



MEDICI. FAMILY OF. 



MEDICI, FAMILY OP. 



17S 



MsVDICI. FAMILY OF. The early hi.tory of the family of the 

 Mljlll is ohscvre, although some authors have traced their genealogy 

 from the age of Charlemagne. But it must be remembered that 

 these geasTcine. were made after the elevation of this family to 

 tn power In Florrnce. It appears, however, from authentic 

 imeeta, that many individuals of this family had signalised them- 



I on various important occasions. Giovanni de' Medici, in the 



year 1251. with a body of only one hundred Florentines, forced bis 

 way through the Milanese army, then besieging the fortress of Scar 

 paria, and entered the place with the loss of twenty lives. Francesco 

 de' Medici was at the heed of the magi.tracy of Florence in 1348, at 

 the time when the black plague, which had desolated so large a 

 portion of the world, extended ita ravages to that city. Salvestro de' 

 Medici acquired great reputation by his temperate but firm resistance 

 to the nobles, who, in order to secure their power, accused those who 

 opposed them of being attached to the party of the Ghibelines, then 

 in great odium at Florence. The persons so accused were said to be 

 sirm'ri (admoni-bed), and by that act were excluded from all 

 offiers of government. In the year 1379, Salvestro, being chosen 

 chief mafifatnto, exerted his power to reform this abuse, which was 

 not however effected without a violent commotion, in which several of 

 the nobility lost their lives. After the death of Salvestrp, his son, 

 Veri de' Medid, continued to hold a high rank in the republic, and was 

 in great favour with the populace. 



The founder however of that greatness which his posterity enjoyed 

 tor several ages was GIOVANNI DE' MEDICI, tho great-grandfather of 

 Lorenzo the Magnificent By a strict attention to commerce, he 

 acquired great wealth ; by his affability, moderation, and liberality, 

 be ensured the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens. Without 

 seeking after the honours of the republic, he was honoured with them 

 all The fpolicy by which the house of Medici attained its political 

 power is indicated in the charge given by this venerable old man on 

 hie death-bed to his two sons, Cosmo and Lorenzo ; " I feel," said he, 

 " that I have lived the time prescribed me. I die content ; leaving 

 you, my sonr, in affluence and in health, and in such a station, that 

 whilst you follow my example, you may live in your native place 

 hoawuied and respected. Nothing affords me more pleasure than the 

 rsfleetlon that my conduct has not given offence to any one ; but that, 

 on the contrary, I hare endeavoured to serve all persons to the best 

 of my abilities. I advise you to do tho same. With respect to the 

 honours of the state, if you would live with security, accept only 

 anfa as are bestowed on you by the laws and the favour of your 

 fellow-citizens ; for it is the exercise of that power which is obtained 

 by violence, and not of that which is voluntarily given, that occasions 

 haired and contention." He died in the year 1428, leaving two sons, 

 COSMO, born in the year 1389, and LORENZO in 1394, from the latter 

 of whom is derived the collateral branch of the family, which in the 

 beginning of the 16th century obtained the absolute sovereignty of 

 Tuscany. 



Even in the lifetime of his father, Cosmo had encaged not only in 

 the extensive bo>incss by which the family had acquired ita wealth, 

 but aim in the affairs of state. Such was his authority and reputation, 

 that in the year 1414, when Balthairar Cosm, who had been elected 

 pope, and bad assumed the name of John XXIII., was summoned to 

 attend I the council of Constance, he chose to be accompanied by Cosmo 

 de' Medici, among other men of eminence, whose characters might 

 countenance hie canes. By this council, which continued nearly four 

 year., Balthatr was deprived of his pontifical dignity, and Otto 

 ColoBna, who took the name of Martin V., was elected pope. Cosmo 

 did not desert in adversity the man to whom be had attached himself 

 in prosperity. At the expense of a large um of money, he redeemed 

 him from the hands of the Duke of Bavaria, who had seized upon his 

 parson ; and afterwards irave him an hospitable shelter at Florence 

 daring the remainder of his life. Tho suce-ssful pontiff, instead of 

 resontb*; the kindness shown to his rival, soon afterwards paid a public 

 visit to Florence, where, on the formal submisiion of Balthasar, and 

 st the request of the Medid, be created him a cardinal, with the 

 privilege of taking the first place in the sacred college. The new- 

 made ordinal died in 1419, and it was rumoured thst the Medici at 

 Us death pomssij themselves of immense wealth which he had 

 acquired durtig his pontificate. This rumour was afterwards cncou- 

 k *k* *' >0 **" ' tDOW '** ''I 100 *. Tl" true source of the 

 * f* I ~**^ ** ta * ir superior talents and application to 



maces, and the property of the cardinal was scarcely sufficient to 

 Hharge bis debts and legacies. 



