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Rulers of Florence since the 14th century. History of the Medici family

The dynasty of bankers from this city gave the world three popes, two queens and countless masterpieces of world culture. But 300 years ago the family began to fade away. “Around the World” spoke with one of the last Medici, Prince Ottaviano

Your ancestors practically built Florence, which today is visited by many people from different parts of the world. And you want to protect it from tourist flows. But tourists mean both money and fame...

Florence is my family's city, so it is my responsibility to take care of it. I founded the Save Florence association to protect the city of my ancestors from destruction. Every year several million tourists come to Florence, visiting three or four well-known places. I'm sorry to admit it, but mass tourism is causing irreparable harm to Florence. For example, to get into the Uffizi Gallery, people stand in line for hours, leaning on the columns of the gallery, which have already been stripped from the base to the height of a human being. Unfortunately, government departments only charge exorbitant prices for entrance fees to city museums.

What needs to be done to keep the city intact and tourists happy?

The main idea of the association and my main concern today is to distribute the tourist masses to the nearest towns and expand the seasonality of tourism.

Why did you decide to save Florence? After all, they were born and raised in Milan...

The Medici did a lot for Florence, everyone knows me here, I am a member of the famous historical family of the Medici di Toscana di Ottaiano. In Florence I always have a special feeling - here I am at home, and often on the street I hear from strangers: “Hello, Ottaviano. How are you?" They perceive me as part of Florence. City residents are constantly asking to sort out this or that problem. For example, the city authorities decided to launch the first tram in Florence - cut down a green boulevard and make the final stop right at the male dignity of the statue of David! I don’t have the financial capabilities that my ancestors had, but I have connections, a name, ideas - in general, I help the city not financially, but mentally. Most of the buildings in the historical center were built by order of the Medici and belonged to my family. To be a member of such a great family is to manage one's cultural heritage the way industrialists manage businesses.

Do you have experience in business management? What did your parents do?

They were factory owners. In 1920, my grandfather moved from Naples to Milan, where he opened a chemicals factory. After graduating from the university, I worked there for three years and, perhaps, would have worked all my life, like my grandfather and father, but I had thoughts about Florence, about returning to my historical homeland and doing something useful for it, like my great ancestors. stronger.

What are other descendants of the Medici doing for their historical homeland? Here is the young Prince Lorenzo de' Medici, who actively participates in public life, travels around the world on PR visits...

This is an impostor. The House of Medici won the case against Mr. Lorenzo the so-called Medici, and the court ruled that the only legitimate descendants of the Medici royal family were members of my family. Today there are only eight of us with the surname Medici, I mean descendants in the male line. My cousin Giovanni Battista lives in Naples and has three sons. The eldest is taking part in my program. I also have three sons, one of them lives in London. There is also a branch of the Medici Tornaquinci in Rome. Our Ottaiano branch is closest to the royal line of Grand Duke Alessandro. I am currently the oldest male of the Grand Duke line. And since I live in Florence, I was appointed the official representative of the dynasty and the head of the House of Medici.

It is known that Alessandro was very cruel. Under him, torture and executions were common...

...And he did not die a natural death. He was killed by his cousin Lorenzino de' Medici, who later announced that he did it for the good of the city. And Alexandre Dumas in the novel “Night in Florence under Alessandro Medici” depicted everything in a romantic light. So, Alessandro did not leave a legal heir. He did not live even a year with his wife Margarita of Parma. His mistress gave birth to a child. The ancestor of our Ottaiano family, Giulia Medici, was only a year old when her father was killed. In 1567, she and her husband Bernardetto acquired the Ottaiano estate (now the Palazzo Mediceo in the commune of Ottaviano). Our line of Medici di Ottaiano began with them.

Which of the great ancestors is closest to you in spirit?

Oh, this is, of course, our Julia, Cosimo I and Lorenzo the Magnificent. They lived in a wonderful time and did what I want to do for Florence now. They not only managed finances, but also tried to preserve and enhance the economy and traditions, establish relationships with artists and sculptors, and help people. I have a dream to gather all the remaining Medici in Florence to raise the city together. We may not have real political power, but we do have a name and a document from Pope Pius, according to which power forever belongs to the Medici family.

Are there places in Florence where you feel a special connection with your ancestors?

If I want to pray, I go to the Church of San Lorenzo. This is the Medici family church. There is our family crypt, the tombs of the most famous representatives of the family. The church is small and is attended mostly by locals.

heir

But everywhere in Florence I feel comfortable. When I first brought my four-year-old son into the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery, I told him: “Son, this is your home!” Since then, we often visited there with him - we went to play, talk, admire the frescoes, as our ancestors did for several centuries.

Medici di Tuscany

The large Medici tree had some of its important branches dry out over time. Today, Prince Ottaviano di Ottaiano represents the family closest to the royal line and is confident that his family will never fade away

MEDICI IN FLORENCE

In the first third of the 15th century, the Medici banking house became one of the richest and most influential in Florence.
In the past they were healers (this is the meaning of the word Medici).

The symbol of the Medici family were balls (palle) or, more precisely, round pills (medicinal) as a symbol of the profession of their ancestors (Medici - doctors).
Legend has it that these balls are drops of the blood of a terrible giant who once threatened Florence and with whom the progenitor of the Medici family fought, just as David fought Goliath. However, there is another interpretation of this coat of arms. The word “Medici,” as you might guess, means “medic,” that is, a doctor. And the rulers of Florence, apparently, came from this venerable class. And in those days, the emblem of a pharmacist or doctor was not a cross, as in our time, but a ball displayed in a window.

The sixth ball was later decorated with three gold lilies, as a sign that the Medici had become related to the French kings

There was no shortage of families who became famous during the Renaissance, but the history of the Medici family seems exceptional. While other condottieri - Sforza, Montefeltro, Malatesta - seized state power in one way or another (and most often by force), the Medici achieved success as merchants, using merchant methods. Money brought them respect; dexterity and success in business contributed to the emergence of regular customers; a lucky coincidence did the rest. Expelled from Florence in 1494, temporarily returning to power in 1512, and then for a long time, for two centuries - in 1530, the Medici surprise with their rapid ascent. Within just two generations they received the title of count, and just a century after their appearance on the historical stage, the pope and the emperor agreed on how to bring them back to power and bestowed on them the titles of duke (1532) and grand duke (1569). However, later, despite the successes at the “local level” and successful marriages, fate ceases to be favorable to them. The Medici find themselves on a par with ordinary aristocratic families, whose forces are unable to influence major political decisions - the fate of Italy is now being decided by others. The decline of the family goes unnoticed.

