Medici, Cosimo III de'

Medici, Cosimo III de',

1642–1723, grand duke of Tuscany (1670–1723); son and successor of Ferdinand II de' MediciMedici, Ferdinand II de',
1610–70, grand duke of Tuscany (1620–70); son and successor of Cosimo II de' Medici. A pupil of Galileo, he founded (1657) the Accademia del Cimento, the first European academy of natural sciences.
..... Click the link for more information. . During his long reign the government of Tuscany degenerated into bigoted and corrupt despotism. His son and successor, Gian Gastone de' MediciMedici, Gian Gastone de'
, 1671–1737, grand duke of Tuscany (1723–37); son and successor of Cosimo III de' Medici. Gian Gastone was the last male member of his family, and the question of succession caused agitation from 1715 onward.
..... Click the link for more information. , was the last of the family to rule Tuscany.