“Questo titolo conosciuto da tutto il mondo per instrumento notabilissimo di tutte le discordie”. The strategy of Alfonso II d’Este and the Spanish Monarchy following the elevation of the Medici to the title of Grand Duke in the 1570’s

Abstract

The granting of the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany to Cosimo I de' Medici by Pius V in 1569 exacerbated the conflict that characterised the relations of both these political actors with the Duke of Ferrara, Alfonso II d'Este. The latter, affected by the papal privilege with regard to the dispute for precedence that opposed him to the Medici, tried to exploit to his own advantage the tensions that had arisen in the Italian peninsula following the creation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in order to obtain the support of the King of Spain in his favour and against the new title. This study aims to analyse the political and rhetorical strategy used at the Spanish court by Alfonso II to gain support, the ways in which his agents were called upon to execute it and the results they obtained in front of the evolution of Habsburg policy favouring the Medici and to detriment of the interests of the House of Este.