I. Origin.

The Medici family came from Mugello, a valley in the Apennine foothills about thirty kilometers north of Florence. It was there that the family heritage was born. However, in the 12th century. they move to the city in the 13th century. participate in its political and economic life. The first to be mentioned was a certain Bonagiunta Medici, who was part of the city council (1216), and his relatives have been lending money since 1240. The family achieved greater fame in the 14th century, becoming one of the “clans” (consorteria), which included all male-line descendants from one ancestor. The “clan” turns out to be numerous: the list of taxpayers for 1343 included 32 heads of the family under that surname, who had considerable estates and real estate in the city and in the countryside, engaged in banking and trade (from 1300 to 1330 they even had their own banking office) who participated in the management of the city (from 1291 to 1341 they were elected members of the Signoria 28 times). Through marriages, the Medici became related to other famous families of the city: Rucellai, Cavalcanti, Donati. However, neither in terms of their political activity nor their influence, the Medici are not among the most powerful families in the city. Their affairs go with varying success, and after 1330 only two of the family are engaged in trade, while most of the remaining members of the family, especially after 1350, try to expand their land holdings. Judging by the tax registers, only one of them is truly rich - and even he is listed only in the sixth category of taxpayers. The rest are lost in the general mass - or are downright poor. Hot-tempered and vindictive, the Medici are not trusted or loved. Their role in political affairs is also mediocre: being elected to the city council, they receive minor positions (only occasionally sent somewhere with embassies) and never occupy key positions.

II. Rise to power and wealth (1360-1429).

Three representatives of the Medici family achieved success and wealth on their own:
Salvestro di Alamanno became famous in political circles, Vieri di Cambio and Giovanni di Bicci amassed a substantial fortune. After 1360, Salvestro, the only Medici, participated in the work of the council of the Florentine Republic, representing the opposition there, led by large Guelph families. Taking advantage of the general confusion that arose after the exhausting war against the pope (1375-78), he sharply opposed his enemies in the Guelph camp and was able to achieve the passage of legislation aimed at significantly reducing the influence of the most vulnerable of them, the magnates. The unrest caused by this law led to the Ciompi revolt (1378-82). Despite the mediocrity of Salvestro as a person and the great caution shown by most of the Medici who participated in the reaction to the uprising after 1382, the name of the Medici remained in the memory of people associated with these events.
Vieri di Cambio's successful career began after 1350. He was engaged in various financial transactions and created a banking office. His business has been successful for forty years. In 1380, his bank was one of the largest in the city and had branches in Rome, Genoa, Bruges and Venice.
The success of Giovanni di Bicci, Cosimo's father, was first associated with the rise of Vieri di Cambio, who gathered around him members of the family, including, even before 1390, a distant relative of Giovanni. Giovanni's career turned out to be successful and fast. In 1390 he headed the Roman branch of the bank, which three years later became independent. In 1397 Giovanni returned to Florence, and in 1429, after his death, his banking business, with branches in Rome, Venice and Naples, flourished even more than at the beginning of the century. Bicci also proved himself to be a successful politician. After 1390, representatives of the Medici family were completely ousted from the political life of the city, since representatives of hostile families came to power. Bicci, thanks to his wealth and caution, was able to rally around himself a real party of townspeople who were opposed to these families. More and more influence is gradually concentrated in the hands of the Medici.

III. Medici in power (1429-1530).

As a result of an unsuccessful military campaign against Lucca in 1433 and the establishment of a cadastre (tax collection office) - a necessary measure, but which caused discontent among the townspeople - the ruling elite was removed from governing the city, and the Albizzi family, which headed the city government, was expelled from Florence. In 1434, Giovanni's son Cosimo came to power peacefully. From that time on, the history of the city was connected for sixty years with the Medici family: until 1462, the head of the city was Cosimo, until 1469 - Piero; until 1492 - Lorenzo and until expulsion in 1494 - Piero. After his death, Giovanni left a considerable inheritance: plots of land in Mugello, houses and villas, cash rent, substantial shares in various banking offices and trading enterprises. Cosimo further strengthened the legacy he left, especially in terms of trade. In better times, he had two banking offices in Rome, one each in Venice, Naples, Pisa, Milan, Geneva, Lyon, Avignon, Bruges, London; two factories for the production of wool and silk fabrics. He traded in everything, and especially in money, lending it to princes and kings. In 1451 his capital amounted to 72,000 florins. Cosimo surrounded himself with good assistants, such as Giovanni di Benci, who could manage the entire complex financial mechanism, and he still had time to rule the city, build the monastery of St. Mark, the church of St. Lorenzo, the family palace on via Larga, collect a library (your own and for the monastery of St. Mark), entertain yourself with conversations with artists and sculptors (Brunelleschi, Gozzoli, Lippi, Donatello), place orders for them, with writers (Marsilio Ficino), - in general, behave like a state dignitary and philanthropist, without ever getting rid of merchant habits and intonations.
The periods in power of Cosimo the Elder and then of Lorenzo the Magnificent actually eclipsed the five years of Piero's reign (1464-1469), which were not marked by any significant events. Without much foresight and intuition in business, Lorenzo was unable to maintain the family’s economic position at the same level: starting in 1478, the Medici banking offices in London, Bruges and Lyon were closed. His patronage lacked breadth - many artists of his generation (Alberti, Ghirlandaio, Botticelli) were supported mainly by families from his circle, and only to a small extent by the Medici themselves. He was stubborn, cynical, and did not pay attention to the poverty that surrounded him. However, Lorenzo becomes an organizer and active participant in the literary life of the city, and his works (poems, odes, stanzas, laudas) reflect his real literary talent. Born for power, he feels free surrounded by an aristocracy that treats him as an equal. At his court, receptions, celebrations, and amusements constantly alternate, and this is a truly princely court. Lorenzo's marriage brought him kinship with one of the oldest Roman aristocratic families, the Orsini, and his son's marriage made him related to his father. The cardinalship granted to his youngest son Giovanni (1498) at the age of 14 marks the pinnacle of the rise of this merchant family. It should also be remembered that Lorenzo became more and more directly involved in the management of the city and after 1470, along with the existing Republican Signoria, he created his own “parallel” system of city government. After his death, the regime disintegrates, but his personal prestige remains intact.
The arrival of the French king Charles VIII in Italy turned out to be fatal for Piero, the son of Lorenzo, who inherited power from his father - he was expelled from the city. However, this event did not have a very significant impact on the family itself: the Medici retained their adherents in Florence, and their banking offices outside the city continued to operate, which allowed the Medici to save a certain part of their fortune. The situation did not affect the relations of the lords of other Italian states towards them. Thus, Giuliano, brother of Piero, was already admitted to the court in Urbino in 1494, and a few years later married Philibert of Savoy, aunt of the French king Francois I. However, the strongest support for the Medici was Rome: in 1513, and then in 1523 Cardinals Giovanni and Giulio de' Medici were elected popes, taking the names of Leo X and Clement VII respectively. This explains the rapid return of the Medici to power in Florence; this time they would rule the city for 15 years (from 1512 to 1527). Then, after a short return to the republic (1527-1530), under the pressure of papal and royal troops, Florence was forced to surrender, and the Medici settled there for more than two centuries.

