Giovanni Corsi was born on February 5, 1600, and died on March 11, 1661. He was an Italian nobleman who held several important positions, including marquis, knight, patron, ambassador, and senator of Florence in 1637. He became the second Marquis of Caiazzo after inheriting the title following the death of Bardo Corsi in 1624.
Life
Giovanni was born on February 5, 1600, in Florence to Jacopo Corsi and Laura Corsini. When his father died in 1602, Giovanni was adopted by his uncle, Bardo Corsi, who raised him as his own son along with his brothers and sisters. Both Jacopo and Bardo were important people in Florence’s cultural life during the late 1500s. Bardo gave Giovanni a high-quality education, which reflected the strength and influence of the Corsi family during that time.
Giovanni studied at the Accademia Militare di Parma, where he learned about the Code of Chivalry and was made a knight.
In 1624, Giovanni inherited the title of Marquis of Caiazzo (Marchese di Cajazzo) and his uncle’s possessions, including the Tornabuoni Palace and Villa Corsi, because Bardo had no biological children.
Around 1628, when Giovanni was still young, he ordered a painting from the Casini brothers. In the painting, Giovanni is shown wearing a rich and elegant Turkish-style costume, standing next to a dog that likely belonged to his family.
In 1628, Giovanni married Lucrezia Salviati. Their children were Count Antonio Corsi (born in 1625) and Cardinal Domenico Maria Corsi (born in 1633). Later, after Lucrezia’s death, Giovanni married Virginia Vitelli in 1640. Their child was Laura Corsi (born in 1642).
Giovanni served as an ambassador for the Medici Dynasty in Milan, one of the most respected representatives of the Corsi family in that role. In 1634, he was sent by Ferdinando II de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, to Milan to honor the new governor.
In 1637, Giovanni was elected as a senator of Florence.
In 1645, he participated in a procession for Giovan Carlo de’ Medici in Rome after the young man was named a cardinal. In 1655, Giovanni was chosen as an ambassador and main speaker in Rome for Pope Alexander VII. During this time, Giovanni suffered a stroke, which left him unable to function until his death in 1661.
After Giovanni’s death, his daughter Laura built a chapel in his honor. Laura had married Giovanni Vincenzo Salviati, the Marquis of Bontieri and Boccheggiano.