Pisa in the 17th-18th century
Ferdinand I (1587-1609) succeeded his brother Francesco who had died mysteriously with Bianca Cappello, his controversial second wife, possibly poisoned. He was a worthy continuer of Cosimo’s policy, sensible and wise in government, and contributed to the reorganization of the pisan territory that had suffered so much negligence. He had an acqueduct built (still standing) that on 954 arches brought the water from the mount of Asciano to the fountain in the Piazza dei Cavalieri that the Grand Duke had built under his father’s statue. He founded the Collegio Ferdinando to see to the studies of the less affluent students and had the Loggia di Banchi, designed by Bernardo Buontalenti, built for the wool and silk market. In the aftermath of the terrible 1595 fire of the Cathedral he saw to an industrious reconstruction work, led sometimes with excessive zeal such as in the case of the destruction of the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano. He remodeled the Navicelli canal, already restored by his father, and as Master General of the Ordine dei Cavalieri di S. Stefano inspired a great enterprise of the fleet, the conquest of the turkish city of Bona. The enterprise was celebrated all too solemnly, but allowed the pisan people to fill the squares again celebrating the trophys won off the infidel enemy. The cross of the Knights though, had taken the place of that of the Pisan Republic.
There is very little to remember in the history of Pisa between the 17th and the 18th century. After the enlightened reign of Ferdinand I, the Medici that succeeded him in ruling the Grand-duchy didn’t distinguish themselves in any particular way. A strong impulse was still given to the Botanical Gardens, and the sea enterprises of the galleys of St. Stephen were still numerous and profitable. With the last Medici, the inept and weak Gian Gastone, the dynasty ended ingloriously in 1737. Following complicated negotiations and transactions of reigns at european level, Tuscany was entrusted to the Lorraine. After the initial disinterest of this dynasty for the new possessions, things changed with Peter Leopold I (1765-1790) who settled permanently in Tuscany. The administration of Lorraine proved itself efficient, modern and enlightened to the point where the Grand-duchy of Tuscany became an active centre of cultural and scientific life. Pisa also profited from this favourable government, and one of the first measures taken by the Grand Duke was a careful study of the territory in order to definitively drain the area and regiment the waters, a problem that had been culpably neglected making the air in the city unwholesome.
From original concept of Mirko Delcaldo & Sandro Petri
Web design and development by M.Delcaldo & S.Petri
Screenplay by Stefano Nannipieri & Luisa Traina