IV. Duchy period (1530-1737)

The restoration of Medici power took place with the support of King Charles V. Supporters of the republic actively resisted it, so instability was felt in the city for some time. In 1537, the first of the Medici dukes, Alessandro, was killed by his cousin Lorenzino (Lorenzaccio at Musset). His successor (and also cousin) Cosimo I founded a dynasty, which, passing the rights of inheritance from father to son or brother, would remain in power for exactly 200 years. During this period, the city was ruled by Cosimo I (1537-1574), Francesco (1574-1587), Ferdinand I (1587-1609), Cosimo II (1609-1621), Ferdinand II (1621-1670), Cosimo III (1670- 1723) and Giovanni Gastone (1723-1737). The stability of this period can be explained by two reasons: firstly, the character qualities of the Medici representatives who came to power (primarily the strong-willed and active Cosimo I, the founder of the dynasty, a generous philanthropist, as well as the Grand Duke, who had organizational skills and had an interest in the fine arts Ferdinand I); secondly, by the fact that the Medici managed to become related both to the most influential reigning houses of Europe and to their neighbors in Italy. Often, grand duchesses were of royal descent, and the daughters and sisters of the Medici dukes became the wives of kings. Two of them became queens of France:
Catherine, sister of Duke Alessandro, married Henry II, and Maria, daughter of Francesco, became the wife of Henry IV. Cosimo I's daughters Lucrezia and Virginia were sent to the house of Este in Ferrara; Francesco's daughter Eleonora became Duchess of Gonzaga in Mantua, and Ferdinand I's daughter Caterina was also sent there; Margherita, daughter of Cosimo II, went to Parma, to the famous Farnese family; The Medici married and the Dukes of Urbino. A similar policy was carried out in relation to the papal court: from each generation of the Medici, thanks to the support of the Grand Dukes, several cardinals were appointed, who, in turn, sought to link the policies of the pope with the interests of the family. In addition, the roots of the stability of the Medici can be found in their work.

V. Formation of the Tuscan state.

In 1530 Alessandro came to power, in 1537 - Cosimo. At this time, the situation in Tuscany was complicated due to many minor conflicts: the subordinate communes of Pisa and Arezzo rebelled against Florence; troops gathered by exiles constantly attack its borders; many townspeople are hostile towards the new lords; Even under Francesco, conspiracies arose. The Grand Dukes must solve two main problems: the confrontation between warring cities and nostalgic sentiments for the former republican rule. They succeed. In 1538, at the Battle of Montemurlo, Cosimo I defeated the exiled troops. Then the same Cosimo and Ferdinand I extend to all their subjects the rights and responsibilities that were once reserved only for the residents of Florence and grant them all the right to occupy public positions. The city's municipal spirit is weakening. The city-state is replaced by the Tuscan state. However, at the same time, republican institutions disappear one after another: the old Signoria disappears during the time of Alessandro, and it is replaced by a new form of government: the highest magistracy (court), consisting of the Duke himself, his assistant and four advisers, based on the Council of Two Hundred, - and the Senate, consisting of 48 members, for which Cosimo I took special care, led by a small committee chaired by the prince himself and called “Pratica Segreta”. The economic policy of the Grand Dukes was also dictated by the desire to create a Tuscan state, and the entire region is now becoming their field of activity.
At this time, the marshy plains are drained, especially those that were distant from Florence and were not previously taken into account (Val di Chiana, Maremma, Val di Nievole, Pisa Plain). This process lasts more than a hundred years, and as new territories are drained, they are settled. In trade, the coastal cities receive various privileges, especially Pisa and Livorno - it is under the special attention of the dukes, since it is the most important port for sending ships to Spain and the eastern countries. However, Florence, of course, enjoys the most privileged position: the most valuable works of art remain there, the most beautiful palazzos are built, the most eminent artists, architects, and sculptors are attracted for work and commissions. At the direction of Cosimo I, Vasari builds the Uffizi Palace, according to Michelangelo's plan, the Holy Trinity Bridge is erected, and Palazzo Pitti is significantly expanded around the central part created by Brunelleschi. Ferdinand I recruits Giambologna and Buontalenti for work in the city.

VI. Tuscany during the Habsburgs and Bourbons (16th-18th centuries)

Cosimo I pursues an aggressive policy against Siena, which he conquers in 1554-55, and against Lucca, which manages to survive. The borders of the state are established almost completely under him, with the exception of two small changes that occurred during the reign of Ferdinand II, who annexed the county of Santo Fiora, which belonged to Sforza, and the town of Pontremoli, which was on Spanish territory. The political horizons of the Medici are expanding - they now cover Italy, the Mediterranean, and Europe.
In Europe, in order to counter the growing influence of Spain, the Medici are trying to find a powerful ally and for this purpose they are turning to France. It was at this time that Francesco I married Christina of Lorraine (1590), and King Henry IV took Maria de Medici as his wife (1600). However, the first attempt at rapprochement did not produce much results, and this is confirmed by the marriage of Cosimo II and Mary Magdalene of Austria in 1608. However, the Medici still try to maintain neutrality and political balance - it is this desire that characterizes the reign of Cosimo II (who became a “double mediator” for the marriage of Louis XIII with Anne of Austria and the heir to the Spanish crown with Elizabeth of France) and Ferdinand II.
In Italy, the Medici want to maintain good relations with neighboring states, with whose ruling dynasties they have established family ties. They succeed only partially: local wars do not subside, which in the end should involve Italy in the Thirty Years' War. The Medici are trying to avoid this, and in 1535 Ferdinand II creates a league of Italian states to, if necessary, confront Spain or France. However, this attempt does not bring the desired results: under the influence of the Spaniards, family ties and for fear of destroying the relative balance established between the states of Italy, they repeatedly intervene in local conflicts (War of Succession in Mantua, 1613-14; War of Castro, 1642-44 ).
In the Mediterranean, the Medici were forced to intervene to protect their own trade with Spain and the countries of the East, as well as due to the increasingly frequent attacks on ships by Turkish pirates. In 1539, by order of Cosimo I, a military fleet and the military order of St. Etienne were created, which were developed during the time of Ferdinand I. Under him and under Cosimo II, the Turks were repeatedly defeated in the eastern Mediterranean.
It should be noted that by 1650, Medici efforts to organize and strengthen the Duchy of Tuscany began to weaken; in addition, many of the actions taken earlier were based not only and so much on the decisions of the dukes themselves, but arose under the influence of their environment.
The last Medici became hostages of the political situation and, which became more complicated in the second half of the 17th century. and led to the population leaving the countryside. The representatives of the once powerful family themselves became increasingly mediocre personalities, as can be seen in the example of Cosimo III (1639-1723), who was concerned primarily with court etiquette and entertainment. As a result, the role of the Grand Duke’s entourage is strengthened. Even under the Grand Duke Francesco (1541-1587), who was a stupid and frivolous ruler, the role of ministers increased. Then comes the period of grand duchesses and regents: at the beginning of the reign of Cosimo II (1590-1621), who became grand duke at the age of 19; Ferdinand II (1610-1670), who came to power at the age of 11. During his reign, the Grand Duke's brothers replace ministers and conduct the affairs of the state. During the time of Cosimo III and Giovanni Gastone (1671-1737), the role and influence of the church, which received many tax benefits and various kinds of favors from the authorities, significantly increased.
The accidental death without heirs of Giovanni Gastone, son of Cosimo III, in 1737 ended the Medici dynastic line. Francois of Lorraine came to power without any difficulties. There were no particular regrets about the end of a centuries-old lineage, since for a long time the Medici had rather held power than truly ruled the country.

