a duchy of Italy, which makes part of the ancient Etruria, and, excepting some detached parts, is encompassed by a part of the Mediterranean, called the Tuscan sea; the ecclesiastical state; the duchy of Modena; and the republic of Lucca; its extent from north to south being about 116 English miles, and from east to west about 8½; its area 8400; and in 1815 it was estimated to contain 1,195,000 inhabitants.

Though some parts of it are mountainous, yet both the hills and dales are covered with vines, olives, citron, lemon, and orange trees, &c. The mountains yield also copper, iron, alum, &c. and some of the finest marble. Here is also plenty of corn, rice, saffron, honey, wax, wool, flax, hemp, with mineral waters, rich pasture, salt-pits, sulphur, alabaster, calcined, lapis lazuli, borax, amethysts, carnelians, and jaspers. In some places the elms and ashes yield manna.

The principal river in Tuscany is the Arno, which has its source in the Apennine mountains, and falls into the sea below Pisa. There are some other smaller rivers.

This duchy fell under the dominion of the Romans about 455 years before Christ. The Ostrogoths possessed themselves of it in the fifth century, and after them the Lombards, who were expelled by Charlemagne anno 800; in consequence of which it became subject to the German emperors, who appointed governors over it. At last the cities of Florence, Pisa, Sienna, and some others, during the contentions between the pope and the emperor, and their respective adherents, the Guelphs and Gibbelines, withdrew themselves from the dominion of both, and erected themselves into separate commonwealths. In that of Florence, John de Medici, a popular nobleman, so insinuated himself into the favour of his countrymen, that they invested him with sovereign power. Pope Pius V. conferred the title of grand duke on Cosmo de Medicis anno 1570, in whose family the duchy continued until the death of Gaston de Medicis, who died anno 1737. The duchy was then transferred to the duke of Lorrain, afterwards the empero peror Francis I. in lieu of the duchy of Lorraine, which, by the peace of 1736, was given to King Stanislaus during his life, and then was to be annexed to France. The Austrian family lost this duchy in 1797. After undergoing various changes, it was united to France in 1806, and continued in her possession till the events of 1814 restored its independence. Its prince, who is of the royal family of Spain, is now a minor. The grand duke's annual revenues are computed at about 300,000 sterling, arising chiefly from the tenths of all estates that are sold or alienated, and the ground rents of the houses in Leghorn, and the duties on almost all manner of provisions.