FIRST: Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de' Medici - Florence, Italy
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neoc1
N 43° 46.188 E 011° 15.359
32T E 681571 N 4848779
An equestrian statue honoring the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de' Medici is located in the north corner of the Palazzo della Signoria, Florence, Italy
Waymark Code: WMV3WW
Location: Toscana, Italy
Date Posted: 02/19/2017
Views: 14
A larger than life equestrian bronze statue of Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I was commissioned by his son Ferdinando I and created by the sculptor Giambologna in 1598. The statue depicts Cosimo I astride a horse. He is dressed in his military apparel with armor, a military baton, and sheathed sword. He is holding the reins of the horse and has his feet in stirrups. The horse has its front right and real left legs off the ground.
Three relief sculptures are embedded into the 6' high oval base stone base. Easch depicts and important event in the life of Cosimo I. the relief on the left shows Cosimo I entering the gates of Siena after conquering the city. The right side shows Pope Pius V giving the Grand-Ducal insignia to Cosimo I. The back shows the Tuscan Senate giving Cosimo I the title Grand Duke of Tuscany.
The first sentence on the curved bronze plaque on the front of the base is translates into COSMO MEDICI FIRST GRAND DUKE OF ETRURIA (TUSCANY). The complete inscription is:
COSMO MEDICI MA
GNO ETRURIAE DUCI
PRIMO. PIO. FELICI. IN
VICTO. JUSTO. CLEMEN
TI.SACRAE MILITIAE.
PACISQUE IN ETRURIA
AUTHORI PATRI ET
PRINCIPI OPTIMO
FERNANDUS F. MAG.
DUX III EREXIT AN.
CIC IC LXXXXIIII
Cosimo I de Medici was the second Duke of Florence and the first Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Duchy of Florence was founded after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V restored Medici rule to Florence in 1530. Pope Clement VII transformed the Republic of Florence into a hereditary monarchy by appointing Alessandro de' Medici as Duke of Florence. In 1569, the Pope declared Cosimo Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Medici ruled the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until 1737. The area included present day Italian provinces of Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria.
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