ipl-logo

Medici Family In The Renaissance

2004 Words9 Pages

Because the Medici family played a major role in Florentine Renaissance, it is difficult to fully understand the family’s relevance without having basic knowledge on Florence and the Renaissance. After the chaos in Europe that consisted of several factors including the Great Schism and the Bubonic Plague, European life was given a light and resurrection of culture and spirit in a period we now know was the Renaissance; to the Italians la Rinascita, Rebirth. Will Durant wrote in The Renaissance: The Story of Civilization V, “The sunshine of the Italian spirit would break through the northern mists; men and women would escape from the prison of medieval fear; they would worship beauty in all its forms, and fill the air with the joy of resurrection. …show more content…

The greatness of the Medici family that once was continued to deteriorate, especially when Cosimo II and Cosimo III came to power. The Medici family at one point was the wealthiest family in Europe and most powerful family in Florence, but Cosimo II demolished the family prosperity his ancestors worked to accomplish. His first major act was ending of the Medici bank and Medici involvement in commercial activity. In his opinion, involvement in business was below him as a grand duke, which was the complete opposite because this had been the primary source of the family’s great wealth and power. Cosimo II was a …show more content…

The Medici family produced some excellent rulers and some terrible rulers. Cosimo III was undoubtedly a disastrous ruler. “He always acted on the basis of petty and bigoted motives…As a result of his behaviour, the Grand Duchy lived through a regime of terror that often induced the citizens to malicious gossip, lies, and subterfuge,” said Winspeare in The Medici: The Golden Age of Collecting. He was entirely to blame for the decline of Florence’s brilliance, power, and wealth. He even neglected attention to the artists and scientists, who eventually fled Florence. In the mean time, he was spending long hours in prayer, visiting monasteries and sanctuaries, which was why no attention was paid to the matters of

Show More
Related
228 Words | 1 Pages

According to the letter written by Niccolo Machiavelli, “I enter the ancient courts of ancient men, where, received by them with affection. ”(Document 3) This is one of the main ideas that characterized Renaissance art and literature. I

Read More
695 Words | 3 Pages

When peace was finally made two years later between the Papal and the Imperial factions, Charles V agreed to militarily restore Florence to the Medici. After a restriction of eleven months, Alessandro was brought back as the Emperor 's designated head of state. In 1532, the new Florentine constitution stated Alessandro the permanent gonfalonier of the republic. Though his common sense and his feeling for justice won his subjects ' affection, the others in sympathy with the displaced opposition hated Alessandro and accused him of using his power to sexually exploit the public. However, only two illegitimate children with the possibility of a third, have been attributed to him and even these he fathered with one woman, Taddea Malespina, a distant cousin of

Read More
676 Words | 3 Pages

In Niccolo Machiavelli's book, The Prince (1513), he evaluates on how a prince can be a successful leader. Machiavelli’s purpose of this guidebook was to construct his argument to the rising ruler Giuliano de Medici for when he comes to power in Florence. He adopts a casual but authoritative tone in order to convince the prince that Machiavelli’s evaluation on how to be the best prince, is the right thing for the prince to do without coming off as he knows more than the prince or is trying to intimidate him.. Machiavelli’s reference to previous rulers and whether their tactics failed or succeeded helps to benefit his credibility along with his allusion to historic text. He appeals to our logic by simply stating a prince can only do what is within his power to control, and his use of an analogy furthers his argument.

Read More
1453 Words | 6 Pages

Allie Spillane Ms. Martland History 9 11 May 2023 Lorenzo de’ Medici: His Role in the Renaissance The Medici Family was a prominent Florentine family that ruled much of Florence from the 15th century to the 18th century, and the family gained much of their power and wealth from commerce and banking. Lorenzo de’ Medici was one of the most influential members of this family, who was most influential during the mid to late 15th century. Lorenzo de’ Medici was influential because of his political stance in Florence and the region of Tuscany, so he provided for the city as a whole. As a patron of the arts, Lorenzo de’ Medici influenced the Renaissance, along with Florence.

Read More
1594 Words | 7 Pages

It’s not the end of the world! Be inspired with Machiavelli’s determination! He did not let other people put him down and so will you! Getting kicked out as a political advisor of the Republic of Florence, he threatens the government as he plans his comeback and that is with his very controversial literary piece, The Prince – the root of why his name was attached until today to the notion of political artifice and ruthless scheme. Come to think of it, if it wasn’t for that fall, he may have not ever written The Prince.

