The Medici family was a powerful and influential Florentine family from the
13th to 17th century. The family produced three
popes (Leo X, Clement
VII, and Leo XI), numerous rulers of Florence
(notably Lorenzo il Magnifico, patron of some of the most famous works of renaissance
art), and later members of the French and English
royalty. Like other Signore families they dominated their
city's government. They were able to bring Florence under their family's power allowing for an environment where art and
humanism could flourish. They led the birth of the Italian Renaissance along with the other great signore families of
Italy like the Visconti and Sforza families
of Milan, the Este of Ferrara, the Gonzaga of Mantua, and others.
The Medici Bank was one of the most prosperous and most respected in Europe. There are
some estimates that the Medici family was for a period of time the wealthiest family in Europe. From this base, the family
acquired political power initially in Florence, and later in wider Italy and Europe. A
notable contribution to the profession of accounting was the improvement of the general
ledger system through the development of the double-entry bookkeeping
system for tracking credits and debits. This system was first used by accountants working for the Medici family in
Florence.
History
The Medici family came from the agricultural Mugello region, north of Florence, being mentioned for the first time in a document of 1260.
The origin of the name is uncertain although its Italian meaning is "doctor". Members of the family rose to some prominence in
the early 14th century in the wool trade, especially with France
and Spain. Despite the presence of some Medicis in the city's government institutions, they were
still far less notable than outstanding families such as the Albizzi or the
Strozzi. One Salvestro de' Medici was
speaker of the woolmakers' guild during the Ciompi revolt, and one Antonio was sentenced to death
in 1396. The involvement in another plot in 1400 caused all branches of the family to be banned from Florence's politics for
twenty years, with the exception of two: from one of the latter, that of Averardo (Bicci) de' Medici, originated the Medici
dynasty.
15th century
Averardo's son, Giovanni di Bicci, increased the wealth of the family
through his creation of the Medici Bank, and became one of the richest men in the city.
Although never holding any political charge, he gained a strong popular support to the family when he supported the introduction
of a proportional taxing system.
His son Cosimo the Elder took over in 1434 as
gran maestro, and the Medici became unofficial heads of state of the Florentine
republic.
The "senior" branch of the family — those descended from Cosimo the Elder — ruled until the assassination of Alessandro de' Medici, first Duke of
Florence, in 1537. This century-long rule was only interrupted on two occasions (between
1494–1512 and 1527–1530), when popular revolts sent the Medici into exile. Power then passed to the "junior" branch — those
descended from Lorenzo the Elder, younger son of Giovanni di Bicci,
starting with his great-great-grandson Cosimo I the Great.
The Medici's rise to power was chronicled in detail by Benedetto Dei.
Cosimo and his father started the Medici foundations in banking, manufacturing - including a form of franchises - wealth, art,
cultural patronage, and in the Papacy that ensured their success for generations. At least half, probably more, of Florence’s
people were employed by them and their foundational branches in business.
Piero de' Medici (1416-1469), Cosimo’s son, only stayed in power a few years (r. 1464-1469), until his grandson Lorenzo took
over. Lorenzo de' Medici “the Magnificent” (1449-1492), was more capable of leading
and ruling a city. However, “Magnificent” was a common title and essentially does not mean anything special in itself. He showed
his children great love and affection, too. To ensure the continuance of his success, Lorenzo perceived his children’s abilities
and planned their futures and careers for them. He predicted, or rather forced, Piero II to be headstrong, Giovanni a scholar,
and Giuliano--not to be confused with Lorenzo’s brother who had the same first name--good. Giuliano, Lorenzo’s brother, was
assassinated in church on Easter Sunday (1478). Lorenzo adopted Giuliano’s illegitimate son, Giulio de' Medici (1478-1535), the
future Clement VII. The incompetent Piero II took over as the head of Florence after his father’s, Lorenzo, death. Piero was
responsible for the brief expulsion of the Medici.
The Medici remained masters of Italy through their two famous 16th century popes, Leo X
and Clement VII, who were de facto rulers of both Rome and Florence. They were
both patrons of the arts, but in the religious field they proved unable to sustain the advance of Martin Luther's ideas. Two other Medici became pope: Gian-Angelo de' Medici (Pius IV, 1559-1565), and Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici (Leo XI).
