The Medici Family Research Paper

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Throughout the 15th and 16th century Florence was ruled almost completely by a powerful family known as the Medici that was the first family to gain control not through war, marriage or inheritance but commerce. Beginning with Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici (1360-1429) in the 1300’s we see the first growth of the families wealth, Giovanni invests large amounts of his money made through the foundation of the Medici bank into political interests that begins the Medici’s rise to power. From this time on there is a succession of leaders from the family the most notable being Cosimo (1389-1464) who with the help of his father Giovanni began their ever growing political strength while maintaining their status as private citizens. Cosimo is succeeded by his son Piero the gouty (1416-1469) and him by Lorenzo the magnificent (1449-1492). Unlike …show more content…

The power of this family was not only related to the political side but also to their ties with the catholic church through the Giovanni (1475-1521) who becomes pope Leo X and Giulio (1453-1534) who becomes pope Clement VII, it is through this relation that the family is able to regain power in Florence in 1516.
Cosimo de’ Medici also known as Cosimo the elder and Pater Patriae (father of the nation) learned his banking prowess and ethical conduct from his father Giovanni. From an early age his father taught Cosimo and his brothers how to manage banking in a way to stay in a positive view in the public eye, it is believed he told them to “be creditors rather than debtors” (Previte Orton, C. W. 1947. Pg. 77). Giovanni unlike his son was unambitious in politics and focused more on conducting fair business which drew support from the lesser men to whom they had done good turns. This pre-existing

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