Read More
1799 Words | 8 Pages

The Florentine Chronicle, far from forming a new philosophical outlook, retains a concept of moral philosophy that has lead historian, Kenneth Bartlett to note that in contrast to his Renaissance-era successors, "his reliance on such elements as divine providence links Villani closely with the medieval vernacular chronicle tradition. This is most evident in Villani’s three basic assumptions about morality that underlie his historical interpretation in the chronicle. Villani takes historical events and forces them to conform to recurring patterns of significance. This morality comes in the following form: Firstly, excess will bring disaster. This means whenever possible, Villani emphasised that greed will ultimately bring about a fall, as was the case with Ugolino.

Read More
702 Words | 3 Pages

Jackson Neufeld Mr. Johnson History 40S 23 December The Impact of Banking on Northern Italy During the Renaissance The Renaissance was a time period between the 14th to the 17th century, originating in northern Italy. The Renaissance movement was specifically focused on the “rebirth” of culture. This included the revival of ancient techniques in the fields of art and literature, in addition to the growth and spread of the worldview of humanism (a raised importance of secular matters).

Read More
1834 Words | 8 Pages

Florence had been under a republican government since 1494 when the leading Medici family and its supporters had been driven from power. During this time, Machiavelli thrived under the patronage of the Florentine ‘gonfaloniers’ chief administrator for life, Piero Soderini. In 1512, however, with the assistance of Spanish troops, the Medici defeated the republic 's armed forces and dissolved the government. Machiavelli was a direct victim of the regime change: he was initially placed in a form of internal exile and, when he was (wrongly) suspected of conspiring against the Medici in 1513, he was imprisoned and tortured for several weeks. His retirement thereafter to his farm outside of Florence afforded the occasion and the impetus for him to turn to literary pursuits.

Read More
367 Words | 2 Pages

The letter of Domenico Venetian implies apparent elitism and classism. The manner in which Domenico exalts Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici, and by contrast refer to himself self abasingly (Davies et al 534.). For example, Domenico starts the letter saying “To the honorable and generous Man Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici of Florence” (Davies et al 534), or says “considering that my low condition does not deserve to write to your nobility, only in the perfect and good love (534). Domenico reveres this patron as if he was a deity or the pope, and somewhat apologizes for simply requesting for a commission that the Medici family was getting ready to grant, rather than demand (534). This letter was written by Domenico Venetian in April 1438, in Perugia

Read More
729 Words | 3 Pages

The Italian Renaissance was the spread of individual ideas. Renaissance also means rebirth, This was during the late 1400’s and early 1500’s, after the black death. The Renaissance was located in the Mediterranean Sea. The Renaissance emphasized individual achievements and made

Read More
1037 Words | 5 Pages

He believed that princes must use violence to maintain power within their princedoms, which shows that Machiavelli saw political power and leaders as weak and unstable. He saw this as the Italian city-states fought for control over land. He also witnessed this as the Medici family lost power in Florence and the new ruler, Girolamo Savonarola, took over. Savonarola, a Dominican monk, was incredibly pious. He hosted the Bonfire of the Vanities and burned art, fashion, jewels, and other secular objects.

Read More
1308 Words | 6 Pages

Their sons converted also, and became passionate about art. They eventually donated to churches and architecture within the community. Vitale Medici, formally Yechiel Da Pesaro, gave sermons to Jews still in the ghettos. He revealed to them who he really was, their old

Read More
464 Words | 2 Pages

The Renaissance era was noted to be an era of discoveries, wealth and great fortune. Most of Italy’s cities became wealthy through trade accessed through waterways around the country. The wealth of these merchants clearly influenced as well as supported new artist, writers, and philosophers. Among these wealthy merchant families was the Medici Family, whose wealth was in banking. During the early period of Renaissance Era the Medici Family’s wealth/contributions and support establish them as one of the most influential patrons of the arts/literature and intellectual learning.

Read More
789 Words | 4 Pages

Between the 14th and 16th century, Italy went through what they termed as Renaissance which was characterized by several changes in the country. As described in Italy, Renaissance means rebirth or rebuilding of a given societal role. The transition of the country came from the medieval to the early European period where different normal operations of the society were greatly altered. Before the rebirth process began, the Italians had the desire to rebuild some of their greatest being thus the creation of the Renaissance process. As a result of the process, Italy had several achievements regarding science, literature, philosophy, music and arts.

Read More
1830 Words | 8 Pages

Florence felt that it had superiority over other Italian cities, and had the strong desire to express this through the use of arts. Florentine patrons wanted the best artists and sculptures to beautify their city so that it would appear to be the most prominent of the principalities in Italy. However, there was not just a rivalry between Florence and the various city states of Italy. There was also a rivalry amongst the different guilds that dominated Florence. In the 1400s, Florence was controlled by seven main guilds, “each of which has a particular social standing and political outlook”.

Read More

More about Medici Family In The Renaissance

Related Topics

Open Document