Giancarlo de" Medici was an Italian cardinal of the House of Medici.
Background
He was the second son of Grand Duke Cosimo II of Tuscany and his wife, Maria Maddalena of Austria, and the brother of Ferdinando II de" Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. He was born at Florence, the second son and third child of Cosimo II de" Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Maria Maddalena of Austria.
Career
He entered ecclesiastical state at the young age. Unlike his predecessor Urban VIII, Pope Innocent X practised cordial relations with Ferdinando II, Gian Carlo"s elder brother, and thus on 14 November 1644 created Giancarlo a cardinal-deacon as a token of his affection toward the Medici. Thus forced to give up his military career and with it the title of "General of the Spanish Seas", Giancarlo could not reconcile himself to his new "religious" lifestyle.
Cardinal de" Medici participated in the papal conclave, 1655 as one of leaders of the Spanish faction.
Upon discovering of the closeness that had formed between the two, the Pope sent Gian Carlo back to Florence, declaring him "too handsome and too young" to be "spiritual advisor" to the Queen. Here, Giancarlo led a life of dissipation, taking many mistresses.
Nevertheless, Ferdinando II delegated to him the management of the state"s financial affairs He was patron of science, letters and music
He founded the Accademia degli Immobili and contributed to the construction of Teatro della Pergola and the enrichment of the Galleria Palatina di Palazzo Pitti.
In later years, Gian Carlo donated his sizeable art collection to form the Pitti Gallery. He died of apoplexy, and was interred in the Medicean necropolis, the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence. He died at Florence, of an apoplexy, at the age of 51.