Virginia de' Medici

Virginia
Duchess of Modena and Reggio
Art critic Maike Vogt-Lüerssen believes this portrait by Bronzino, usually identified as Maria de' Medici, is actually of Virginia de' Medici.
Born	(1568-05-29)29 May 1568 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Died	15 January 1615(1615-01-15) (aged 46) Modena, Duchy of Modena
Spouse	Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena
Issue	Giulia d'Este Alfonso III, Duke of Modena Laura, Duchess of Mirandola Luigi d'Este, Lord of Montecchio and Scandiano Caterina d'Este Ippolito d'Este Niccolo d'Este Borso d'Este Foresto d'Este Angela Caterina d'Este
Names Virginia de' Medici
House	House of Medici (by birth) House of Este (by marriage)
Father	Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Mother	Camilla Martelli

Virginia de' Medici (29 May 1568 – 15 January 1615) was an illegitimate daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Camilla Martelli. She was the Duchess of Modena and Reggio by marriage to Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena.

Biography

Virginia was born on 29 May 1568, two years before her parents married. The only child of her parents' marriage, in 1581 she was promised in marriage to Francesco Sforza di Santa Fiora, but he chose instead to accept a Cardinal's hat from Pope Gregory XIII.

On 6 February 1586 Virginia married Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena, son of Alfonso d'Este, Lord of Montecchio, and Giulia della Rovere. They had ten children of whom three sons and a daughter would have progeny.

Virginia died on 15 January 1615; some said she was poisoned by her husband.

Issue

• Giulia d'Este (1588–1645); died unmarried.
• Alfonso III d'Este, Duke of Modena (1591–1644), Duke of Modena from 1628; married Princess Isabella of Savoy and had issue.
  • Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena
• Laura d'Este (1594–1630;) married Alessandro I Pico, Duke of Mirandola and had issue, ancestress of Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina, Duchess of Modena.
• Luigi d'Este, Lord of Montecchio and Scandiano (1593/1594–1664), had issue.
• Caterina d'Este (1595–1618); died unmarried.
• Ippolito d'Este (1599–1647); died unmarried.
• Niccolo d'Este (1601–1640); married Sveva d'Avalos, no issue.
• Borso d'Este (1605–1657); married Ippolita d'Este (daughter of his brother Luigi) and had issue.
  • Maria Angela Caterina d'Este; mother of Victor Amadeus of Savoy, Prince of Carignan.
• Foresto d'Este (1606–1639/1640)
• Angela Caterina d'Este (died 1651); died unmarried, a nun.

See also

This portrait is often identified as Marie de' Medici, queen of France, though art critic Maike Vogt-Lüerssen believes it is actually an adult portrait of Virginia de' Medici.

This portrait is often identified as Virginia de' Medici, though art critic Maike Vogt-Lüerssen believes it is actually a portrait of Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria-Tyrol (1656-1669).