How Did The Medici Family Control Florence?

Pope Leo kept Michelangelo as the Medici family and now Catholic Church’s “main artist” of the time. He also had commissioned Brunelleschi for the reconstruction of the San Lorenzo Basilica. Pope Leo X was known for his lavish out of control spending and just over all failure in helping the church in every aspect except art. The next Medici Pope, Giulio de Medici known as Pope Clement VII, was very similar. Clement VII had also commissioned many artists such as; Michelangelo to paint the altar of the Sistine Chapel and Italian artist, Sebastiano del Piombo to paint the very famous portrait of himself on both stone and canvas. The Medici’s never really did make very good popes considering they were rather spoiled and not the holiest of people although they did bring some great historic works of art into the church. Both of their art patronages were very good for the papacy and bring a greater element of art into the church seemingly allowed the church to expand and welcome more people due to people wanting to be part of the works of those great

The Renaissance period was the period that was referred to as the "the rebirth" of Classical culture. During this era, many Italians believed that they observed the rebirth of antiquity or Greco-roman civilization (334). Throughout this time period, the art that came out was similar to the growth that happened in philosophy, literature, music and science. Renaissance art focused more on humans, the accurate portrayal of the natural world as well as the old architecture of the Romans. The Renaissance art was reflected politically because during this time, the cities were ruled by wealthy families. Families such as the Medici family were extremely powerful and influential during this time (335). In their prime days, the Medici family was considered the most influential money lenders and best bank in Europe (335).

To many, the name Lorenzo de Medici just sounds like an irrelevant Italian man. At a closer look, Lorenzo was one of the most important people in the history of Italy. Born to Lucrezia Tornabuoni and Piero di Cosimo de ' Medici, Lorenzo ruled Florence from 1469 until his death in 1492 after his father’s death. He helped make Florence the most important city-state from 1469-1492. Lorenzo de Medici was the most important ruler of Florence because he formed political alliances to protect his people, he was a strong supporter of education, and he was an advocate to many great artists.

Cosimo de’ Medici was born on September 27, 1389 in Florence, Italy at the time his family was middle class bankers. At a young age his father Giovanni, introduced his son to the family business of banking. As Cosimo grew older, he took on more duties in the family business and eventually became the head of the bank the family owned. When he was a young man he had an important relationship with the Catholic Church, at this time the Church was the dominant religious faith of Europe, the one most powerful men in Europe was the Pope. Cosimo recognized the important role of the Catholic Church and made a friendship with the Pope. After this relationship the Medici banks were handling most of the Church’s financial accounts. Some

Giovanni De Bicci De Medici: Giovanni established political and financial power of the Medicis and was one of the richest bankers in Italy because he was also the Medici bank founder. Giovanni was the first Medici to really like the looks of art and decorate his house with it and support

While researching many online sources about, The Medici family and specifically Lorenzo de Medici, I found several sites that had help me further my knowledge and understanding of Lorenzo de Medici and why he was influential during the Renaissance time period. I could not find all my information strictly on one sight because Lorenzo de Medici had many different fields of work and personal things that he had invested his time into to only find it on one source. Many of these sources often placed an emphasis on Lorenzo de Medici’s life and not what he would be remembered for. He has contributed so much to the culture and development of Florence and will forever be remembered as “Lorenzo the Magnificent” for a reason. He was a strong leader and

Cosimo born in 1389 was a well-educated man. Cosimo took over the family business in 1429(The Medici Family). He was married, but he lived away from his family with his slave. Also during his life he was I a large argument with the Albizzi family who banished Cosimo from Florence. A friend of this family spread the rumor that Cosimo was a liar and a cheat. When Cosimo returned, the poet lived unlike his friends. Later in his life he became the Duke of Florence (Lisciandro).

Florence was exposed to the principles and ideologies of foreign regions and immersed them into the art and literature produced thereafter. That then percolated to the rest of the other European nations and the rest of Italy itself. The Medici maintained these connections rooted and stable by way of finance and politics and guaranteed that Florence, throughout the Renaissance, was an advocate of the arts. Furthermore, had it not been for the establishment of a connection between the Medici and the Papacy, Florence and Rome, it seems, may have actually been rivals grown under the essence of partnership and collaboration during the Renaissance. Rome supplied many Florentine artists with a harbor, and, in turn, Florence took advantage of the administration of the papal funds.

