Are you visiting Florence and interested in learning more about the famous House of Medici family?

Join me as I cover everything from the Medici family’s rise to power to their ongoing influence over Italy’s most artistic city.

Everything You Need to Know About the Medici Family and How They Shaped Florence

If you’re heading to Florence anytime soon, you’re bound to see architecture or artwork commissioned by the Medici family. But who were these famous Medicis that influenced Florence for several centuries? Well, you’re about to find out.

From feuds and exile to mass investment in cultural landmarks, you’re about to understand why the Medici family are such an enormous part of Florence’s rich history.

The Medicis came from agricultural roots around the Mugello Valley region before they emigrated to the then-obscure city of Florence in 1230. Well, at least that’s the date when they were first mentioned in official documentation.

It’s worth noting that the Medici family weren’t the only noble family in Florence, but I’ll get to that later. After moving to Florence, the family ingrained itself in Florentine politics.

While there isn’t much detailed information about their political involvement in the 13th century, the Medici family used their wealth to invest in Florence’s economy. Once they did this, they gained a strong foothold in the banking industry before helping to kick-start the Italian Renaissance by acting as patrons to many artists.

The true birth of the Medici dynasty came in 1360 when Giovanni di Bicci was born.

While he didn’t make much progress in Florence until later on (due to his age), Giovanni di Bicci was responsible for cementing the family’s banking legacy with the help of his uncle, Vieri de’ Medici. Using the family name, Giovanni worked through Florence’s existing banking industry until he became a respected junior partner.

Giovanni ran the Medici Bank for several years and carefully taught his son Cosimo the Elder to maintain the family’s wider influence in Florentine society. Cosimo was also an influential figure in Florence’s political scene and helped the Medici Bank maintain its cash flow throughout its life.

Not only did Cosimo maintain the family’s position as high-ranking citizens, but he used his shrewd business sense to expand the bank’s reach into Africa and greater Europe.

By stretching the Medici Bank to far-flung places, Cosimo turned the bank into the all-important papal bank. This allowed Cosimo to oversee the finances for the entire Roman Catholic Church, and by extension, Pope John XXIII himself.

This impressive political influence and papal link made the Medici family incredibly influential. It goes without saying that the family became financially secure.

But they could also pressure debtors with excommunication if they failed to pay up. As the church was a central pillar in Florentine society back in the medieval period, this was a hugely influential position to be in.

Cosimo the Elder and his presence in the Arts

While this might make Cosimo sound like a negative historical figure, he strongly believed in the importance of democracy and the presence of elected officials.

Cosimo was a central member of the Signoria (an elected body that managed the city’s affairs) and believed that any kind of war was extremely bad for trade. So, he established a mutual treaty with nearby Lombardy to end conflict and establish a solid base for cultural growth.

Because of this passion for culture, he also reinvested his wealth into Florence’s cultural sphere as a patron of the arts. He supported budding artists like Donatello, commissioning the famous Donatello sculpture of David as well as enlisting him to create the Old Sacristy in the Basilica San Lorenzo. He also helped fund the project to finish the Florence cathedral with Brunelleschi’s dome.

The Medici family’s line continued with Cosimo’s son, Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici, who became the de facto ruler of Florence when his father died in 1464. He didn’t live particularly long as he dealt with extremely poor health (likely gout, which explains his nickname of Piero il Gottoso).

While Piero may not have had much impact on Florence’s politics, his son Lorenzo de Medici certainly did. Lorenzo was groomed for power from an early age and was tutored by both the Gentile de’ Becchi and the humanist philosopher Marsilo Ficino.

While he was young, he also headed on several trips to Rome to meet the pope and other key political figures. When his father died in 1469, Lorenzo de Medici simultaneously led both the Republic of Florence and the family’s Medici Bank at just 20 years old.

During his time in power, Lorenzo developed strong links with artists like Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo Da Vinci. In fact, Michelangelo even lived with the Medici family for three years and Lorenzo is often credited for guiding the artist’s career in its early stages.

Shortly after rising to power, he also married Clarice Orisini (who belonged to a large, Roman noble family). As the Medici’s dominance over Florentine life and politics continued to grow, rival families began to feel rather put out.

Their most notable rivals were the Pazzi family, who fronted a conspiracy group with Pope Sixtus IV to attack Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

They failed to take control of the government and the Pazzi’s assets were confiscated. However, Giuliano was killed and the conspiracy started a two-year war with the papacy that caused serious issues for Florence.

After the attack, Lorenzo managed to maintain good relations with the Ottoman empire and major trading partners. But a series of bad loans led to the eventual collapse of the Medici Bank. This understandably left the family in a precarious position.

The Medici family remained relatively untouchable until Piero the Unfortunate took power. Piero had a short-lived reign between 1492 and 1494, which was cut short by his decision to sacrifice an old French alliance for a new one with Naples.

The French king decided to invade Tuscany and Piero rushed to obtain a quick (but disastrous) agreement to end the conflict. The Florentine people weren’t best pleased with the arrangement and revolted against the Medici family. When they ransacked the Medici Palace, Piero and the family were forced to flee.

The Medici situation might have seemed hopeless at this stage. But luckily, Lorenzo’s second son Giovanni became Pope Leo X and retook Florence in 1512.

During the family’s exile, Giovanni rebuilt his political connections and had a strong connection with the Spanish. Once the French armies were defeated in Italy by Spanish fighters, the Medici family were able to take the throne in Florence once more.

Pope Leo X was largely responsible for the reformation of the Catholic Church, and sold many indulgences to fund renovations of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This was understandably controversial, and cardinals even attempted to poison him in 1517.

The pope’s actions led to Martin Luther posting his 95 Theses which condemned these supposed “abuses” of the church. This is often seen as the main seed for the period of change in Europe known as the Reformation.

Pope Leo X never forgot about his Florentine family, helping to advance other members in his position as pope.

After Leo X died, Pope Clement VII (AKA: Giulio de’ Medici) became the head of the Catholic Church. During his papacy, he asked Michelangelo to paint The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, and also sent a letter of excommunication to Henry VIII forbidding him to remarry.

Giulio’s obsession with Europe’s political sphere and his alignment with the League of Cognac meant that he couldn’t adequately face the rising challenge of the Lutheran reformation movement. Plus, when Charles V of Spain triumphed over the French at Pavia, his forces besieged Italy in the Sack of Rome in 1527.

Rome was poorly defended and Clement was forced to surrender in June and cede to Charles. This point marked the official end of the Italian Renaissance.

Catherine de Medici was Piero the Unfortunate’s granddaughter, but she’s better known for being the queen consort to Henry II of France. She was an extremely influential part of political life in France and kept much of the monarchy and state institutions functional during her husband’s rule.

After her husband died, her son Charles was in line to inherit the French throne. He was very young however and so needed a regent to rule with him until he came of age. Catherine hatched a cunning plan to be appointed regent herself.

She summoned the rival Guise family and the House of Bourbon, who were the main candidates for the regency position. When they arrived, she accused Antoine de Bourbon of treason. Antoine’s brother had already been sentenced to death for the same crime, so he naturally ceded the regency to Catherine.