Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent (vol. 1 of 2)

THE period succeeding Petrarca and Boccaccio gave indications that the spirit of poetry was extinguished for some time to come. After Boccaccio’s death, his would-be rival, Fran...

DURING the two centuries that laid the foundation of the power of the Medici the city of Florence had reached the size which it has retained to our day, and presented much the s...

COSIMO DE’ MEDICI was a man of mature age when his father died. Born on September 27, 1389, the day of the saints Cosmo and Damian, he was christened after the former; and a Flo...

THE time at which Cosimo de’ Medici attained to a position in his native town, such as a citizen had never yet held, promised neither rest nor peace to Italy.

LIKE every unsuccessful conspiracy, this also contributed to strengthen the power of those whom it was intended to ruin. In the proclamations of the Republic to foreign powers i...

AS the year 1478 approached, suspense became intense, in consequence of the events already described, and a political entanglement of some kind became more and more probable. No...

ON the evening of December 10 two Neapolitan galleys arrived at the little port of Vada, not far from the mouth of the Cecina in the Pisan Maremma, having on board Gian Tommaso...

AFTER the Colleonic war the Republic had peace for a time. For though she took an auxiliary part in the contest for Rimini, which broke out in 1469, her affairs were little infl...

THE house of Medici seemed to be blind to the gravity of the situation, to judge by their outward behaviour. The days were passed when an experienced man like Cosimo weighed eve...

THE large sums which were continually expended by the Government as well as the citizens of Florence, from the middle of the thirteenth century, for public objects—such as the e...

IN the speech which he addressed to the people after the murder of his brother, Lorenzo alluded to the danger then threatening the Republic from foreign enemies. His anxiety was...

THE sanguinary conflict of Campaldino was fought, in 1289, in the plain on the Arno which is overlooked by Poppi, the principal place in the Tuscan valley of the Casentino, wher...

LORENZO DE’ MEDICI grew up. He was seventeen years old when his father sent him to Pisa to welcome Don Federigo of Aragon, King Ferrante’s younger son, who set out from Naples,...

AT the entrance of the Via Larga in Florence there rises to view, at the corner of one of the cross streets leading to the church of San Lorenzo, one of the most magnificent pal...

NEXT to Poggio Bracciolini, Leonardo Bruni and Ambrogio Traversari were those who did most effective service to the knowledge of classic antiquity. Leonardo Bruni[339] was desce...

WHEN the Florentines saw that war was inevitable, they appointed, on June 13, the magistracy usual in such cases, the Ten of War, among whom, beside Lorenzo de’ Medici, were Tom...

THE moment for decision had arrived. It was acknowledged in Florence that matters must come to a crisis one way or the other. A considerable part of the territory was in the ene...

PHILIPPE DE COMMINES returned to Florence after a short, and, as we must suppose, fruitless residence in Rome. That he returned thither on July 25 is seen from a letter to the M...

WHILE these things were going on at home, the exigencies of war for many years made serious demands on the State and its resources, and more than once the contest was carried in...

LEARNED studies were at their height in Florence when Pope Eugenius IV. arrived on June 23, 1434, and soon afterwards saw his court assembled around him. It was, as we have said...

POPE SIXTUS IV. was disposed most favourably towards the Medici at the beginning of his reign. We have heard in Lorenzo’s own words how well he was received in Rome in 1471. The...

DURING the first half of the fifteenth century the great revolution was accomplished which introduced a new era. The antique classical world entered the lists against the Middle...

AS the year 1464 approached, Cosimo de’ Medici’s life drew to a close. He had long suffered from gout, which now became more violent, and attacked more sensitive parts. Often he...

DURING these events, which, however, promised no quiet time, the inhabitants of Florence had lived for long years as merrily as if their state and all Italy were secured against...

AT the death of Cosimo de’ Medici, his descendants, besides his natural son Carlo, who once more entered the ecclesiastical order, consisted of Piero, surnamed the Gouty (_il Go...

‘ON the second day after my father’s death,’ so we read in Lorenzo de’ Medici’s memoirs, ‘the most distinguished men of the State and of the ruling party came to our house to ex...

WE must now return to the events belonging to the summer of 1471. A fortnight after the death of Pope Paul II. the Cardinal of S. Pietro in Vincoli was chosen as his successor....

WHILE such a busy life was developed under the influence and continual encouragement of Cosimo de’ Medici, the two great collections had originated through him which at that tim...

Situation and Origin of Florence—Roman Times and the Early Part of the Middle Ages—Florence before and in the Time of Dante—Architecture in the Thirteenth Century—Towers—Rubacon...

Meeting of Lorenzo de’ Medici with Federigo d’Aragona, younger Son of King Ferrante of Naples—Florence in relation to the Aragonese and to Sforza—Lorenzo in Upper Italy—The Pulc...

Lorenzo’s Arrival in Naples—Lorenzo and King Ferrante—Impression produced in Florence by his Decision and the Variety of Opinions—Uncertainty in Florence and in the Romagna—Sixt...

