Background
Born in Graz, she was the youngest daughter of Charles II, Archduke of Inner Austria, and his wife Maria Anna of Bavaria. During the minority of her son, Grand Duke Ferdinando, she and her mother-in-law acted as regents.
Born in Graz, she was the youngest daughter of Charles II, Archduke of Inner Austria, and his wife Maria Anna of Bavaria. During the minority of her son, Grand Duke Ferdinando, she and her mother-in-law acted as regents.
With him, she had eight children, including a duchess of Parma, a grand duke of Tuscany, and an archduchess of Further Austria. She died on 1 November 1631 in Padua. She and Cosimo enjoyed a contented marriage.
Together they had eight children.
Cosimo II died in 1621, leaving their ten-year-old son Ferdinando as grand duke. Maria Maddalena and her mother-in-law, Christina of Lorraine, acted as regents until the boy came of age.
Their collective regency is known as the Turtici. Maria Maddelana"s temperament was analogous to Christina"son
Together, they aligned Tuscany with the Papacy.
Re-doubled the Tuscan clergy. And allowed the trial of Galileo Galilei to occur. In 1626, they banned any Tuscan subject from being educated outside the Grand Duchy, a law later resurrected by Maria Maddalena"s grandson, Cosimo III. Harold Acton ascribes the decline of Tuscany to their regency.
The Dowager Grand Duchesses sent Ferdinando on a tour of Europe in 1627.
Her son had been in power for a year. Maria Cristina de" Medici (August 24, 1609 – August 9, 1632), she was deformed or mentally retarded Ferdinando II de" Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (July 14, 1610 – May 23, 1670) married Vittoria della Rovere.
Gian Carlo de" Medici (July 24, 1611 – January 23, 1663) made Cardinal in 1644. Margherita de" Medici (May 31, 1612 – February 6, 1679) married Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma.
Mattias de" Medici (May 9, 1613 – October 14, 1667) appointed Governor of Siena.
Francesco de" Medici (October 16, 1614 – July 25, 1634). Anna de" Medici (July 21, 1616 – September 11, 1676) married Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria (1628–1662) Leopoldo de" Medici (November 6, 1617 – November 10, 1675), made Cardinal in 1667.