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The Medici in Elba and Cosmopoli

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  1. Island of Elba
  2. Discovering Elba
  3. History of Elba
  4. The Medici and Cosmopoli
    • Cosmopoli
    • The Order of the Knights of Santo Stefano
    • The Cosimo l de' Medici bust
    • Cosmopoli today
    • Five hundredth anniversary birth Cosimo de' Medici

Under the Medici, Portoferraio was fortified and became a strategic Mediterranean port

At the beginning of 1548 Cosimo I de' Medici was asked by Carlo V to defend Elba (and therefore also the commercial traffic in the Tirreno Sea), and to fortify the town of Ferraja. That same year, in May, the architect Balducci, with the help of Camerini, started fortifying Cosimo's town, which he called "Cosmopoli". Thanks to its natural shape, with a steep cliff jutting out on either side and a long, narrow strip of land that almost closed the port in, it was perfect for defence, and was easily turned into an impregnable fortress: Forte Stella and Forte Falcone were built on the highest parts of the promontory in Portoferraio, and Forte della Linguella was built on the strip of land that closed the port in.

After this, the whole town of Cosmopoli was surrounded by walls and ramparts, skillfully designed by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti. In 1600, according to Admiral Nelson, the moat that separated Portoferraio from the rest of the Island made this fortified town a "completely impregnable island".

Both Cosmopoli and the way it had been fortified were put to the test immediately in 1555, when Dragut the pirate, after having conquered Capoliveri, Rio, San Piero, Sant'Ilario and Pomonte, had no choice but to leave the Island without having been able to conquer Portoferraio, and head for Corsica.

In defence of the Mediterranean, and in an attempt to keep the Turkish pirates away, Cosimo I established the Order of the Santo Stefano Knights based on the Order of the Knights of Malta; with their help he had the San Salvatore Convent built - (today the De Laugier Barracks) - which became their headquarters and the arsenal of the Galezze for their ship maintenance.

With the downfall of the Medici dominion, Cosmopoli, as did all the Granducato, passed into the hands of the Lorena family, then fell under the French, then, more than two hundred years later, Portoferraio became part of the projects of one of history's best strategists: Napoleon Bonaparte.

Cosmopoli

The city fortified by Cosimo I de' Medici, thought up as a military defence with the aim of defending the coasts of the grand duchy of the Island of Elba.

The Order of the Knights of Santo Stefano

The Order of the Knights of Santo Stefano was created by Cosimo I° de' Medici and was similar to the one that already existed, the Knights of Malta.

The Cosimo l de' Medici bust

The bust, escorted by Camerini, who describes it as being twice Cosimo's natural size down to his belt, was brought to Portoferraio on November 15th 1557.

Cosmopoli today

Discovering the history of Cosmopoli by going round the walls of the old part of the city and the port or following the old roads of the city.

Five hundredth anniversary birth Cosimo de' Medici

The Island of Elba celebrates the five hundredth anniversary of the birth of Cosimo l de' Medici: special events, historical remakes and parades.

Further reading

Fort StellaFort FalconeLinguella TowerMedicean ramparts
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  • Get to Elba
  • How to get there
  • Ferries
  • Getting about on the island
  • Hire
  • Stay
  • Accommodation that is open all year round
  • Hotels
  • Residences
  • Bed & Breakfasts
  • Apartments
  • Small villas and detached houses
  • Villas
  • Farm holiday centres
  • Campsites
  • Camper and caravan
  • Farm holiday campsites
  • Luxury accommodation
  • Tourist agencies and realtors
  • Eat
  • Restaurants and Pizzerias
  • Food & Wine Experience
  • Local recipes
  • Wines
  • Herbs and typical products
  • Typical dishes
  • Useful information
  • ElbaOK Insurance
  • Useful phone numbers and addresses
  • Weather
  • Webcams
  • Apps for your smartphone
  • Visit Elba
  • Beaches and coasts
  • Places to see
  • Tuscan Archipelago National Park
  • Guided excursions
  • Useful advice
  • Maps of the Island of Elba
  • I am...
  • Recommended itineraries
  • Sports and free time
  • Water sports
  • Land sports
  • Elba not to be missed
  • Outdoor sports
  • Enjoyment and relaxation
  • Courses and study trips
  • Shopping
  • Special events and exhibitions
  • Discovering Elba
  • How many beaches are there in Elba?
  • Paths and tracksin Elba
  • Elba in winter
  • Interesting facts
  • History of Elba
  • Geology of Elba
  • Towns of Elba
  • Media Gallery
  • Webcams

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