Biography
He was born in Florence, the second son of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Eleonora of Toledo. While his elder brother Francesco went on a political and military career, Giovanni had reserved for him the ecclesiastical career.
After having been Archbishop of Pisa, he was created cardinal in Santa Maria in Domnica by Pope Pius IV in the consistory of 31 January 1560, aged only seventeen.
Probably already suffering from tuberculosis, Giovanni died two years later in Livorno, from a malaria attack. His mother and his brother Garzia de' Medici died of the same illness a few days later.
He was the subject of two famous portraits by Agnolo Bronzino, one as an infant and another of some years later, together with Eleonora of Toledo (although the subject of the latter has been identified also as Francesco or Garzia).
His father Cosimo had another son in 1563, who was called with the same name (he is best known as Don Giovanni de' Medici).
Read more about this topic: Giovanni De' Medici (cardinal)
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