^The authority which Cosmo and his descendants exercised in 

 wee, during the 16th century, consisted rather in influence than 

 in any definite power. Cosmo exerted this influence with great 

 Vjrel owing to the discontent of the Florentines with tho 



state 



. arose, beaded by Itinaldo de 

 filling the magistracies with their own 

 Itted him to prison. He was after- 

 . an, and several other members and 

 the Medici family were treated in the same way. From 

 .osmo proceeded immediately towards Venice, where he was 

 with marked respect by the government ; and after a short 

 went to Padua, Upon an application to the Florentine 

 by Aodrra Donato, the Venetian ambassador, it was consented 



to that he might reside on any port of the Venetian territories, but 

 not to approach within 170 miles from Florence. Tho affectionate 

 reception which he had met with at Venice induced him to fix hi* 

 abode there. Within a year of Cosmo's retreat. Rinaldo wag obliged 

 to quit Florence ; and Cosmo was recalled, and returned amidst the 

 acclamations of the people. The gonfaloniere, or standard-bearer, 

 the executive officer who bad pronounced his sentence, with a few 

 others of bis party, were put to death on the occasion. Measures 

 were now taken to restrict the choice of magistrates to tho partisans 

 of the Medici, and alliances were formed with the neighbouring powers 

 for the purpose of supporting and perpetuating the new system of 

 administration in Florence. The subsequent life of Cosmo de' ' 

 was an almost uninterrupted course of prosperity. The tranquillity 

 enjoyed by the republic, and the satisfaction which he experinced 

 in the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens, enabled him 

 to indulge his taste for the promotion of science and the encou- 

 ragement of learned men. Though a private citizen, ho surpassed 

 almost all the princes of Europe in his munificent patronage of 

 literature and the fine arts. He assembled round him tome of the 

 most learned mon of the age, who had begun to cultivate the Greek 

 language and philosophy. He established at Florence an academy 

 expressly for tho explanation of the Platonic philosophy, at the head 

 of which he placed the celebrated Marsilius Ficinus. By means of 

 foreign correspondence, he collected the Greek, Latin, and Oriental 

 manuscript*, which formed the basis of the Laurention library ; nor was 

 he less liberal in his encouragement of the fine art*. During the retire- 

 ment of his latter days, his happiest hours were devoted to the study 

 of letters and philosophy, and the conversation of learned men. He 

 also endowed numerous religious houses, and built an hospital at 

 Jerusalem for the relief of distressed pilgrims. The spirit of his 

 administration was moderate, he avoided all appearance of state which 

 might excite the jealousy of tho Florentines ; and, by way of in- 

 creasing his interest among them, he confined the marriages of his 

 children to Florentine families. By this prudent conduct nu.l hi* 

 benevolence, he acquired the title of 'father of his country,' which was 

 inscribed upon his tomb ; an appellation which, as it was founded on 

 real merit, has over since been attached to the name of Cosmo de' 

 Medici. He died August 1st, 1464. Cosmo de' Medici married 

 Contesiua Bardi, of a noble and illustrious family, which had been 

 long distinguished si Florence. By her he had two sons, Giovanni 

 and Piero ; and he had a natural son by a mistress. 



GIOVANNI DE' MEDICI was one of the Florentine ambassadors who 

 were sent, in 1455, to take tho necessary oaths to Calixtus III., who 

 hod succeeded Nicholas V. He was Cosmo's favourite son, on whom 

 all his future hopes and expectations rested ; but he died prematurely 

 in 1463. Giovanni married Cornelia de Alessandri, by whom he had 

 only one son, who died an infant. PIERO DE' MEDICI succeeded to 

 Cosmo's fortune and authority at Florence : Cosmo, in the decline of 

 life, had recommended to his surviving son to employ ono Diotisalvi 

 Ncroni as his minister, whom he believed to be attached to the Medici 

 interests ; but the ambition of Neroni, and the disaffection of some 

 former friends of the Medici, had nearly proved fatal to Piero's 

 administration. It was the intention of the conspirators to surprise 

 Piero at. one of his country residences; but one of the conspirators 

 went and communicated the plot to him. Picro, by an expeditious 

 return to the city, at the head of a chosen troop of his friends, baffled 

 the designs of his enemies. Most of tho conspirators saved themselves 

 by flight ; and though, with the assistance of the Venetians, they 

 afterwards made a stand, they were finally compelled to evacuate 

 Tuscany. Piero died December 3, 1469, leaving by his wife, Lucretia 

 Tornabuoni, two sons and two daughters, Lorenzo, Qiuliono, Bianco, 

 and Qiovanna. 



At the death of Piero de' Medici, his two sons inherited his pro- 

 perty ; but Lorenzo succeeded him as head of the republic, and upon 

 him tho title of Magnificent was afterwards conferred. LORENZO the 

 MAGNIFICENT was born January 1, 144S. From the time of Cosmo's 

 death, in 1464, on account of tho infirmities of his father, Lorenzo 

 had been introduced to a knowledge of public affairs, although then 

 only sixteen. With this view he was sent to viit the principal 

 courts in Italy. Upon the accession of Sixtus IV. to the papal 

 throne, he went, with other citizens of Florence, to congratulate the 

 new ]><>pe, and was invested with the office of treasurer of the holy 

 see ; and while at Kome took every opportunity to a<ld to tho remains 

 of ancient art which his family hud collected. One of the first events 

 after he undertook the administration of affairs was a revolt of the 

 inlinbitanto of Volterra, on account of a dispute with tbo Florentine 

 republic. By tho recommendation of Lorenzo, force was used, and 

 the result was the sack of Volterra. In 1472 he re-established tho 

 academy of Pisa, to which city he removed in onler to complete the 

 undertaking : he selected tho most eminent professors, and contributed 

 a large rum from his private fortune, in addition to that grant 

 tlie state of Florence. 



zo, who was, or affected to be, an admirer of Plato, took an 

 ncHv p.irt in tho establishment of an academy for the cultivation of 

 the I'i itonic philosophy, and instituted an annual festival in honour 

 <>f I . >. Whilst Lorenzo was thus dividing his time between tho 

 <in of the state and tho promotion of literature, the Pazzi, 

 a numerous and distinguished family in Florence, formed a conspiracy 



