What was the name of Michelangelo's nephew who inherited his estate?

Michelangelo’s nephew who inherited his estate was Lionardo di Buonarroto Simoni.

Lionardo, also commonly rendered as Leonardo Buonarroti, was the son of Michelangelo’s brother Buonarroto. Born in 1519, he was orphaned while still young, and Michelangelo took a close interest in his welfare, education, finances, and future marriage.

Michelangelo never married and had no legitimate children, so Lionardo became the principal heir of the Buonarroti family line. The artist owned substantial property and accumulated considerable wealth, including houses, land, money, artworks, and personal papers. His decision to leave these holdings to his nephew helped preserve the family’s status in Florence.

After Michelangelo’s death in Rome in 1564, Lionardo inherited the estate and later supported the family’s commemoration of his famous uncle. The family property eventually became Casa Buonarroti, a Florentine museum dedicated to Michelangelo’s life and legacy. The name can appear in different forms because Renaissance Italian names were recorded with varying spellings, including Lionardo, Leonardo, Buonarroto, and Buonarroti.