HISTORY

The Case of the Medici family in Renaissance Florence

The Case of the Medici family in Renaissance Florence

Cosimo the Elder was the effective founder of Medici rule in Renaissance Florence. He inherited wealth from his father, Giovanni di Bicci, but to wealth Cosimo added political clout. Acceptance did not come easily. Families of the old aristocracy like the Albizzi and Strozzi regarded Cosimo as an upstart, feared him, and had him banished from Florence in 1433. He returned a year later to a tumultuous welcome, praised as the fair and generous champion of the people. Cosimo was careful to preserve the trappings of republican government, did not assume princely airs or titles, and professed himself a good citizen of Florence and a devout Christian. He preferred the velvet glove to the iron fist and diplomacy to war. A practical man, he understood that artists and intellectuals could burnish his image, and encouraged them accordingly. His many construction projects included the Medici palace, which was the largest structure built up to that time. He bought manuscripts and founded libraries. Under his stewardship Florence became the center of Humanism. His far-flung business interests and broad vision made him look beyond the Florentine state. Perhaps his most important foreign policy decision was to end the traditional rivalry between Florence and Milan by signing the Peace of Lodi with Francesco Sforza (1454). At his death, the Florentines bestowed on him the title of Pater Patriae (Father of the Country).

In 1417 he was appointed manager of the Rome branch of Bank Medici. In 1420 formally became the head of the Medici banking house. After the death of his father , Giovanni di Bichchi in 1429 , having inherited a vast fortune in the 180,000 florins , not including loans and real estate, Cosimo and his brother Lorenzo led a party of popolanov . While the city of Florence obeyed a significant part of Tuscany , the city of Pisa , Arezzo and Volterra . Florentines conceived to conquer the city, and Lucca , in what they supported the party of aristocrats , led by Rinaldo Albizzi . In 1430 Cosimo became a member of the Committee of Ten, was created to lead the war against Lucca. Military action ruled aristocrats, so their influence has increased. All eight priors and Gonfaloniere , who formed the senor, if elected from the aristocratic party. To consolidate his position, decided to ...