Princess Anna was born on 21 July 1616 at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

Her father died on 28 February 1621, causing her mother and grandmother Grand Duchess Christina to serve as regents until the majority of Anna's brother was reached.

[1] Following failed plans for Anna to marry Gaston, Duke of Orléans,[2] she was instead engaged to Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Further Austria.

The match was negotiated by Ferdinand Charles' formidable mother, who had been regent of Further Austria and Tyrol since Leopold's death in 1632.

This meant that the county reverted to direct rule from Vienna, despite the efforts of Anna to preserve some vestige of power for herself as dowager countess.

For instance, a collection of monodies by Pietro Antonio Giramo, entitled Hospedale degli Infermi d'amore, was dedicated to Anna in Naples in the mid-seventeenth century (the specific date is unknown); it humorously presented the various forms of insanity caused by love.

We know Anna's gifts were especially notable because a Mantuan resident saw fit to describe them in letter to Charles II, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, dated 14 April 1655: "I will tell your most Serene Highness some curiosities that are not too serious.