Monument of the Four Moors (Monumento dei Quattro Mori)

The monumental complex was originally composed of three parts:
1) The statue dedicated to Ferdinando I de' Medici (made of marble by Giovanni Bandini around 1600 and placed in front of the dock in 1617);
2) The Four Moors (made of bronze by Pietro Tacca by 1626), placed at the feet of the Grand Duke to symbolize the victory over the Barbary pirates of Africa and Asia (the Turks);
3) The trophies (a bronze work by Taddeo di Michele, a student of Tacca, made in 1638) which represented a turban, a drape, and weapons captured from the Barbary pirates.
This last part is no longer visible today, because during the Napoleonic era, in the name of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity (and perhaps of a "politically correct" ante litteram), the French, who saw the monumental complex as a glorification of tyranny and slavery, wanted to destroy it. Fortunately, they were recalled to their homeland by the events of the war (the victories of the Austro-Russian troops over the French); however, they did not give up taking the "Trophies" with them, today, perhaps, in the Louvre.

Monument to Ferdinand de Medici in white marble with four bronze Moors

Of the names of the Moors (probably prisoners captured by the Knights of Santo Stefano in the fight against the "Barbarian" pirates), three are known: Morgiano, Alì Melioco and Alì Salettino.