During the early Middle Ages, the Medici had small plots of land in the Mugello Valley (along the Sieva River) near Florence. In the 12th and 13th centuries. several of their representatives moved to Florence, and by 1300 the Medici were part of the government and the guild of money changers. In the 14th century There were many Medici in Florence: in 1373, one of the representatives of the family lamented the fact that, as a result of the plague epidemic, only 50 adult men remained in the family. It is not surprising that there were noticeable differences in property between them: some prospered and moved into leading roles in the city, others were shopkeepers and artisans. However, even the wealthiest Medici, although they sometimes married members of the social and economic elite, did not rise in wealth or status to the level of famous banking and trading houses of the time, such as Bardi or Peruzzi. At the opposite end of the social ladder, there were criminals and bandits among the Medici. Thus, in 1343–1360, five Medici were sentenced to death for various crimes (from robbery to murder). This gave the entire family a bad reputation, which, of course, was not improved by the fact that its representatives often started litigation with each other.

This reputation and lack of unity did not allow the Medici family to play any significant role in the governance of Florence during this period. The only exception was Salvestro de' Medici (1331–1388). The fact that the Medici still belonged to the urban “outsiders” can be concluded from the fact that Salvestro, who was part of the successful elite of the older guilds, identified himself with the younger ones, such as the Ciompi (wool carders). His election as gonfalonier (head of the magistrate) in 1378, which was a victory for representatives of the lower classes, provoked the so-called. the “chompie uprising,” an attempt to ensure greater grassroots participation in governance. However, the movement was soon suppressed, and over the next three years the senior guilds regained their positions and Salvestro was forced into exile.

Distrust of the Medici family, only intensified as a result of Salvestro's actions, indirectly influenced the rise of that branch of the family, which subsequently gained European fame. Since the Medici were under suspicion of political unreliability and were prohibited from holding public office, they turned all their energies to entrepreneurship. The Medici, famous in history, are the descendants of Averardo de' Medici (nicknamed Bicci), a distant relative of Salvestro. In the second half of the 14th century. Averardo's business flourished, and under the leadership of his son Giovanni di Bicci (1360–1429), the family enterprise included banking operations, along with the production of silk and textiles, and had branches throughout Europe. In 1421 Giovanni was elected Gonfaloniere.

Medici - rulers of Florence.

Giovanni di Bicci had two sons - Cosimo (1389–1464) and Lorenzo (1394–1440); It was with Cosimo that the family's political career began. Of his two sons, Giovanni (1424–1463) was considered the more talented, but he died before his father. After Cosimo's death, Piero (1416–1469) became the head of the family, who, despite severe gout, showed unexpected energy in the fight against attempts to deprive the family of political weight. Of Piero's two sons, the younger, Giuliano (1453–1478), was killed as a result of the Pazzi conspiracy, and the elder, Lorenzo (1449–1492), nicknamed il Magnifico (Magnificent), retained the family's leading position in Florence. He can be considered the most brilliant of all the Medici.

Lorenzo's eldest son, Piero (1471–1503), succeeded him after his death, but with his arrogance he alienated most of the Florentine patriciate. When Italy was threatened by a French invasion, Piero sided with the enemies of France, and therefore, after French troops actually entered Italy in 1494, the entire Medici family had to flee Florence. Pierrot was declared a tyrant, and a reward was placed on his head.

The Medici regained their position in Florence mainly thanks to the political talents of Giovanni (1475–1521), the second son of Lorenzo. Lorenzo managed to make Giovanni a cardinal, and he, despite his youth, managed to gain the trust of Pope Julius II. In 1511, a conflict broke out between the Republic of Florence, on the one hand, and the Pope and the Spaniards, on the other. The struggle ended in the defeat and capitulation of Florence, and one of the conditions set by the victors, thanks to the influence of Giovanni (1512), was the return to the Medici city. Subsequently, Medici control over Florence strengthened, since in 1513, after the death of Julius II, Giovanni was elected pope under the name of Leo X.

When the Medici returned to Florence as its rulers, only four of Cosimo's descendants remained alive. Two of them belonged to the ecclesiastical rank - Pope Leo X and Cardinal Giulio (1478-1534), son of Giuliano, brother of Lorenzo the Magnificent (later to become Pope Clement VII). So all hopes for continuation of the family were pinned on the youngest son of Lorenzo the Magnificent Giuliano (1478–1516) and the only son of Lorenzo’s eldest son Piero, who also bore the name Lorenzo (1492–1512). Giuliano, Duke of Nemours, a sickly man who did not show any noticeable political ambitions or abilities, soon died (1516). Lorenzo, whom Leo X had already made Duke of Urbino, died unexpectedly in 1519, leaving his only daughter Catherine. The famous Medici tombs by Michelangelo were erected in memory of these two representatives of the family who died untimely.

The two remaining representatives of this branch of the Medici, Leo X and Cardinal Giulio, could not accept the idea that the descendants of Cosimo the Elder would not rule Florence. Therefore, they settled two young men, Ippolito and Alessandro, in the Medici palace and raised them as heirs of the family. Ippolito (1511–1535) is the illegitimate son of Giuliano, Duke of Nemours, while Alessandro (1510–1537) was declared the illegitimate son of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino. However, the assumption always seemed plausible that Alessandro, to whom Cardinal Giulio gave clear preference, was his illegitimate son. When he became Pope Clement VII, he made Hippolytus a cardinal against his will, thereby ending his hopes of coming to power in Florence.

When the last republican uprising in Florence failed, the city surrendered to the pope, after which Clement VII installed Alessandro in Florence as hereditary duke (1532) and abolished the previous constitution. This was made possible by the alliance of the pope with Emperor Charles V; Alessandro's marriage to Margaret, the illegitimate daughter of Charles V, sealed their union. Supported by the forces of the empire, Alessandro relied on brute force; cruel and vicious, he aroused universal hatred. But in 1537 he was killed by his own friend, who invariably participated in his disgusting antics, and by a distant relative, Lorenzino de' Medici, who may have considered himself a second Brutus, destined to free the city from the tyrant. (This story formed the basis of the drama Lorenzaccio(Lorenzaccio) Alfred Musset.)

Grand Dukes of Tuscany.

The most prominent citizens of Florence considered that after the death of Alessandro it was impossible to restore the republic, since this would make the emperor a sworn enemy of the city. Therefore, a representative of the younger branch of the Medici family, a descendant of Lorenzo, the younger brother of Cosimo the Elder, became Duke of Florence under the name Cosimo I (1519–1574). He founded a dynasty whose representatives ruled Tuscany as grand dukes back in the 18th century. and were married to almost all the august houses of Europe.

As during the Renaissance, the Medici court continued to be renowned as a center of art, science and learning. In 1574, Cosimo I was succeeded by his eldest son Francesco I (1541–1587). The new Grand Duke's interest in chemistry led to the founding of a porcelain manufacturing company. He also founded the Accademia della Crusca with the aim of purifying the Italian language and creating its grammar. Francesco's favorite artist was Giambologna, who created some of his most famous sculptures for him. However, the Grand Duke owes his greatest fame to the scandal associated with his passion for the Venetian lady Bianca Capello, whom he married after the death of his first wife. Mary, one of Francesco's daughters, became Queen of France - as the wife of Henry IV. Francesco died in 1587 without leaving any sons, so his younger brother Cardinal Ferdinando (1549–1609) was forced to renounce his ecclesiastical title and become Grand Duke. Ferdinando was a brilliant administrator; he turned Livorno into a free port, which soon became one of the most important trading centers in the Mediterranean. Under his leadership, Tuscany achieved a significant level of economic development, and Ferdinando himself became one of the richest rulers in Europe.

