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FIRE IN THE EARTH
was then to trade his Duchy of Lorraine for the Duchy of Tuscany and Lorraine was to be given to France.
So
the day came when Giovanni Gastone, the last male of the Medici's,
died, and the "new deal" went into effect. And a little later, in 1743,
Anna Maria Medici died without heiis and the Florentine diamond was
taken over by the new Duke of Tuscany and became the property of
Austria. Eventually, in 1745, Francis Stephen became emperor of the
Holy Roman Empire which particularly meant Austria. The Florentine was
placed in the crown and became the symbol of the empire's absolute
power over Europe.
There
it remained until the first World War, or, to be more precise, until
after the war. For in November, 1918, with the final defeat of the
Central powers, there was a revolution in Austria-Hungary and Emperor
Charles, successor to Francis Joseph, fled. He did not take the
Florentine with him, but it seems that according to law it was his
personal property and it was brought to him.
Then
he died. Did he sell it? If so, why did he happen to die in a state of
comparative poverty? Did he give it to someone else? Then to whom and
why, in view of his comparative poverty? Was it stolen from him? Was
it really ever delivered to him? Was it held in Austria until the Nazi
hordes invaded the place?
There
is no answer, any more than there is an answer to other mysteries
concerning the latter years of the Hapsburg reign, including the
strange death of Rudolph and his be-loved. You may not seek the answer
now because Vienna is in darkness.
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