journeys were followed by ongoing transnational exchange, as testified by the cultivation of pineapple plants and and unwavering efforts to turn Livorno into the Amsterdam of the Mediterranean. By importing ideas and artefacts, then, Cosimo III sought to turn the cultural tide of seventeenth century Tuscany.

Period	21 Apr 2021
Event title	RSA Annual Conference
Event type	Conference
Degree of Recognition	International