The Power of The House of Medici Essay

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

* Lorenzo’s brother had been assassinated by a rival family, the Pazzi, who had long plotted with the pope against the Medicis which made Lorenzo a cautious ruler

Catherine de' Medici was a French lady who was married into the royal family at the age of fourteen in the sixteenth century. She was different than other women during this time period, and she enjoyed studying astrology and the arts. She was also the one who ordered the Tuileries to be built. She formed a very close relationship with the King and her father-in-law, King Francis I, and even named one of her children after him. However, her husband and the King's son, Henry, despised Catherine, and openly had an affair with another mistress named Diane. Despite this, he and Catherine still tried to have children, yet failed the first few years of their marriage. Catherine was shamed by the people for not having children at this point, and some

Catherine de’ Medici was the Queen of France. She was Italian, but she lived in Paris France and even taught some of the French how to properly eat with a fork. Some foods such as artichokes, baby peas, candied vegetables puff pastry, and truffles would have never been introduced to the French cuisine without her. The fork was used in Italy when the rest of Europe looked at it as strange, but with her as royalty using it encouraged everyone else around her to try it as well. Her mother was a French princess making her royalty from the beginning although she did not start opening up with her ideas about food until after her marriage as some people think she did it to fit in. Catherine did her part to leave her mark during the renaissance in culinary history. Even in questionable times as when she could not conceive a child, it was thought to have been cured from her dietary style. Though she struggled with fertility, her dietary changes helped her to conceive nine children. When she moved, she brought a handful of reliable chefs with her to encourage this special diet to improve

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 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

During most of the Renaissance in Italy, the Medici family controlled Florence. They were most known for their success in banking and commerce. In these ways they were one of the main reasons for the political development of Florence. They were also known to be one of the biggest patrons of the arts of the time. Giovanni de Medici established in 1397 that Florence would be the Medici’s home. Giovanni was an influential, wealthy citizen, who was also the banker to the papal court. There was even a point in his life that he had even held every political office in Florence. He like most of his family, supported the arts and was a well-known patron. In 1429

His parents Ser Nastagio and Lisabetta Mini were friends of the powerful Medici family. Vespucci’s father was a notary in Florence and his brothers studied in the University of Pisa. Vespucci on the other hand, received a rich education from his paternal uncle since his father didn’t want him to be interested in cosmography and scholarship .

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).

The Medici family commissioned many artists to make art for them. By the family commissioning them it basically made the artist’s name. In the early time of the Medici family when they were just building up their empire commission artists would help them to build their political prestige and their reputation in the community. Initially in the time of Lorenzo Medici the church wanted nothing to do with the Medici family’s art patronage because they believed that the works that they had commissioned were crude or inappropriate due to nudity or sexual scenes. About 70 years later right before Pope Julius died the Medici art patronage was brought into the church when he commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. By Michelangelo being brought into the light of the Catholic Church it opened doors for the Medici family to

Although there were many attacks on Florence, Lorenzo risked his life for the safety of his people. There are many recorded occasions where Lorenzo formed alliances to protect his people. Around 1474, the new Pope, Sixtus IV decided to seize the small city of Imola for his nephew. Imola had been loosely under Florentine control. Once it was taken, Lorenzo was determined to take action and safeguard the towns near Imola. He formed an alliance with Venice and Milan in order to protect the peninsula 's peace. The alliance led the pope’s anger toward Lorenzo to grow, which lead to an assassination attempt against Lorenzo and his brother, Giuliano de ' Medici. Lorenzo survived with wounds, but Giuliano was killed.

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 members of the Medici bank also did their work sitting on benches and behind tables. The first location was in Via dell Arte della Lana, also known as, Wool Guild Street. Since they were confronted with different currencies they took out a commission for the conversion of the currency instead of charging interest. Since no interest was applied, there was no sin. Little by little they started expanding into areas such as Florence, Venice, and Rome. The Medici bank was doing everything right. They soon grew to be a powerful financial unit in

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.