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Ferdinand IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany

Florence, 10 Jun 1835 – Salzburg, 17 Jan 1908

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 10 Jun 1835

    Born in Florence

  2. 1858–1891

    11 children are born

  3. 1861

    Member of the House of Lords (Austria)

  4. 17 Jan 1908

    Dies in Salzburg, aged 72

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 11

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Florence.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1830s · Ferdinand is born in Florence

In the news1835–1837

Deadly cholera epidemic hits Italy in 1835

A cholera epidemic struck Italy between 1835 and 1837, resulting in over 140,000 deaths, including nearly 20,000 in Naples alone. Poor sanitation in urban centers favored the spread of the disease, which disproportionately affected the poor.

What people wore

Sorrento women's feast day attire

On feast days, peasant women in Sorrento wore bodices of damask with braided trim, styled their hair in a Chinese fashion, and wore a special pin called a spadella with a ribbon hanging down their necks.

Daily life

Limited access to education

The kingdom had no compulsory school attendance, and education was largely controlled by the Church, with literacy rates remaining extremely low, at approximately 14.4 percent by 1861.

In the news1831

Cholera epidemic of 1831

A cholera epidemic struck the area around Vienna in 1831, causing significant mortality and leading to systematic expansions of the sewage system.

Music

Music in religious festivals

Religious processions and festivals were vibrant musical events where people sang devotional songs and participated in popular theatre performances. These celebrations often merged music, dance, and collective banqueting to strengthen community bonds.

Around the world1832

Cholera spreads around the world

A cholera pandemic from India reached Europe and the Americas; cities learned the hard way about clean water and sewers.

Getting around

Climbing Mount Etna by horse and carriage

To climb Mount Etna, travelers would depart Catania by carriage for Nicolosi, then ride horses to the Casa degli inglesi, arriving at midnight. From there, they trekked 1.5 hours before dawn to reach the summit to witness the sunrise.