Ferdinando's son Cosimo II (1590–1620) became most famous for the fact that, at his invitation, Galileo settled in Florence, where he was able to engage in science. The other Medici who ruled in Tuscany - Ferdinando II (1610-1670), Cosimo III (1642-1723) and Gian Gastone (1671-1737) - did not show themselves in any way.

The most powerful personality in the last generation of Medici was Anna Maria Ludovica (1667–1743), sister of Gian Gastone. She married the Elector of the Palatinate, but in 1716, after the death of her husband, she returned to Florence. When her brother died, Anna Maria Ludovica showed clear opposition to the agreement of the European powers, according to which Tuscany was to come under the rule of the Dukes of Lorraine and the Habsburgs. She dedicated herself to completing the colossal mausoleum of the Medici Grand Dukes. By inheritance, all the art collections collected by the Medici over three centuries passed to her, and she left them in full to Tuscany - on the condition that no part of them could be taken out of Florence and that they should be open for inspection to representatives of all nations countries

Cosimo de' Medici (1389–1464).

Cosimo, nicknamed the Elder (Cosimo il Vecchio), was born in Florence on September 27, 1389. It was he who laid the foundation for the political power of the Medici in Florence. An intelligent and far-sighted entrepreneur, he very successfully expanded the banking house founded by his father. By the age of 40, Cosimo was already one of the richest people in Florence: he owned wool spinning factories, monopolized the production of tanning alum, which is indispensable in the textile industry, and conducted multifaceted commercial activities. The close interdependence that existed in Florence between politics and economics, between the taxes that a given individual had to pay and his position in the ruling group, forced Cosimo to become actively involved in politics. He became a member of the ruling oligarchy, but his enormous wealth aroused fears among one of the leaders of this oligarchy, Rinaldo degli Albizzi. In the 1420s, personal rivalry flared up between them. Cosimo opposed the war with Lucca, while Rinaldo was its supporter. And when the clash not only ended in failure, but also involved Florence in a war with Milan, Rinaldo insisted on the expulsion of Cosimo and his family.

The exile lasted one year. In 1434 Cosimo's friends won a majority in the government, and the Medici were invited back, while the Albizzi and their followers went into exile. From 1434 until his death in 1464, Cosimo managed to exert a strong influence on almost all spheres of life in Florence; to his successors he left a firmly entrenched position of political leadership. This was achieved by a variety of means.

Achieving supremacy.

Cosimo's first goal was to maintain the unity of his party in order to avoid the hostility that led to the overthrow of Rinaldo. For this reason, Cosimo did not outwardly emphasize his leading role, but remained, as it were, an ordinary citizen. His friends and supporters occupied the highest places in city government no more than himself. Cosimo became a Gonfaloniere only three times, each time for two months: other Florentine patricians were in the public eye much more often. However, Cosimo was a member of the commission in charge of public debts, a position that allowed him to provide financial benefits to his supporters. Banking also made it possible to cement political alliances with money. In addition, Cosimo married his sons and grandsons to noble Florentine women.

The vigorous activity of the Medici Bank, which had branches in major European cities, gave Cosimo access to unique information regarding events in the political life of other countries, which made him an invaluable consultant on international affairs. Cosimo influenced the foreign policy of Florence during the great crisis that erupted in northern Italy after the death in 1447 of Filippo Maria Visconti, the last ruler of Milan from this family. He pushed Florence to support Francesco Sforza in his claim to the Visconti legacy - despite the opposition of Venice. This marked a turn in the policy of Florence, since Venice was its traditional ally, and Milan its traditional enemy. In the ensuing war, Florence thus found itself alongside Milan against Venice and Naples. But when peace was concluded in Lodi in 1454 and Sforza’s opponents were forced to recognize the legitimacy of his rule, the benefits went mainly to Florence and Cosimo. The authority of Florence in Italy increased thanks to the alliance with Milan, and the Sforzas considered the initiator of this alliance, Cosimo, their close friend. He became an intermediary through whom the Sforzas negotiated with Florence, and soon the heads of other states began to follow their example. Thanks to such close connections with foreign rulers, Cosimo became an indispensable person in the Florentine government. He had a good understanding of when to capture people's imagination and when to show decisiveness and ruthlessness. However, his favorite methods, both in domestic and foreign policy, were negotiation and persuasion.

Although all the commanding heights in Florence were monopolized by Medici supporters led by the leader Cosimo, he was well aware of how unreliable such an oligarchic regime could prove to be if the citizens were dissatisfied. Therefore, Cosimo took every possible care to increase the splendor of the city, and began extensive construction. He contributed to the completion of public buildings begun by the government or the guilds, and with his own money he commissioned Michelozzo to build the enormous Medici palace, which still stands on the Via Larga. He erected or renovated many church buildings: the monastery of St. Mark, the dormitory of the monastery of Santa Croce, the church of San Lorenzo in Florence and in Badia near Fiesole, where he had a villa. The Medici coat of arms appeared on their facades - 5 red circles (or cores).

Cosimo loved spending time with the monks of the monastery of St. Mark or for the books that he collected and which formed the basis of the first public library since antiquity. Close friendship connected him with the humanists Leonardo Bruni and Poggio Bracciolini; He was especially proud that through his efforts the young Marsilio Ficino gained financial independence, which allowed him to begin translating Plato from Greek into Latin. The inscription Pater Patriae (Father of the Fatherland), emblazoned on Cosimo’s tomb (he died in Carreggi near Florence on August 1, 1464), is an expression of the gratitude of the citizens that he gained during his lifetime.

Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449–1492).

Lorenzo, grandson of Cosimo, was born in Florence on January 1, 1449. The nickname “Magnificent” refers both to his merits as a patron of the arts and poet, and as a statesman. When his father Piero died in 1469, Lorenzo was only 20 years old. Nevertheless, it was he, together with his younger brother Giuliano, who had the task of defending the conquests of the Medici. Lorenzo began to be initiated into the intricacies of the internal politics of Florence during Piero’s lifetime, and during a number of diplomatic missions to foreign courts he became acquainted with the basic principles of foreign policy. However, it would have been difficult for Lorenzo and his brother to maintain the positions held by their father and grandfather if the wealthy townspeople who supported the Medici regime during the time of Cosimo and Piero had not believed that their interests would be best protected only if the Medici remained in the role of recognized leader of the state.

Everyone expected that the two brothers would become just a facade, under the cover of which patricians from among the Medici supporters would determine and control the course of political life. Although Lorenzo took an active part in the decision-making of the ruling elite from the very beginning, it was several years before his nominal leadership became a reality, and this happened only after the events associated with the Pazzi conspiracy (1478).

The reason for the conspiracy was dissatisfaction with the leading role of the Medici party among some wealthy Florentines who did not belong to it. The Pazzi family, which was not inferior in wealth to the Medici, but came from a more ancient and noble family, was especially indignant. They intrigued against the Medici at the papal court, as a result of which Pope Sixtus IV transferred very significant curia funds from the Medici bank to the Pazzi bank. Lorenzo, for his part, used his influence in Florence to prevent the Pazzi from receiving a significant inheritance. The Pope's nephew Girolamo Riario also shared hostility towards the Medici, who saw them as an obstacle to his plans to establish himself here as a ruler. The conspirators planned to kill both Medici brothers right in the cathedral, during mass. Giuliano was killed, and Lorenzo jumped over the railing of the choir and disappeared into the sacristy. The Pazzi tried to arouse the indignation of the Florentines by calling for the restoration of republican freedoms, but they only incurred wrath by the murder of Giuliano, beloved by the people.

