Ferdinando I de Medici's Colonies

Ferdinando de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, toyed with the ideas of establishing colonies, both in North Africa (after Tuscan successes against the Barbary pirates) and in South America. For the latter effort he employed Robert Thornton, and it seemed as if the endeavour would be successful, except Ferdinando died before Thornton's return, and Cosimo II had no interest in colonies overseas.

So, employing some handwavium lets have Ferdinando live long enough to see the setting up of his colonies (doesn't matter if in Africa or South America), what effects does it have on Tuscany?
 
Where would these colonies be exactly?I'd assume Spain would like a good talk with Tuscany if they tried doing that.
 
In 1608 Grand Duke Ferdinand commissioned the English Captain Robert Thornton to lead an expedition to the coast of South America, around northern Brazil.

The ships reached the New World, explored the area and took on some native passengers before returning to Italy. The plan was to follow-up with the establishment of a colony around what is now Cayenne, to reach down to the Amazon and make the area a source of timber exports to Italy and a place of colonization for Italian settlers. A few decades later this area would be claimed and colonized by France, named French Guiana and it remains an overseas department of France to this day. The voyage was a success and Captain Thornton returned without losing a man

True, I guess Spain might have a problem, but wasn't this in ostensibly "Portuguese" territory? And maybe if we'd had D. Felipe II to "talk" to Medici about it, but this is Felipe III.
 
True, I guess Spain might have a problem, but wasn't this in ostensibly "Portuguese" territory? And maybe if we'd had D. Felipe II to "talk" to Medici about it, but this is Felipe III.
Spain and Portugal are under a personal union,so I think it hardly matters.
 
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I suppose the idea of a Spanish force invading Tuscany is a little off-putting. So what about the colonies in North Africa idea?
 
I suppose the idea of a Spanish force invading Tuscany is a little off-putting. So what about the colonies in North Africa idea?
Assuming Tuscany can fight off the Turks,the Berbers and the rest of the Barbary pirates.I think it's going to be a massive money and manpower pit the Tuscans can't afford indefinitely.I also doubt it will be profitable.
 
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