Don Giovanni de' Medici

Don Giovanni de' Medici (13 May 1567, in Florence – 19 July 1621, in Murano) was an Italian military commander, diplomat and architect. Medici was born the illegitimate son of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Eleonora degli Albizzi. Medici was later legitimated by his father. He was born 5 years after the death of his brother, Giovanni, and was given the same name. He moved to Spain where he began his military career. In 1598 he was a Grandee of Spain and Florentine ambassador in Madrid. In 1600 he was Master of the Field for the Imperial army, but his most important appointment was as Commander-in-Chief of the army of the Republic of Venice (1616–1617).