Table Of Content
They were also protagonists of the Counter-Reformation, from the beginning of the Reformation through the Council of Trent and the French Wars of Religion. The Medici Bank, from when it was created in 1397 to its fall in 1494, was one of the most prosperous and respected institutions in Europe, and the Medici family was considered the wealthiest in Europe for a time. From this base, they acquired political power initially in Florence and later in wider Italy and Europe. They were among the earliest businesses to use the general ledger system of accounting through the development of the double-entry bookkeeping system for tracking credits and debits. Furthermore, the House of Medici had become a precedent for the banking industry to involve heavily in support of arts and culture. Many banks have follow suit to this day and their art collections are part of their communications and branding strategy as well as a commitment to arts and heritage.
Line of Cosimo the Elder
Because they were part of the patrician class and not the nobility, the Medicis were seen as friends of the common people. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week.
Inside the House of Medici (Part II): Palazzo Vecchio
Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany - UNESCO.org
Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany.
Posted: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Beginning in 1434 with the rise to power of Cosimo de’ Medici (or Cosimo the Elder), the family’s support of the arts and humanities transformed Florence into the cradle of the Renaissance, a cultural flowering rivaled only by that of ancient Greece. In 1569, the duchy was elevated to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany after territorial expansion. The Medici ruled the Grand Duchy from its inception until 1737, with the death of Gian Gastone de' Medici. The grand duchy witnessed degrees of economic growth under the early grand dukes, but was bankrupt by the time of Cosimo III de' Medici (r. 1670–1723).
Art of Medici
Bill Gates once said that his late mother used to remind him and his wife that “from those to whom much is given, much is expected”. Through readings on Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller, who were pioneers in bricks-and-mortar philanthropy, the Gates were inspired to found the “Giving Pledge”. Carnegie and Rockefeller spent half their lives amassing an immense fortune and the other half giving them away. These people do not only give money away – they become stewards of their own foundation and perform public good on a daily basis as a full time job for the rest of their lives. What you need to know about the Medici family, the dynasty that ruled first over Florence... The work began with Giovanni di Bicci de Medici who choose Brunelleschi to create the old sacristy inside the church.
This was the Church of San Lorenzo, and the Medici spent a great deal of time and money on its development. And so they came to the decision to buy the huge Palazzo Pitti on the left bank of the river Arno, and moved there in 1549. The palace was doubled in size and redecorated under the guide of Vasari, who also built the Corridoio Vasariano. This suspended passageway runs between Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti so that the Duke and his court could move undisturbed between the two. We cannot count later versions of the Medici coat of arms as well as the different branches of the family.
Queens of Infamy: The Rise of Catherine de' Medici - Longreads
Queens of Infamy: The Rise of Catherine de' Medici.
Posted: Thu, 27 Sep 2018 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Pioneers of Art Patronage and Philanthropy: The House of Medici
Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Christian Zapata. Ferdinando, although no longer a cardinal, exercised much influence at successive conclaves. In 1605, Ferdinando succeeded in getting his candidate, Alessandro de' Medici, elected Pope Leo XI.
Medici family summary
Cosimo I de' Medici (1519–1574), descendant of a secondary branch of the family, rose to power in 1537. He proved to be one of the strongest and most independent rulers in Florence's history. He acquired new territories—including the city of Siena—and the title of grand duke of Tuscany, which his descendants held until 1737. The reign of Cosimo I placed the Medici on a level with many of the other ruling families of Europe. They first attained wealth and political power in Florence through their success in commerce and banking.
The 15th century: 3 Generations to Rule over Florence
His principal medium is acrylic on canvas, but he also uses mixed media such as metals and plastics in his works. Giovanni di Bicci de Medici was the first member of the Medici dynasty to accumulate... On the hills surrounding Florence there’re many villas that the Medici bought and restored to create elegant summer residences.
Thanks to that arrangement, Florence now hosts the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace museums, and many other world-famous museums. It was the last precious gift from the Medici family to their beloved Florence. At the time of Lorenzo, the Medici overcame the opposition of the monk Savonarola and the famous Pazzi conspiracy (1478) during which Lorenzo was wounded, and his brother Giuliano lost his life.
Cosimo il Vecchio took over as Gran Maestro in 1434, still an unofficial position of power in Florence. The Medici were not elected, but relied on their financial power and control of the selection process for office of the now Republic to establish their dominance. It actually took the Medici until 1531 to acquire the formal title of Grand Duke of Tuscany and to abolish all vestiges of a republic of Florence.
Some of the rich people did not like this at all and left the city, making Cosimo more powerful. He took good care of industry, of trade and of farming, because Florence needed all these things. He particularly needed the loyalty of all the farms and villages, because a city in a valley is easy for an army to attack.
With Vieri this branch of the Medici was to disappear definitively from history. The Medicis' wealth and influence was initially derived from the textile trade guided by the wool guild of Florence, the Arte della Lana. Like other families ruling in Italian signorie, the Medici dominated their city's government, were able to bring Florence under their family's power, and created an environment in which art and humanism flourished. They and other families of Italy inspired the Italian Renaissance, such as the Visconti and Sforza in Milan, the Este in Ferrara, the Borgia and Della Rovere in Rome, and the Gonzaga in Mantua.
They were patrons of the arts and humanities and their support in turn ensured Florence was at the center of Europe during the Renaissance, drawing many people to the city. The Medici palaces are an enduring symbol of Tuscany’s most famous family. One that dominated Florentine political life for three centuries, and whose influence shaped the city of Florence. From the relatively modest residence of Cosimo the Elder to the grand Palazzo Pitti, we give you an insight into the Medici palaces that can be visited in Florence. In 1469 Cosimo's grandson Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449–1492) became head of the family and, for all practical purposes, ruler of Florence. He managed to hold onto power despite a rebellion by prominent Florentines and a war with the pope.
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