The Stato dei Presidi of Tuscany (The State of the Garrisons), whose capital was Orbetello, started by Cosimo I de' Medici, Duke of Florence, and Filippo d'Asburgo, King of Spain, agreement in 1557.
With the Treaty of Florence, at the end of the war with Siena, the King of Spain obtained from the Duke the coastal territories of Talamone, Orbetello, Ansedonia, Porto Ercole e Porto Santo Stefano, while the de' Medici had Siena territory.
The Stato dei Presidi, with Piombino and Porto Longone (Elba Island) later annexed, was part of the Kingdom of Naples then followed a long Spanish period (1557-1707), the Austrian domination (1707-1737) and the Borboni domination (1737-1800).
The Stato dei Presidi ended when its territories were assigned to France and included in Napoleon Etruria Reign.
Its geographical position, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, made it a strategic possession to defend the territory from barbary raids and French expansionistic aim.
The Stato dei Presidi was mainly a military territory so the defensive buildings, sighting towers and forts were reinforce, but not religious and civil buildings.
In 1563 on the Promontory of Monte Argentario, the viceroy of Naples, Pedro Afàn de Ribera, started building towers as a wide defensive project. The new buildings, (Santa Liberata Tower, Lividonia Tower, Cacciarella Tower, Cala Moresca Tower, Mulinaccio Tower), supported the restored medieval and Siena period ones (Argentiera Tower, Peschiera di Nassa Tower, Cala Grande Tower, Cala Piccola or Cala Piatti Tower, Capo d’Omo Tower, Maddalena Tower, Cannelle Tower, Ciana Tower, Avvoltore Tower).
In Porto Ercole, Stella Fort, Filippo fort (where the Sant'Ermo fort rose up in the past) and S. Caterina fort were built during the the Spanish period. The Rocca Aldobrandesca was reinforced while in Porto Santo Stefano, the Siena period tower of Santo Stefano was converted in a fortress.
Dott.ssa Giulia Giovani
Dott.ssa Giulia Giovani
