FERDINANDO III, grand duke of TOSCANA. – Born in Florence on 6 May 1769, died there on 18 June 1824. The second-born son of Pietro Leopoldo of Habsburg-Lorraine, grand duke of Tuscany, and of Maria Luigia, daughter of Carlo III of Spain, he had the marquis Federico Manfredini as his mentor. When Giuseppe II died (February 1790) without heirs, F.’s father succeeded him on the imperial throne and his elder brother Francesco became hereditary archduke; F. therefore assumed the government of Tuscany and the title of grand duke. Frank and open in character, but unable to devote himself with firmness of purpose to the government and administration of the State, he ascended the throne at a particularly critical period in European history.
The Revolution of France was beginning its advance beyond the frontiers, and F. had neither the experience nor, perhaps, the ability to pursue a policy suited to the difficulties of the moment. He sought to remain neutral, but neither the French nor the English paid any attention to this wish of his, and each temporarily occupied one part or another of his State. Finally, the Directory declared war on him and, after Florence was occupied by the revolutionary army on 25 March 1799, F. was forced to abandon Tuscany. Having taken refuge with his family in Vienna with his imperial brother, he was obliged by the Treaty of Lunéville (1801) to renounce all rights over the grand duchy, receiving in compensation first the archbishopric of Salzburg, which had been secularized, and in 1806 the bishopric of Würzburg, with the grand-ducal title. The fall of Napoleon restored him to possession of Tuscany. From the very beginning of his reign, F. had abandoned the political line followed by his father in relations with the Holy See, moderating Pietro Leopoldo’s anti-Christian tendency and withdrawing all support from Scipione de’ Ricci; but, jealous of the grand duchy’s independence, he did not miss any opportunity to assert the superiority of the State over the Church. Toward Austria, after the Restoration, F. maintained an independent and firm attitude.
FERDINANDO CARLO GONZAGA, last duke of MANTOYA and of MONFERRATO: V. GONZAGA, PAMIGLIA.