• At the end of the 14th century, Florence was ruled by a mercantile elite.

• Costly, continuous wars enlarged the territory of the city-state by conquering Arezzo, Cortona, Prate, Pistoia and Pisa.

• Pisa’s ports made the Republic of Florence a sea power and major economic power of the West

Pre-Medici Florence - Territory

• Banking was a major source of power and income, and the Florentine gold coin, the florin was so reliable that it was the standard coinage in Europe

• Much of Florence's wealth was dependent on the manufacture and trade of cloth, primarily wool.

The Florin

Pre-Medici Florence - Economy

- Florence was controlled by the Albizzi and Pazzi families until about 1438.

-The Albizzi family had controlled the republican government for two generations, but they led a lot of costly wars, so the people switched allegiances to the Medici.

- The Pazzi family were wealthy bankers that were in a semi-friendly competition with the Medici family. Eventually, they tried to depose the Medicis, failed, and their lineage ended.

Pre-Medici Florence – Ruling Families

Beginnings of Medici Power• Giovanni di Bicci de’Medici

– First of the famous ruling Medici’s and considered founder of Medici family fortune

– Giovanni is considered to be the first prominent patron of the arts

– Giovanni was a leader not concerned with politics, but rather the family fortune and the arts

– Giovanni died in 1429 and his son Cosimo became head of the Medici family

Church of San Lorenzo• In the 1420’s Giovanni di

Bicci and Cosimo commissioned Brunelleschi to do extensive renovation, and it became the first church since Roman times to use the classical style.

• Attached to the church is the Laurentain Library which houses the Medici library.

• The Church also houses Michelangelo's famous Medici tomb

Tomb of the Medici, Michelangelo

Rise of Cosimo de’Medici• Became head of the powerful Medici family upon

the death of his father, Giovanni di Bicci• Amassed a fortune as the banker to the pope• The Medici bank spread to all the important

financial markets throughout Europe.• Interested in a rebirth of classical ideas• Recreated Plato’s ancient academy in Carregi.• Very religious - patronage of the arts was rooted in

his religious fervor.– Amassed the largest library in Europe– Supported artists such as Ghiberti, Brunelleschi,

Donatello, Alberti, Fra Angelico, and Ucello• Florence became cultural center of Europe

Artists Commissioned by Cosimo

The Rout of San Romano, Ucello

The Nativity, Fra Angelico

St. Mark, Donatello

Santa Maria Novella, Leon Baptista Alberti

Fall of Cosimo de’Medici• Political career in shambles after Florence’s unsuccessful

campaign against Lucca– Campaign engineered by Brunelleschi to flood city of Lucca,

containing water with giant dam– Plan backfired when dam broke and flooded camps of Florence

as well

• In September 1433, Cosimo was imprisoned on charges of plotting to overthrow the government

• Cosimo was then banished to Venice, resulting in the loss of Brunelleschi’s most powerful patron – Cosimo would bring his bank with him

Return of Cosimo de’Medici• Life in Florence without Cosimo

withered• Business ground to a halt as

capital fled the city• Cosimo waited until the people

of Florence demanded his return• The people offered him control

of the city - he modestly accepted

• Money returned to the city and the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore was completed under Brunelleschi

Lorenzo de’Medici• Grandson of Cosimo• Lorenzo the Magnificent, was said to be the

most brilliant of the Medici• Lorenzo was also respected as a very talented

Latin poet, and like his family members was very interested in texts of antiquity

• Lorenzo is considered to be the greatest patron of the arts– Commissioned such artists and musicians

as Michelangelo, Botticelli and Verrocchio

– Reasons for this patronage included genuine interest, continuing family tradition, and political motives

– Lorenzo even discovered the talented Michelangelo when the artist was only 15 years old

Lorenzo de Medici, Andrea del Verrocchio

Political Ties to Art• Lorenzo commissioned several French

musicians for papal music • Although he did have genuine interest in

music, his reason for gaining the services of French musicians was mainly a political move to enhance relations with France

• His influence encouraging experimentation in music led to the development of the early madrigal

Lorenzo had Powerful Friends

Decline of the Patronage• Lorenzo died in 1492, at the beginning of a

new historical era for Italy and Florence(King Charles VIII of France was about to create great chaos on the Italian peninsula)

• Lorenzo was succeeded by the fervent Dominican friar Savonarola who railed against the decline of moral values in society and corruption in the Church and called for a Christian renewal

Post-Medici – The Initial Fall From PowerGirolamo Savonarola was a preacher who settled in Florence in 1489.

He attacked the tyranny of the Medici family in his sermons, and when in 1494, Charles VIII of France invaded Italy, the Medici’s lost power, and Savonarola took control, putting Florence under extremely rigid control.

Eventually, Savonarola’s followers turned on him, and he was killed.

Girolamo Savonarola

The Medici Popes• The Medici family

would regain control of Florence after the death of Savonarola

• The Medici family would then produce four popes– Leo X (1513-1521– Clement VII (1523-1534)– Pius IV (1559-1565)– Leo XI (1605)

The Grand Dukes• 1569 the duchy of

Florence was elevated to a grand duchy after territorial expansion

• The Medici ruled until 1737 with the death of Gian Gastone de’ Medici

• The family had at this point become bankrupt under Cosimo III, father of Gian Gastone

Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany