A centuries-old mystery surrounding the Medici family may have been solved. Scientists now believe that malaria, not murder, was the cause of death for Grand Duke Francesco I de’ Medici and his wife, Bianca Cappello, in 1587.
The Investigation
Researchers from the University of Pisa and Yale University conducted a study using DNA extracted from the skeletal remains of Francesco and his brother, Giovanni. The study found genetic traces of plasmodium, the parasitic protozoa responsible for malaria, in samples of bone material from Francesco’s ribs.
The couple’s deaths had long been the subject of rumors and speculation, with some believing that Francesco’s younger brother, Ferdinando, had poisoned them to ensure his own rise to power. However, the new study suggests that malaria was the likely cause of death.
Malaria in History
Malaria has been a significant historical killer, causing 610,000 deaths in 2024 alone, according to the World Health Organization. The disease manifests with fever, headaches, and chills, and its name comes from the medieval Italian phrase ‘mal aria,’ meaning bad air.
Historical sources supported the assumption that malaria killed Francesco and Bianca, with documents written by court physicians describing symptoms consistent with the disease. The genetic analysis was performed on small bone samples kept aside when the Medici tombs were opened in 2004.
While the study’s findings are significant, some researchers still believe that Francesco may have been poisoned. Donatella Lippi, a professor of history of medicine at the University of Florence, said that contracting malaria does not mean dying from it, and that the research supports what she has always maintained.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
