duchy · Italy

Duchy of Florence

1532 CE – 1569 CE · capital Florence

The first Medici duchy, created by Charles V in 1532, under which Cosimo I conquered Siena and turned Florence into a princely state.

Origins

After the siege of 1529–1530 ended the last Republic of Florence, Emperor Charles V made Alessandro de' Medici hereditary duke in 1532. Alessandro ruled with the support of imperial troops and built the Fortezza da Basso to control the city.

Rule and society

Alessandro was murdered by his cousin Lorenzino in 1537, and the 17-year-old Cosimo I de' Medici was chosen to succeed him. Cosimo crushed the republican exiles at Montemurlo that year and built an efficient absolutist state. He founded the Uffizi offices, designed by Giorgio Vasari from 1560, created a navy and the Order of Saint Stephen, and conquered the Republic of Siena in 1555.

Decline and legacy

In 1569 Pope Pius V raised Cosimo to Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the duchy became the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

Lineage

Republic of Florence 1115 CE – 1532 CERepublic of Siena 1125 CE – 1555 CERepublic of Siena at Montalcino 1555 CE – 1559 CEDuchy of FlorenceGrand Duchy of Tuscany 1569 CE – 1859 CE

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Duchy of Florence. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-florence
MLA
“Duchy of Florence.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-florence. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Duchy of Florence.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-florence.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Duchy of Florence’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-florence (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