Foreign policy.

Although Lorenzo had the upper hand, he became embroiled in serious external complications. Girolamo Riario and the pope were aware of the Pazzi's attempt to overthrow the Medici, and their troops approached Florence to support the conspirators. A war ensued between Florence and the pope, during which the king of Naples Ferdinand I came to the aid of the pope. The pope and Ferdinand convinced the Florentines that they were not fighting with them, but only with Lorenzo. The citizens of Florence remained loyal to the Medici, but militarily the pope and Naples were far superior to them. Over the course of two years of war, the enemies advanced far into Florentine territory, and the city found itself economically depleted. It was then, in 1480, that Lorenzo undertook the famous trip to Naples to make peace with Ferdinand, which modern chroniclers, and subsequently historians, described as a complete surprise for the king. In fact, the trip was carefully prepared during diplomatic negotiations, although a certain amount of risk still remained; Lorenzo's charm and intelligence played an important role in achieving peace with Ferdinand. Left without a Neapolitan ally, the pope was forced to make peace that same year.

In the last 12 years of his life, Lorenzo's successes became increasingly significant. In foreign policy, he was most concerned about preserving peace. However, Lorenzo did not hesitate at all when - at the right moment and without special costs - it was possible to increase the territory of Florence with the help of military force. He could not avoid participating in wars in which the major powers of the Apennine Peninsula were involved. In 1482 it was a struggle for Ferrara, and in 1485 - a conflict between the pope and Naples, in which Florence took the side of Naples. After 1480, Lorenzo's foreign policy was based on an alliance with Naples and Milan. However, while maintaining good relations with the pope, Lorenzo managed to maintain close relations also with the alliance of the papal throne and Venice, which opposed Naples and Milan. Perhaps Lorenzo did not pursue a conscious policy of balance of power; but the fact that he turned out to be a decisive figure in both one and the other alliance allowed him to constantly influence the situation in order to restore peace in Italy.

Positions in Florence.

Lorenzo used the popularity he gained after the Pazzi conspiracy, as well as the successful outcome of the ensuing war, to strengthen the position of his party in Florence. Thus, through his efforts, the Council of Seventy was established, composed of the closest supporters of the Medici. The council formed the government and formed two executive committees - for foreign policy and for finance. Although the previous councils continued to exist, the need for approval of all political activities by the Council of Seventy made it the axis around which the entire system of government revolved. Lorenzo probably also thought about further measures to strengthen the rule of the Medici. He planned to turn the post of gonfaloniere, which was alternately filled by the heads of the guilds for two months, into a lifelong position for himself, but he died before the corresponding amendments to the constitution were made.

Contemporaries often wondered: who is greater - Lorenzo or his grandfather Cosimo? Cosimo was more circumspect and probably wiser, but Lorenzo had a brighter mind and personal attractiveness. The traditions laid down by his grandfather shaped the position that Lorenzo occupied and determined the direction of his policies. As in the case of Cosimo, the main guarantee of Lorenzo's indispensability in the life of Florence was his unsurpassed sophistication in foreign policy. Lorenzo's wife came from the Orsini family; he married his eldest son Piero to a representative of the same princely family, and married one of his daughters to Francesco Cibo, nephew of Pope Innocent VIII. These connections elevated the Medici above the Florentine patriciate, making them one of the ruling families in Italy. The consecration of Lorenzo's second son Giovanni (later elected pope under the name Leo X), who was only 14 years old, as a cardinal in 1489, indicated the promotion of the Medici to the level of European princes.

To strengthen his power, Lorenzo, to a much lesser extent than Cosimo, could rely on seemingly inexhaustible financial resources. Lorenzo had very little entrepreneurial ability. Under him, the Medici Bank suffered huge losses, so its importance decreased significantly. This happened both because of the mistakes of managers and because of the rise in business activity in France, England and Germany, which ended the monopoly of Italian bankers and merchants. The Medici Bank was forced to make risky investments, such as lending money to princes. It is also true that Lorenzo (as his contemporaries assumed) used public funds to support his own business. By creating the Council of Seventy, Lorenzo achieved what was an absolute necessity for him: complete dominance in state affairs and the elimination of all unreliable elements from the government apparatus.

Patron of science and art.

However, Lorenzo's construction program was not as extensive as that of his grandfather Cosimo. Perhaps he was stopped by financial difficulties. Lorenzo was commissioned only a few works by the great contemporary artists. Nevertheless, he was a passionate lover of painting: he enjoyed the company of artists, discussed their plans with them and gave advice to fellow citizens and rulers of other states on which artist to place an order for. Lorenzo collected gems and manuscripts; he preserved for posterity some of the most valuable texts of the Greek tragedians, Homer, Thucydides and Polybius. He made friends with the most prominent humanists and writers of his time. The humanist Poliziano and the poet Luigi Pulci lived in his house as friends and mentors to his sons. He showed affection to the philosopher Marsilio Ficino and the composer Francesco Landino, and was a friend of Pico della Mirandola.

Such relationships were based on common interests and genuine mutual understanding, since Lorenzo himself was a writer and poet. Although his work shows traces of the influence of Dante and Petrarch, his poetic descriptions of the landscapes of Florence and its classical myths, his glorification of love and pleasure, have a personal touch. Lorenzo will forever retain his place as a minor classic of Italian literature. Poets and humanists of the time thanked Lorenzo for his support, singing him in poems and dedications, and thereby spreading his fame throughout Italy and Europe. They portrayed him as a philosopher on the throne, the embodiment of the ideal of the Italian Renaissance. Lorenzo died in Carreggi near Florence on April 9, 1492.

Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1519–1574).

Cosimo I is the first Grand Duke and a prominent Italian sovereign of the 16th century. The great-great-grandson of Lorenzo the Elder, the younger brother of Cosimo the Elder, Cosimo was born in Florence on June 12, 1519. Thanks to his mother Maria Salviati, granddaughter of Lorenzo the Magnificent, Cosimo I was also closely associated with the senior branch of the Medici family. After Duke Alessandro was killed in 1537, Cosimo had more rights than anyone else to inherit power over Florence. Since he was not yet 18 years old, the Florentine patricians saw in his candidacy the additional advantage that he could be easily controlled. But once the patrician-dominated Council of Forty-Eight confirmed him in office, Cosimo forged close ties with the ambassador of Emperor Charles V. With the support of imperial troops stationed in Italy, Cosimo quickly abolished the Council of Forty-Eight and ended the influence of the patricians. The attack on the rights of the patriciate was immediately followed by an attempt at revenge, led by political exiles and prominent patricians. In 1537, at the Battle of Montemurlo near Florence, they were defeated, and their leaders were captured, many of them were executed.

In international affairs, Cosimo steadfastly adhered to the alliance with the emperor and benefited greatly from the success of the imperial forces in driving the French out of Italy. His most important acquisition was Siena, which he captured in 1555: he now brought almost all of Tuscany under his rule. In 1569, Cosimo’s strengthened position also found external expression - his title changed: the pope made Cosimo Grand Duke of Tuscany (before that he was Duke of Florence), which was soon recognized by other powers.

