Galeotto III Pico

Galeotto III Pico della Mirandola (1564 – 16 August 1597) was an Italian nobleman, third Count of Mirandola and Concordia from 1568 to 1592, the year of his abdication due to health problems in favour of his brother Federico II Pico della Mirandola. Life Son of Ludovico II Pico and Fulvia da Correggio, he was baptised on 3 February 1564 with the names Galeotto Giovanni Battista by Cardinal Federico Gonzaga in the presence of the Duke of Ferrara Alfonso II d'Este and the godmothers Barbara of Austria and the Duchess of Urbino by proxy of their ministers. At the age of four, he succeeded his father (who died in November 1568) in the government of the State of Mirandola under the tutelage of his mother and uncles Ippolito (?-1569) and Luigi (1526-1581), as well as with the support of King Charles IX of France, who then elected him Capitain, Gentilhomme de la Chambre, and Knight of the Order of Saint Michael. His mother Fulvia held the regency of Mirandola until her death in 1590, due to the fits of epilepsy from which Galeotto suffered, who decided on 21 February 1592 to cede the government of the Mirandola fiefs and all his allodial possessions to his brother Federico II; the latter, as a sign of respect and modesty, never wanted to publicly use the title of Lord until his brother's death, leaving him the rights and honour of ruling. Also in 1592 he took the cross of Knight of Malta.