Philip de' Medici

The birth was celebrated with great joy by all the court, because thus was secured the succession of the Grand Duchy for another generation and eliminated all the hopes of Bianca Cappello (his father's mistress) to have her son Antonio become heir of Tuscany.

When he was not quite eleven months old, his mother died in an accident falling down the stairs of the ducal apartments while heavily pregnant.

Philip was one of seven children, but only two of the children survived till adulthood, Eleonora de' Medici and Marie de' Medici (who became queen consort of France).

He had another sister Anna who died aged fourteen.

Philip died on 29 March 1582; he was four years old, and suffered from hydrocephalus: when his skull was opened, the equivalent of about a glass of fluid came out.