Cosimo's reign was characterized by many features typical of all European absolutism. His power was based on a powerful and disciplined mercenary army. Cosimo's taxes were high, but he imposed strict order, severely punished criminals and supported the development of new industries, such as tapestry making, which flourished in Florence until the 18th century.

Despite the fact that Cosimo differed from the representatives of the older branch of the Medici in cruelty and formalism, he largely followed the traditional policy of the family, supporting literature and art. During his reign, significant works in the poetic and historical genres were created in Florence. Cosimo decorated the city on the Arno with several of the most famous monuments: during his time the Santa Trinita bridge was built and the construction of the Pitti Palace was completed, in which he himself lived and which remained the residence of the rulers of Tuscany until the end of the grand duchy.

Literature:

Rolova A.D. Personal involvement of the Tuscan Grand Dukes in business life. – In the book: Medieval city, vol. 8. Saratov, 1987
Rolova A.D. The emergence of the Medici lordship and the culture of the Renaissance. – In the book: Culture and society of Italy on the eve of modern times. M., 1993
Experience of millennia. Middle Ages and Renaissance: life, morals, ideals. M., 1996

One of the greatest and aristocratic families of Italy came from the bottom. Back in the 12th century. they are completely unknown. And from the middle of the 13th century. They are already giving money in growth. But only from the middle of the 14th century, having already become related to Rucellai and Donati, a certain Giovani Bicci - “gonfaloniere” (standard bearer), representative of the largest guild of Calimala and at the same time the owner of a bank in Rome, entered the history of the city as the judge who awarded the great Ghiberti an order for the Baptistery Gates, famous today throughout the world. Thus began their relationship with Florence, which led it to the Renaissance, and the House of Medici to great glory. It was patronage of the arts that made the Medici great... Bicci’s son, Cosimo, nicknamed “The Elder,” with the help of the architect Michelozzo, builds the best palace in Europe. But Florence is a Republic, where the worst sin is to stand out. The family of Rinaldo Albizzi, the leader of the oligarchs, first puts him in prison at the Palazzo Vecchio (in the hope of poisoning him there), and then expels him from the city. The fate of the customer is shared by both Michelozzo, loyal to the owner, and Donatello... But a year later, in 1434, Cosimo returns, and 80 of his enemies leave Florence forever. Lev Gumilyov would probably consider that this family had a high passionarity...

Luck accompanies Cosimo in trade matters: he receives spices from the East; in his hands are banks in Rome, Venice, Naples, Pisa, Milan, Geneva, Lyon, Avignon, Bruges and even distant London. He gives money to kings, builds the monastery of St. Mark, the church of San Lorenzo, begun by his father, who invited the already great Brunelleschi. Cosimo, who has not received a courtly education, nevertheless talks in the garden with Donatello and invites him to paint the house chapel of the wonderful artist Benozzo Gozzoli. And Gozzoli covers its walls not only with the story of the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem, under whom the participants of the “conciliatory” Council held in Florence in 1439 were made up. Gozzoli fills the small chapel, in fact, with portraits of not only members of the Medici clan, but also the most eminent participants of the Council. An invaluable historical document... Against this background, it is not even so important that the reconciliation of the Catholic and Orthodox movements did not take place...

His, Cosimo’s, hand leads into the painting of Fra Angelico, whom Nikolai Gumilyov, and several centuries earlier, Paolo Uccello, would later admire to the point of unconsciousness. And Filippo Lippi’s tight banker’s wallet and close connections with the pope are “bought out” from the monks along with his future wife, who also inadvertently became a nun (but oh-so-beautiful): “kings can do anything...”

But if Cosimo was the founder, then his grandson, Lorenzo, nicknamed by his contemporaries the Magnificent, was the brightest stone in the Tuscan crown of this amazing family... It was he who created a court that had never been seen in Europe, where sophistication, worship of art and intoxication with the joys of life revived ancient Greece... Today the whole world must bow to the man who raised two young men in his gardens: Michelangelo and Leonardo and sent the latter with a gift (or... “as a gift”) to the court of the Milanese Duke Sforza (the famous Lodovico il Moro), where his fate was destined to write “The Last Supper”... And the subtle spirituality of Botticelli’s paintings? The famous Venus with the feverish blush of Giuliano Medici's consumptive mistress, the beautiful Simonetta... By the way, Simonetta belonged to the Vespucci family, to whom, after some time, we will owe (in the person of Amerigo Vespucci) the discovery of the penultimate continent... And the portraits of Bronzino? The calm majesty of Lucrezia Panciatica, bordering on the absolute... The beautiful face of a spiritual and mature woman. This was the Renaissance, which put Man and Humanism at the head of the universe... This was the Medici religion. Their god... They created not only a new concept of the Court, but a new style of life, a new attitude towards His Majesty Art, a new worldview - unusual among the rude morals of the then Europe...

True, by the end of his, Lorenzo’s, reign, the number of family banks decreased, and the monk Savonarola, warmed by Lorenzo, who by that time had become the abbot of the Medici-built monastery of San Marco and possessed a bewitching charisma, called on the Florentines to expel the “tyrant-epicureans” from the city, plunging him into for four whole years (1494-1498) into the darkness of the Middle Ages with bonfires of books and beautiful paintings. And during a continuous fast... Savonarola’s influence on the spirit of people was so great that Botticelli himself once brought his paintings to the bonfire that was blazing in the square. And he burned himself... However, when the stern monk, in his asceticism, swung at the pope himself, he, half strangled (so as not to speak at the stake), was burned in the Piazza Signoria (May 23, 1498). A memorial copper circle can still be seen at this place today.

And expelled from the city, not without the help of the Frenchman Charles VIII (who surprisingly quickly conquered Italy and just as quickly lost control over it), the son of Lorenzo, Piero de Medici, received the nickname Loser for this... The Florentines immediately established their favorite brainchild - a republic, which existed, however , only two years.

The Third Republic was formed after the capture of Rome by the troops of Emperor Charles V (no longer a Frenchman, but a German, a Tadesca, as the Italians say) and lasted three years, until August 12, 1530, when, after an eleven-month siege, the troops of the emperor and the pope entered the city (both By this time they had successfully reconciled in Bologna). Young Alessandro, the son of Pope Clement VII, was again placed on the throne...

The dynasty was interrupted by the bloody and absolutely aimless (as criminologists would say, “unmotivated”) intra-family murder of Alessandro, committed by his “friend” and cousin, Lorenciatto (1537). A mysterious, dark page of the dynasty: Lorenciatto himself was a bright personality, he wrote poems and poems, painted, and was witty. But here you go, off to the bloody scene. At the same time, he carefully prepared for the murder for more than a year and even hired, for loyalty, without relying on his own hand (Alessandro was young and strong), a professional “bravo” - Scoroncollo. What was it? Perhaps jealousy of fate, perhaps something else, absolutely Freudian and incomprehensible: there was no point in the murder - Lorenchatto did not lay claim to either the throne or wealth... Due to the snow that fell the night before the crime, the killers fled to Venice... Branch from Giovanni Bicci broke off...