Lorenzo De’Medici, fabulously wealthy, brilliant statesman and equally brilliant patron of the arts. He was quite possibly the greatest single contributor to the Renaissance and it’s fabulous wealth of art. His and his family’s patronage of the arts, amounting to hundreds of thousands of florins allowed artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo to flourish and thrive, creating some of their greatest works with Medici money. Lorenzo was heir to one of the great fortunes of late medieval Europe, through his family’s ownership of the Medici bank. His grandfather, Cosimo enhanced the bank’s power to its apex and its wealth was declining when Lorenzo came to power, but it was still an immensely wealthy organization. Lorenzo assumed unofficial

Cosimo de’Medici filled his libraries with over seventy volumes and made sure to only include text worthy of reading with “the collection reflect[ing] his literary taste and consist[ing] of classical texts as well as a mix of secular and sacred works typical of collections at the time” (Meehann 15). Cosimo’s first library was constructed in 1433 outside of Florence as a gift for Venetian hospitality and good will. He built and furnished the library for the San Giorgio Maggiore monastery in Venice (Meehan 16). Cosimo’s behavior illustrates that not all members of the Medici family used art for gaining power. The parts of Cosimo’s library that did not go to the San Marco collection went to two of his sons, Piero and Giovanni. As the two boys grew up, they collected more books in competition, but unlike their father’s simple manuscript style, they collected miniatures that were created by leading

Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici founded the Medici bank in 1397 after splitting from his nephew to establish a bank branch in Florence. As the new bank grew and expanded, so did the wealth and power of the Medici family. When Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici, Giovanni’s son, took over the banking business in 1434, the increasing economic power of the Medici family allowed them to establish themselves as effective rulers of Florence while keeping the republican system of government nominally intact. The bank provided the Medici family a combination of economic and political power that facilitated the stability of Medici rule. Thus, the failure of the Medici bank during the reign of Lorenzo il Magnifico was key to the collapse of the Medici

With Giovanni’s death in 1429, there were those who tried to capitalize on the opportunity to displace the Medici family from its place in the social and political landscape of the time. One such opportunity was taken with the help of a wealthy rival, the Albizzi family, who put in motion a plot to have Giovanni’s son, Cosimo de Medici, arrested on accusations of treason and banished to Venice. This did not happen without consequences. With Cosimo’s exile he took with him a large source of Florentine capital, the Medici Bank. The Pope intervened and restored the Medici’s to power. Thus began Cosimo’s restoration of Florentine pride and the support of great artists that many admire today.

The House of Medici, or the Medici family, was a very influential and extremely powerful family during the time of the Renaissance in Italy. The Renaissance took place starting in the late 14th century. During this time, the people started to take interest in and have an appreciation for the classical times. The beginning of this powerful family really begins with Giovanni di Bicci deˈ Medici. He was born in the year 1360 in Florence, Italy. Originally from the Tuscan hillside, the Medici family immigrated to Florence during the 12th century. Giovanni di Bicci deˈ Medici was the man who really got the family moving. He founded the Medici Bank and began using money to gain influence. The Medici Bank eventually became the official bank of

Beginning with the Renaissance (1400-1600) we see a change in the subject matter being portrayed by artists of the time. We can attribute this change not only to the change in patrons, from the Christian church to wealthy bankers and politicians, but also to the growing body of scientific knowledge. “The Renaissance was

The focus of this investigation will be “The Medici family supported the artists of the Renaissance era by providing them financial support, throughout mentorship and because of the prevailing philosophy and humanism.” This investigation will focus on the background of the Medici family and how they supported artists of the Renaissances era. This investigation will use a primary source from an artist's work and a secondary source relating to the Medici family uprising.San Lorenzo (church). Medici chapel. Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici which held Sculptures by Michelangelo and Adrien, De Roover Raymond. The Rise and Decline of the Medici Bank, 1397-1494. Norton Library, 2012.Both sources provide background to the Renaissance time period and how the Medic family treated artists with their power. The two sources are examples of how the Medicis changed the renaissance era through their money and power to pursue artists for their own benefit and for the time periods.