ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the ruling family group after the death of Filiberto (1624) and its demise during the seventeenth century. It chronicles the brief ascent of the Medici of Tuscany in Habsburg service. Capitalising on their descent from Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria – a sister of Queen Margaret of Spain – and using their bitter status rivalry with the House of Savoy, they managed to take over some of Filiberto's offices. While Spanish Habsburg kinship was a source of prestige for the Medici, Prince Giovan Carlo de Medici served only briefly in his role. His service demonstrates that rivalries among groups of relatives restricted the King's agency in making dynastic appointments, while a scarcity of appropriate relatives meant his options were limited to begin with.