By the way, it was Alessandro who made the most successful of the Medici parties, marrying the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor of the German nation, Charles V, who returned the city and power to him... He also laid the foundation for another political tradition and line, marrying his half-sister Catherine to the future French king Henry II. The wedding took place on October 28, 1533 in Marseille. After the death of her husband, Catherine de' Medici became Queen of France! Her son, half Florentine, became Henry III. The king's successor, Henry of Navarre, who began the Bourbon era, also allowed himself to be carried away by the Florentines, and in 1600, in the ancient Lyon Cathedral, Saint-Jacques married Marie de' Medici. From their marriage was born Louis XIII, the same one who “warmed up” Cardinal Richelieu and gave Dumas the opportunity to write “The Three Musketeers”... And it all began in Florence... And no matter how the French resist, at the origins of their history, and even St. Bartholomew’s Night, stand Medici...

Historians like to write that the murder of Alessandro was the second attempt on the lords of Florence that ended in death. They are right: the first took place during the time of Lorenzo the Magnificent, who ruled together with his brother Giuliano. On April 26, 1478, during Easter Mass, in the main cathedral, the Pazzi banker family, famous for the fact that its founder brought a sliver from the cross of Jesus from the First Crusade, in conspiracy with Archbishop Riario Salviati (and not without the approval of the then reigning pope Sixta IV) attacked the brothers walking along the central nave. With flashing daggers, Giuliano was stabbed to death on the spot, Lorenzo’s friends pushed him against the wall, and he escaped... Immediately after this, a crowd of townspeople who adored the Medici simply tore the attackers to pieces. Those who escaped from the church were found and hanged in Piazza della Signoria; and within three days the entire Pazzi clan, including even the children, was exterminated (the townspeople even wanted to throw the bones of their ancestors out of the coffins). Archbishop Salviati saved himself by asking for shelter in the house of Lorenzo himself, which was allowed... “Bless your enemies who beat you...” After serving a little in prison, at night, fearing mob lynching, he left for Rome, under the wing of the pope...

After the tragic death of Alessandro, he had to remember the side branch of the Medici. Strong-willed and insanely energetic at the age of 19, Cosimo I (son of condottiere Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, the same one who sits today in the pose of a Rodin thinker, to the delight of local pigeons, in the square in front of San Lorenzo) founded a dynasty that ruled for 200 years. He built the Uffizi, turned the Palazzo Vecchio into a brilliant family palace, bought and remodeled the Palazzo Pitti, created (or rather, recreated) a navy in Pisa, and renovated the university. He is the founder of the Tuscan state, the conqueror of Siena and Lucca, who received from the emperor, with the blessing of the pope, the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany. Just before his death, he invites Vincenzo Galilei and his little son Galileo to Florence... Here is an explanation of why the ashes of the great professor from Pisa rest in the Church of Santa Croce... It was Cosimo I who became the absolute ruler of not only Florence, but all of Tuscany, having annexed the chief in 1555 enemy - Siena and finally receiving from the hands of Pope Pius V the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany... Now the Medici were equal to the legendary medieval owner of all Tuscany and Lombardy - the Great Margravine Matilda.

In full bloom, Cosimo marries Eleanor of Toledo, who brought to Florence not only a whole detachment of Spaniards, but also Spanish morals... He did not forget his “benefactor” - Lorenchatto. After two years of surveillance, he was killed in Venice, where he fled from the wrath and revenge of the family. It didn’t help... But the Bible says: “He who lifted up the sword...”

Cosimo's son, Francesco I, went down in history as the creator of the world's first museum. Under which he used the Uffizi (in Italian - Chancery) built by Vasari at the direction of the Pope. His second “merit” was a violent passion for an almost commoner - the Venetian Bianca Capello, which ended first with the “accidental” murder of her husband, then a love affair, then a wedding, then a fake child and, finally,

a dramatic attempt to eliminate the pretender to the throne, Francesco's brother, Cardinal Ferdinando. The drama unfolded during dinner at Villa Poggio a Caiano, 18 kilometers from Florence. The technology later used by Prince Yusupov to kill Rasputin, based on the production of poisoned cakes... Everything was thought through by a woman who was determined to secure the throne for her son at all costs. One thing I didn’t take into account was what to do if the guest simply doesn’t want dessert. That’s where I got caught: I had to set an example... The husband, who knew nothing about his wife’s intentions, began to eat the cakes too... Both died a few hours later in terrible agony. To Ferdinando’s credit, he not only did not touch Bianca’s son, but raised him as his own... True, having become the Grand Duke of Tuscany, he was forced to take off the cardinal’s robe from his shoulders: what can you do, you can’t sit on two chairs...

But not only secular power was concentrated in the hands of the Medici family. Two brothers - Giuliano and Lorenzo - gave the world two popes: Lorenzo's son Giovanni became Leo X, and Giuliano became Clement VII. The same pope who abdicated the throne of Florence in favor of his illegitimate son, Alessandro, surrendered Rome to Charles V in 1527, escaping in the Castle of St. Angel, and then in Bologna crowned his enemy, and subsequently a close friend, first as an Italian king, and then emperor (1530). These are the complicated twists of history... And both popes ruled almost one after another: Andrian VI, who was “squeezed in” between them, held the throne for only a year (1522-1523).

Medici women twice conquered the French Olympus, marrying only Henrys, and only even ones: Catherine - II, and Mary - IV (the same one who made the famous pun about Paris and mass...). Well, they liked even numbers, what can you do... As for the Coat of Arms with six peas, to this day its meaning is a mystery: either these are pills (after all, the Medici), or golden florins (bankers), or grains of wisdom... The Medici took them away her with you...

They didn't just rule Florence, they loved it. They created in it a special atmosphere of celebration and admiration for His Majesty Art. They accepted the Renaissance “conceived” by him from the hands of the great Brunelleschi and nurtured it. And today the spirit of Lorenzo the Magnificent hovers in the city of the white lily... Take a closer look at the frescoes of Ghirlandaio: here he stands with his left leg put forward; in a red cloak, black-haired, self-confident, with a piercing, intelligent gaze... And looks at the white lily - a symbol of the Annunciation, one of the greatest and defining moments of the Faith... The news of the coming to earth of the Savior and the new world... The white lily is a symbol of the Annunciation. Symbol of Florence...

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What needs to be done to keep the city intact and tourists happy?

The main idea of the association and my main concern today is to distribute the tourist masses to the nearest towns and expand the seasonality of tourism.

Why did you decide to save Florence? After all, they were born and raised in Milan...

Do you have experience in business management? What did your parents do?

It is known that Alessandro was very cruel. Under him, torture and executions were common...

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Are there places in Florence where you feel a special connection with your ancestors?

When I moved to Florence, I bought a historic villa here, it used to belong to the Medici family. But my wife took it away. Just kidding: I just decided that public life was more important to me than my personal life, and I got divorced, left my wife a villa, and she sold the mansion to some rich Russians. Now I work here in the Palazzo on Via Borgo Santi Apostoli, sharing premises with the school of economics, and living in an apartment opposite. But everywhere in Florence I feel comfortable. When I first brought my four-year-old son into the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery, I told him: “Son, this is your home!” Since then, we often visited there with him - we went to play, talk, admire the frescoes, as our ancestors did for several centuries.