If you have an interest in Italian history then no doubt you've heard of the notoriously wealthy banker family called Medici? They came to Florence in the 12th century and became a huge sponsor of the Renaissance arts and a powerful force in Florentine politics.
They were the first dynasty to build their name through working hard in commerce and making a fortune through sheer hard work and cleverness. Tourists can visit or even stay at one of many holiday villas or rental farmhouse in the Mugello area of Tuscany, close to the Medici’s ancestral home.
Over the 13th and 14th centuries, the Medici family rose to a standing of great power in Florence and in the early 15th century, a family member called Giovanni di Bicci hugely increased their wealth and donated great sums in the sponsorship of masterpieces by Renaissance masters including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
They were the first dynasty to build their name through working hard in commerce and making a fortune through sheer hard work and cleverness. Tourists can visit or even stay at one of many holiday villas or rental farmhouse in the Mugello area of Tuscany, close to the Medici’s ancestral home.
Over the 13th and 14th centuries, the Medici family rose to a standing of great power in Florence and in the early 15th century, a family member called Giovanni di Bicci hugely increased their wealth and donated great sums in the sponsorship of masterpieces by Renaissance masters including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
Giovanni’s son, Cosimo I perfected his father’s charm and cleverness with money and earned himself the name of ‘Pater Patriae’, meaning ‘Father of the Fatherland’. From 1434 onwards, he was considered to be the most powerful man in Florence and ordered the expansion of his beloved province to take control of surrounding provinces like Arezzo, Pisa and Livorno.
Cosimo I was a much respected leader and he lived out his days continuing to sponsor the arts in Florence city and the surrounding area until his death in 1464. He was succeeded by his son Piero for only five years until he died. Piero left his twenty year old son, Lorenzo in charge.
Lorenzo did his best to take control but massive money losses, disputes and conspiracies started to damage the proud Medici name. He is best known for his contribution to the arts, donating large amounts of money to artists to create their master works. Read about some of these artistic masters in our dedicated articles!
Cosimo I was a much respected leader and he lived out his days continuing to sponsor the arts in Florence city and the surrounding area until his death in 1464. He was succeeded by his son Piero for only five years until he died. Piero left his twenty year old son, Lorenzo in charge.
Lorenzo did his best to take control but massive money losses, disputes and conspiracies started to damage the proud Medici name. He is best known for his contribution to the arts, donating large amounts of money to artists to create their master works. Read about some of these artistic masters in our dedicated articles!
His life coincided with the high point of the mature phase Italian Renaissance and his death signed the end of the Golden Age of Florence. Successive leaders were not as good as their forefathers at handling huge sums of money and so the dynasty went into recline.
But along their journey of great power, they produced four popes and their genes will live on through many of Europe’s most prominent royal families that live on to this day.
The last Medici family member died in 1737 without producing a male heir which ended the famous family’s legacy after four centuries. Read through our article on one of the most exciting conspiracies in Italian history that was targeted at the Medici family in 1478!
But along their journey of great power, they produced four popes and their genes will live on through many of Europe’s most prominent royal families that live on to this day.
The last Medici family member died in 1737 without producing a male heir which ended the famous family’s legacy after four centuries. Read through our article on one of the most exciting conspiracies in Italian history that was targeted at the Medici family in 1478!