The most outstanding figure of the 16th century Medici was Cosimo
I, who, coming from a retire in the Mugello, rose to supremacy in the whole
Tuscany, conquering the Florentine most hated rival Siena and
founding the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Members of the Medici family parading in the guise of the youngest king from
Three Wise
Men through the Tuscan countryside in a
Benozzo Gozzoli fresco from c.
1459.
Art, architecture, and science
The most significant accomplishments of the Medici were in the sponsorship of art and
architecture, mainly early and High Renaissance art and architecture. The Medici were
responsible for the majority of Florentine art during their reign. Their money was significant because during this period,
artists generally only made their works when they received commissions and advance payments. Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, the
first patron of the arts in the family, aided Masaccio and ordered the reconstruction of the
Church of San Lorenzo. Cosimo the
Elder's notable artistic associates were Donatello and Fra Angelico. The most significant addition to the list over the years was Michelangelo, who produced work for a number of Medici, beginning with Lorenzo the Magnificent. Lorenzo commissioned Michelangelo
Buonarroti (1475-1564) often, even as a child, and was extremely fond of him. Lorenzo commissioned Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) for seven years. Lorenzo also was an artist of poetry and song. Later,
Leo X would chiefly commission Raphael (1483-1520)--“the
Prince of Painters.” Clement VII commissioned Michelangelo to paint the alter wall of
the Sistine Chapel.
Under Savonarola’s fanatical leadership, many great works were “voluntarily”
destroyed in the Bonfire of the Vanities (February
7, 1497). The following year, on May 23, 1498, “…Savonarola and his two young supporters were hanged in the public square….”--the same location as his
bonfire. In addition to commissions for art and architecture, the Medici were prolific collectors and today their acquisitions
form the core of the Uffizi museum in Florence.
In architecture, the Medici are responsible for some notable features of Florence;
including the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace, the
Boboli Gardens, the Belvedere, and the
Palazzo Medici.
Although none of the Medici themselves were scientists, the family is well known to have been the patrons of the famous
Galileo, who tutored multiple generations of Medici children, and was an
important figurehead for his patron's quest for power. Galileo's patronage was eventually abandoned by Ferdinando II, when the Inquisition accused Galileo of heresy. However, the Medici family did afford the scientist a safe
haven for many years. Galileo named the four largest moons of Jupiter after four Medici children
he tutored.
Notable members
- Salvestro de' Medici (1331 – 1388), led the assault against the revolt of the
ciompi, became dictator of Florence, and banished in 1382
- Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici (1360 – 1429), restored the family fortune
and made the Medici family the wealthiest in Europe
- Cosimo the Elder (1389 – 1464), founder of the Medici political dynasty
- Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449 – 1492), leader of Florence during the Golden Age of the Renaissance
- Giovanni de' Medici (1475 – 1523), also known as Pope Leo X
- Giulio de' Medici (1478 – 1534), also known as Pope Clement VII
- Cosimo I the Great (1519 – 1574), First Grand Duke of
Tuscany who restored the Medici lustre
- Catherine de' Medici (1519 – 1589), Queen of France
- Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici (1535 – 1605), also known as Pope Leo XI
- Marie de' Medici (1575 – 1642), Queen and Regent of France
- Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici (1667 – 1743) the last of the Medici
line
See also
Notes
References
Text
- Christopher Hibbert, The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall (Morrow,
1975) is a highly readable, non-scholarly general history of the family
- Ferdinand Schevill, History of Florence: From the Founding of the City Through the
Renaissance (Frederick Ungar, 1936) is the standard overall history of Florence
- Paul Strathern, The Medici - Godfathers of the Renaissance (Pimlico, 2005) is
an informative and lively account of the Medici family, their finesse and foibles - extremely readable, though very homophobic
and full of typographical errors.
- Lauro Martines, "April Blood - Florence and the Plot Against the Medici" (Oxford University
Press 2003) a detailed account of the Pazzi Conspiracy, the players, the politics of the day, and the fallout of the
assassination plot . Though accurate in historic details, Martines writes with a definite 'anti-Medici' tone.
- Accounting in
Italy
- Herbert Millingchamp Vaughan, The Medici Popes. New
York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1908.
- Jonathan Zophy, A Short History of Renaissance and Reformation Europe, Dances over Fire
and Water. 1996. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003.
Documentaries
External links
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