He was known for his ability to play music at sight and afterwards repeat the piece faultlessly without looking at the music.Īside from music, Ferdinando's other principal delight was in intimate liaisons and affairs, often with men. He was a master in counterpoint which he studied under Gianmaria Paliardi of Genoa and various bow instruments which he studied under Piero Salvetti. He sang melodiously, and played the harpsichord. He was handsome, a fine rider, a talented musician. Ferdinando became a rebellious youth, who disagreed intensely with his father on every subject.įerdinando had a great affinity with his vivacious mother.

When Ferdinando's parents separated in 1675, his mother (who disdained her husband only slightly more than Florence did) returned to Paris, where she was supposed to be restricted to a monastery in Montmartre. Through his patronage of Bartolomeo Cristofori, Ferdinando made possible the invention (1700) of the piano.įerdinando was born to Cosimo de' Medici and his wife Marguerite Louise of Orléans, a granddaughter of Maria de' Medici. An excellent musician himself (sometimes called 'the Orpheus of princes'), he recruited top musicians to Florence and thus made it an important musical center of his time. He is remembered today primarily as a patron of music. Ferdinando was heir to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, with the title Grand Prince, from his father's accession in 1670 until his death in 1713. Ferdinando de' Medici (9 August 1663 – 31 October 1713) was the elder son of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Marguerite Louise d'Orléans.

Beatrix medici