Medici Murder

Once, a young Venetian Bianca from a wealthy family met a poor but handsome young man Pietro and unexpectedly finds himself falling in love. Despite protests from parents, they were married, had a daughter,. But the spoiled aristocrat quickly tired of cleaning floors and washing clothes at home parents Pietro.
But there was in Florence, men are more powerful - it was Francesco de 'Medici.
Once the window, she saw a passing rich Signora - low, ugly, dark skin. But there was in Florence, men are more powerful - it was Francesco de 'Medici. He looked up.
From that moment his heart had lived only one passion - the mysterious and beautiful stranger, and her lovely head throbbed only one thought - to become the wife of a wealthy aristocrat. They were both looking for a meeting, and she took. Soon Bianca and Pietro moved to a luxury villa, presented to him by Don Francesco. For what services his wife was such a valuable gift, Pietro is not too interested in. It is no different scruples, but was very greedy, and money for a lovely friend, Don Francesco was not sorry. Of course, the relationship with a married woman 's son did not like the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo I, his father, Francesco. To separate a son and Bianca, he decided to marry the heir to the Austrian emperor 's sister. But the marriage had no effect on the relationship of sin: Bianca came to the celebration in this magnificently dressed, the whole room froze, and the bride wept. However, if the phlegmatic wife of Francesco Bianchi cunning plans is not interfered with, fed up with her ​​own husband finally: his appetite was growing, he demanded of new jewelry and all the big money. Something had to be done. And once - once at the house mistress - windy jovial Pietro killed. A search for the killers, of course, were long and - to no avail.

BILL Belly.



Soon his father died of Don Francesco, and his successor was the Grand Duke of Tuscany. ... - John of Austria lived heart's content! . But first, Francesco ought to convince my wife to deal with. By John was a major drawback: it gave birth to only girls. And the duke was the heir.
This is Bianca, and decided to use. A gentle voice, she said Francesco, is expecting a baby. Oh, how happy he was! . A daily permit from the burden of bribed servants brought her to a rural child. Son named Antonio, and Don Francesco, sobbing with joy, immediately sent a petition to the King of the assignment of the heir to the ducal title. Now, apparently, the Duke was likely to agree to removal of Joanna. But she sprang a surprise: in 1577 gave birth to a boy! .
Francesco nearly lost his mind with joy. Perhaps, now plans to be fulfilled Bianchi. But since he could speak only one who knew her bad. A year later, pregnant again John fell down the stairs. Started preterm labor. The baby - a boy, too - he died immediately. A wretched wife of the Duke died the next day - April 11, 1578.
Yes, of course, people are whispering to their homes, which fell not just John, but by cunning mistress. But Francesco sought to hush up the story with the death of Joanna. Bianca moved pretty fast in his palace, and three months later became his wife. However, the Duke of Tuscany asked to leave their marriage a secret. Oh, no! . It's time to leave it to the light of day - enough, lived in the mistresses! . The Senate, oddly enough, it granted the request, but the close of Don Francesco was murmur of indignation. In October 1578 held an official wedding ceremony and the crowning of the Bianchi.
One can only imagine how hated Venetian husband in the family - his brother, mother, nephews, children from first marriage. She was considered the devil incarnate, a witch, bewitched Duke: because they have been together for 24 years and he did not admit even thought about any other woman in his life. Bianca twisted as they wanted.

October 19, 1587 happy couple went to the light from an unknown disease, presumably malaria. Mourning the Medici clan, of course, was short-lived. And the title ...



CRIME DISCLOSED.



The next Grand Duke of Tuscany - Francesco 's brother Ferdinand - tried to make the beautiful intrigante Venice quickly forgotten. With the official version of the death of one, of course, did not argue - if malaria claims thousands of lives. But few doubted - Bianca has received his due. A little sorry, though poor, Francesco!. But that's it, ducal, a family affair. The remains of Francesco with pomp laid next to Joan in a family crypt in the Basilica of San Lorenzo. A villain Bianca were buried separately - and nobody knows where: her grave was not found until now.
Shall rest with just lucky, sorry, the entrails of the four Dukes of Tuscan. Embalmed intestines were buried in the church of Bonistallo, not far from the villa, where reposed Bianca and Francesco. It was they who helped solve the crime - though only at the beginning of the XXI century - after more than four hundred years.

In the dark dungeon of the temple they found two earthenware jug with a decayed guts. Genetic examination confirmed that the remains belong to Francesco and Bianca. And with the chemical analysis of tissues in which it was discovered a number of arsenic that would be enough for another dozen dukes.
It is easy to figure out who ordered the killing was. Of course, it 's brother, Francesco, the Cardinal Ferdinand de 'Medici! . So, the whole history of false pregnancy ...



PATRON OF THE ARTS.



Criminologists and archaeologists have found that when, in October 1587 of the first, the wife died almost simultaneously, and the fear of death suffered from acute pain in the gut. Probably, at the door of their bedroom hiding at the moment the whole clan Medici and listened with delight heartbreaking cries and cries. In the morning, trying to keep up appearances, the Cardinal Ferdinand ordered an autopsy, and the court physicians announced that the cause of death is obvious - Malaria.

Uffizi Gallery - National Museum of drawing, sculpture and painting.

Another mystery of the past revealed. However, I would like to host a tomb in the Florentine cathedral of San Lorenzo remembered not only as a ... It was Francesco, and along with Bianca villain, bring their orders there for all to see the most valuable items from the family collection, scattered across the country palaces and villas.

Igor Istomin.