Origin and Arms of the Medici—Public Affairs in the First Half of the Fourteenth Century—Mistakes at Home and Misfortunes Abroad—The Duke of Athens—Party Politics—Guelf Magistra...

Pope Eugene in Florence—Political Positions on Cosimo’s return Home—Antecedents of the Medici Party—Lucca Pitti—Neri Capponi—The Acciaiuoli—Agnolo and Donate Acciaiuoli—Diotisal...

Cosimo de’ Medici in his Youth—Countess of Bardi and her Family—The Medici and Pope John XXIII.—Death of John XXIII. in Florence—Public Acts of Cosimo de’ Medici—The Position of...

The House of Medici—Original Dwelling-places—The first Appearance of the Medici—Commencement of the Florentine Community—The Community and the Imperial Power—Ghibellines and Gue...

State of Affairs at Home and Abroad—Lorenzo de’ Medici and the Pazzi—Causes of Enmity—Attitude of Sixtus IV. and Girolamo Riario towards the Medici—The Plot against the Medici—G...

The Medici after the Neroni Conspiracy—King Ferrante to Lorenzo—Louis XI. of France and the Medici—The Florentine Exiles and Venice—The Relations of Venice with Florence—Bartolo...

Allies and Opponents of the Florentines—The Duke of Urbino on Lorenzo de’ Medici and the Political Situation of Milan and Venice—Florentine Preparations—The Papal and Neapolitan...

War with Milan and Naples—Filippo Maria Visconti and Alfonso of Naples—End of the Visconti—Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan—Relations of Sforza with Florence and Cosimo de’ Medic...

The Italian Language and Literature at the Beginning of the Fifteenth Century—Fra Giovanni de’ Medici’s Book on Domestic Life—Leon Batista Alberti and the Vulgar Tongue—Poetical...

Cheerful Life in Florence—Tournament of Giuliano de’ Medici—Death of Galeazzo Maria Sforza—Exertions of Florence on behalf of the Duchess Bona—Roberto da Sanseverino—Parties in...

Philip de Commines on the Condition of Florence—His Second Residence in Florence and Milan—Louis XI. and Italian Affairs—French Embassy to Rome—The Envoys and Sixtus IV.—The Pop...

Feelings of Sixtus IV. towards the Medici—Plan for obtaining the Cardinalate for Giuliano—Cardinal Pietro Riario, Archbishop of Florence—Eleanor of Aragon Este in Florence—Arriv...

Splendour of the Medici Family—Their Position at Home and their Connections Abroad—The Royal Family of Naples—Ippolita Maria, Duchess of Calabria—The Queen of Bosnia—Luigi Pulci...

Dangerous Position and Measures of Precaution—Donato Acciaiuoli in Rome—The Florentines and the Papacy—Demands of Sixtus IV.—Florentines in the Castle of St. Angelo—Cardinal Ria...

The great Guilds and their Position—Guild of Woollen-weavers (Arte della Lana)—Guild of Cloth Merchants (Catimala)—Guild of Silk-weavers (Arte della Seta)—Guild of Money-changer...

Leonardo Bruni Aretino—Ambrogio Traversari—The Camaldula Convent of the Angeli—Niccolò Niccoli—Niccoli’s Collection of Books—Carlo Marsuppini Aretino—Beginning of the Translatio...

Battle near Rimini—Robert Malatesta—Finances of Florence—Purchase of Sarzano—Gay Life amid Financial Difficulties—Position and Life of Lorenzo de’ Medici—Lucrezia Donati—Lorenzo...

Pope Eugene IV. and the Papal Court in Florence—The Greeks in Florence—Gemisto’s Plethon—Origin of the Platonic Academy—Youth of Marsilio Ficino—John Argyropulos—Philosophical S...

Cosimo in Advanced Age—Death of his Brother Lorenzo—His sons Piero and Giovanni—Piero’s Marriage to Lucrezia Tornabuoni—Death of Giovanni—Piero’s Children—Cosimo’s Manner of Lif...

Nature and Form of the Medici Rule—The Heads of the Medici Party after Piero’s death—Tommaso Soderini—Council in St. Antonio—Accession of the Sons of Piero de’ Medici to the Pos...

Contrast between Mediæval Culture and Humanism—Character and Significance of Humanism—Florentine Education—Lapo da Castiglionichio and Luigi Marsigli—The University—Greek Studie...

Accession of Sixtus IV. to the Papal Chair—Congratulatory Embassy from Florence—Lorenzo accompanies it—Disposition of the new Pope—Attempted Insurrection in Prato—Bernardo Nardi...

Unfavourable Condition of Florence—Lorenzo’s Position—King Louis XI. and Italian Intrigues—Negotiations between King and Pope—Necessity, for Lorenzo, of an Agreement—Diplomatic...

Piero de’ Medici and his Family—Lucrezia Tornabuoni de’ Medici—Lorenzo de’ Medici—Lorenzo’s Education—Gentile de’ Becchi of Urbino—His Youthful Years and Dispositions—Giuliano d...

Cosimo de’ Medici’s Library Establishments—San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice—Library of the San Marco Convent—The Niccolo Manuscripts—Library of the Abbey of Fiesole—Inscriptions o...