Eleanor of Toledo

Eleanor of Toledo
Duchess of Florence
Portrait by Agnolo Bronzino
Duchess consort of Florence
Tenure29 March 1539 – 17 December 1562
Born11 January 1522
Alba de Tormes, Spain
Died17 December 1562 (aged 40)
Pisa, Duchy of Florence
Burial
Spouse
(m. 1539)
Issue
see details...
Names
Leonor Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel-Osorio
HouseAlba de Tormes
FatherPedro de Toledo y Zúñiga
MotherMaría Osorio y Pimentel
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Eleanor of Toledo (Spanish: Leonor Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel-Osorio, Italian: Eleonora di Toledo; 11 January 1522 – 17 December 1562) was a Spanish noblewoman who became Grand Duchess of Florence[a] as the first wife of Cosimo I de' Medici. A keen businesswoman, she financed many of her husband's political campaigns and important buildings like the Pitti Palace. She ruled as regent of Florence during his frequent absences: Eleanor ruled during Cosimo's military campaigns in Genoa in 1541 and 1543, his illness from 1544 to 1545, and again at times during the war for the conquest of Siena (1551–1554). She founded many Jesuit churches. She is credited with being the first modern first lady or consort.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Giusti, p 11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Eisenbichler, Konrad (2001). The Cultural Politics of Duke Cosimo de' Medici. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing. pp. xix. ISBN 9780754602675.


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