In ancient and noble family of Pisa, a branch of which is attested in Sicily , he was born in Pisa on 1 May 1545 by Giovanni Girolamo and Francesco Lisabetta Buzzaglia. On 12 March 1568, after he had already participated in the War of Malta (1565) and that of Hunga...

In ancient and noble family of Pisa, a branch of which is attested in Sicily , he was born in Pisa on 1 May 1545 by Giovanni Girolamo and Francesco Lisabetta Buzzaglia. On 12 March 1568, after he had already participated in the War of Malta (1565) and that of Hungary (1566) against the Turks, took to the habit of Pisa knight of the Order of St. Stephen.

The activity of C., who in March 1571 had made two trips to the race and required months at sea taking part in various companies, including the Battle of Lepanto , fits under the Mediterranean policy of the Grand Dukes of Florence . The report documents in fact, throughout the career of C., a number of companies running both against the Turks in the Levant against both powerful and dangerous pirates of Algiers, whose aim was no less expansionist than defensive.

Appointed captain of the galley Jan. 1. In 1578, we find the C., the following year, the company to Colle in Barbary, fortress he took drawing large prey, and then to that of Cape Good. The May 28, 1582 the Grand Duke Francesco I appointed him vice-admiral of the fleet Tuscan. After several clashes with the Turks in Cyprus and Bizerte , from which drew rich booty for the benefit of the grand ducal coffers, the C. cruised in October 1583 in the Tuscan threatened by recurring raids ships Algiers.

It was on this occasion that the ship C., surprised by a storm, was wrecked the Ants; found shelter in the island of Montecristo , after waiting in vain for relief, the C. was forced by a rebellion of his men to surrender to the Turks. First conducted in Barbary, to Constantinople then, he remained a prisoner of the Turks until 1589, even if this date the grandmaster Alalta and cesarean ambassador in Constantinople are scrambling to secure his release. Returning to his homeland - lack chronological and news on how the story ended - the C. resumed service under Admiral Francesco di Montauto.

In April 1595 he was made lieutenant general of the galleys; but the relationship between the new lieutenant and the Order of St. Stephen not to be very friendly if, as is clear from a memorial that dates back to 1597, the C. was forced to clear himself at the Grand Duke Ferdinand I of the charges Order the move (as well as immorality and embezzlement, he was accused of abusing his power over the galleys and was believed responsible for the sinking of his ship in 1583); these disagreements with the Knights of St. Stephen has obviously if he embarks this year less and less frequently, and if you ask the Grand Duke license to remain on the ground. In 1598 he goes to Spain Don Giovanni de 'Medici. Year 1599 dates rimpresa more ambitious policy of Ferdinando I of expansion in the Mediterranean: the unfortunate landing in Scio.

The company, for which they were employed five galleys under the command of the grand constable Don Virginio Orsini, while Bartolomeo of Monteauto led the infantry, ill-prepared and ill-conduct, resulted in a complete disaster. The Monteauto he died, while the C. drew not decrease its prestige if in the same year he was appointed General Admiral.

In September 1600 the galleys of the Tuscan fleet were employed in the service of the grand ducal court for the marriage of Maria de 'Medici and Henry IV of France : C. accompanied the bride in France with the flagship. Despite the high level served it does not appear that C. was satisfied with the benefits he derived, if he complains, in more letters (State Archives of Florence, the Medici) to Grand Duke Ferdinando, to get more substantial appanages. In 1601 the Catholic army, under the leadership of the Genoese Gian Andrea Doria , met in Trapani in a final attempt to break the naval power of Algiers; the enterprise, where C had taken part with the grand-ducal fleet, failed. This was the latest venture of some relief to which the C. took part; the following year, 1602, he died in Livorno , on November 10, after the wounds he had reported during a quarrel.

Sources and Bibl. Arch. State of Florence, the Medici, f. 2077, c. 609 (original report of C. on his shipwreck); f. 261, c. 181; f. 266, c. 91; f. 276 cc. 20, 90, 118; f. 2081, cc. 21-23, 138, 150-155, 271-273; Arch. State of Pisa, Stefaniano, Provanze, f. 2, p. 1; Book prey; Book of apprehension clothes, f. 1786, c. 27; F. Fountain , The merits of Tuscany in businesses as misspellings of the Knights of St. Stephen, Florence 1701, pp. 8991; M. Battistini , The Admiral. Inghirami and enterprises of the knights of the Order of St. Stephen against the Turks in 1600, Volterra 1912, p. 14; Id., Admiral M. C. Order of S. Stefano, Pisa in 1915; N. Giorgetti, weapons Tuscan and foreign occupation in Tuscany. 1537-1860, Citta di Castello 1916, I, pp. 343, 346, 349; GG Fontana, Knights of S. Stefano, Pisa 1928, p. 324; Ph. P. Argenti, The expedition of the Florentines to Chios (1599), Oxford, 1934, pp. XVIII, XXI, 21, 31 s., 197, 211, 215; A. Values, and Lieutenants General of the seventeenth century, Rome , 1943, p. 64.
- Anna Gracci