Tuscany

(Ital. To scan a ). A former grand duchy of Italy, hounded on the north by the duchies of Parma and Modena, and the Papal States; east and south by the Papal States; west by the Mediterranean. Tuscany embraces the far greater part of ancient Etruria, shared the common fate of all the other Italian states, and fell under the Romans about 280 B.C. From the Romans it pa ed first to the Goths, next to the Lombards, and then to Charlemagne, who governed it by counts. After numerous vici itudes, the whole of Tuscany became united, in 1557, under the Medici family. In 1737 the Medici became extinct and the grand duchy pa ed to the Duke of Lorraine. It was declared by Napoleon I. an integral part of the French empire; but, on his downfall in 1814, it was restored to the Archduke Ferdinand. On August 20, 1860, the National A embly at Florence unanimously voted its annexation to and it now forms part of the new kingdom of Italy.