Children
Eleanor and Cosimo had eleven children, including five sons who reached maturity (Francesco, Giovanni, Garzia, Ferdinando, and Pietro); before this time the Medici line had been in danger of becoming extinct. Thus by providing an heir, and ample spares, as well as through her daughters' marriages into other ruling and noble families of Italy, she was able to inaugurate an era of strength and stability in Tuscany. Two of her sons, Francesco and Ferdinando, reigned as grand Dukes of Tuscany.
Eleonora's children were:
| Maria | 3 April 1540 – 19 November 1557 | |
| Francesco | 25 March 1541 – 19 October 1587 | Grand Duke of Tuscany |
| Isabella | 31 August 1542 – 16 July 1576 | Was murdered by her husband Paolo Giordano I Orsini because of her infidelity. |
| Giovanni | 28 September 1543 – 19 November 1562 | Bishop of Pisa and cardinal |
| Lucrezia | 7 June 1545 – 21 April 1561 | Wife (1560) of Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara and Modena |
| Pietro (Pedricco) | 10 August 1546 – 10 June 1547 | |
| Garzia | 5 July 1547 – 12 December 1562 | |
| Antonio | 1548 – 1548 | |
| Ferdinando | 30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609 | Grand Duke of Tuscany |
| Anna | 1553 – 1553 | |
| Don Pietro de' Medici | 3 June 1554 – 25 April 1604 | Murdered his wife because of her infidelity |
Read more about this topic: Eleanor Of Toledo
Famous quotes containing the word children:
“The mere existence of an additional child or children in the family could signify Less. Less time alone with parents. Less attention for hurts and disappointments. Less approval for accomplishments. . . . No wonder children struggle so fiercely to be first or best. No wonder they mobilize all their energy to have more or most. Or better still, all.”
—Adele Faber (20th century)
“Socialite women meet socialite men and mate and breed socialite children so that we can fund small opera companies and ballet troupes because there is no government subsidy.”
—Sugar Rautbord, U.S. socialite fund-raiser and self-described “trash” novelist. As quoted in The Great Divide, book 2, section 7, by Studs Terkel (1988)
“One of the most difficult aspects of being a parent during the middle years is feeling powerless to protect our children from hurt. However “growthful” it may be for them to experience failure, disappointment and rejection, it is nearly impossible to maintain an intellectual perspective when our sobbing child or rageful child comes in to us for help. . . . We can’t turn the hurt around by kissing the sore spot to make it better. We are no longer the all-powerful parent.”
—Ruth Davidson Bell (20th century)