Rise of Medici Family in Renaissance Italy - Assignment Example

Rise of Medici family in Renaissance Italy Florence is often regarded as the birthplace of Renaissance in Italy. The is in the northern hills of Italy and home to early artists and writers of the period. It was the hub for European wool trade with political power mainly controlled by wealthy merchants who dominated the entire industry (Hibbert 23). The wealthy merchants had a massive influence in the country by building enormous, unique mansions and villas by hiring the most talented artists and offering them better pay to initiate and develop the city through their fine works. Moreover, they supported construction of grand cathedrals thereby initiating and enhancing the rebirth and growth of Florence. Therefore, the rich merchants became the great clientele of arts within Florence. Despite the influence and noble artistic ventures of the merchants, they never appealed to the public since they made the masses from the lower and middle class to work long hours and perform unpleasant duties in amassing wealth to the merchants. Because of their oppressiveness, the wealthy merchants were regarded as fat people (History.com 1).The oppression experienced by individuals of the lower classes contributed to their depression thus leading to class struggle and violent conflict that was common in Florence. However, despite presence of class struggle and conflicts, the spirit of competition among the rich merchants on the construction of the grandest buildings in addition to the finest works of art augmented the Renaissance of Italy. One of the forces responsible for the Renaissance of Florence and thence Italy was the Medici family, otherwise known as the House of Medici. It originated from the Tuscan village of Cafaggio and moved into Florence (Johansson 12). The family aided in the growth of arts as well as political development of Florence by attaining power and political and wealth in the 13th century. By supporting arts as well as humanities, the reign of the family ensured Florence grew and developed into a cradle of Renaissance and thus a cultural flowering only challenged by the ancient Greece. The House of Medici has produced four popes in addition to Giovanni, Cosimo, Piero and Lorenzo all of who ruled the city at some point. Consequently, most of Europe’s royal families have their genes mixed with that of Medici family. The dynasty of the Medici lasted for about three centuries before the last ruler died without leaving a male heir in 1737 (Pernis & Laurie 17). The Medici came to power in 1397 when Giovanni de Medici created headquarters in Florence. Being a banker of the Papal Court, as well as wealthy and influential person, he was compelled to engage in public life by holding nearly all political positions within Florence at various times. However, Giovanni died in 1429 after establishing a good legacy promoting arts, amassing massive fortune, as well as a son named Cosimo de Medici (Skwirk.com 1). Cosimo assumed the role of his father at the age of forty after receiving education based on the principles of humanism. Humanism constituted a major philosophical backbone for Renaissance. It accentuated for personal achievement and recognized humans as rational beings competent of truth as well as goodness (Pernis & Laurie 26). The urge for personal achievement and recognition of human as a rational being by both Giovani and Cosimo facilitated and ensured the achievement of Renaissance within Florence. The citizens of Florence focused on individual achievement and, therefore, encouraged people to excel in varied fields as well as displaying their talents (Johansson 22). Cosimo de Medici After Giovanni had set the stage for the Medici’s family’s power and control of Florence, his son Cosimo advanced the effort by playing a significant role in ensuring that the Medici family gained massive control, power and influence over Florence Renaissance(Skwirk.com 1). Cosimo took over after the death of Giovanni in 1434 and managed the banking business at the age of forty. He became a successful businessperson in addition to building his father’s fortune and established several business relationships in the entire Europe. By 1434, Cosimo had secured power for himself as well as for his family within Florence. Thus, the inheritance of leadership from his father was the beginning of the reign Medici family that controlled Florence up to the end of the Renaissance. Throughout his leadership, he observed and maintained a democratic government. Despite appearing as a private citizen, Cosimo ruled the city indirectly due to his wealth and power within Florence (Johansson 25). Consequently, despite being a manipulative schemer, Cosimo’s works, and actions were admirable and appreciative. Like his father, Cosimo had a passion for arts, which he wholeheartedly maintained and supported. He further commissioned the construction of great cathedrals and assigning the best artists of that era to decorate and beautify them. Cosimo also set the stage for Medici family to take over and gain influence in Florence by supporting education. This is displayed when he established the Platonic academy that promoted the learning of ancient works (Johansson 29). Cosimo’s excellence is witnessed when he uses about 600, 000 gold florins in promoting and enhancing scholarly learning, architecture and other arts. The huge expenses incurred in promoting various projects during his lifetime clearly proves the success of Cosimo putting into consideration that his father had left him a fortune worth 180000 florins yet he used over 600000 florins in promoting his activities (Johansson 34). Apart from managing and increasing the wealth and fortunes of his father, Cosimo established strong connections throughout Europe and especially within Italy thereby enhancing and ensuring the success of Renaissance. However, Cosimo died in 1464 and was succeeded by his son, Piero who ruled for five years and later succeeded by Lorenzo. Lorenzo de Medici Lorenzo also known as “II Magnifico” was a son to Peiro and grandson to Cosimo (History.com 1). He led a more elegant life than his father whereby he enjoyed the power enormously. Lorenzo’s reign was characterized by expansion of the Florentine economy with the lower class enjoying a greater level of protection as well as comfort unlike in earlier days. Consequently, under his rule; 1469 to 1492, Florentine developed to become the most important city-state within Italy and the most beautiful city in the entire Europe. This is because Lorenzo supported various projects thereby flourishing arts and increasing level of commerce within the city (History.com 1). Thus, the city experienced greater level of development and growth and this promoted and ensured achievement of Renaissance in Italy. Despite the success in the development and growth witnessed in Italy under Lorenzo’s reign, the Medici family’s businesses recorded a decline (Hibbert 27). The huge loses and decline led to a reduction of power and influence of the Medici thus contributing to their fall and end to their reign. The death of Lorenzo greatly affected the reign of Medici family. Two years since his death, the Demici family experienced various problems and was unstable and unable to contain the opposition to the then leadership. The opposition and uprising that ousted the Medici family from Florence was so popular and was led by a fanatical priest known as Girolamo Savonarola. Since the death of Lorenzo, Savonarola began influenced and attracted a huge following due to his preaching and condemnation of the paganism as well as worldliness of the Renaissance. Thus, Savonarola advocated for simple life and faith and this led him to oust the Demici family and, therefore, assuming power in 1494 (Hibbert 33). Savonarola thereafter drafted a draconian constitution and attempted to restore the medieval spirit. Moreover, he set ablaze many paintings as well as books he perceived as immoral and advocated for deposal of Pope Alexander VI (History.com 1). This is because, during that time, the rebel priest had little support and influence within Florence whereby he was pronounced a heretic thereby leading to his execution. Despite return of the Medici, their power and influence had significantly reduced. Moreover, Florence would never return to previous position of preeminence and dominance. The Medici family played an indistinct role in shaping the history of Florence (History.com 1).Notwithstanding the presence of republican government in addition to democracy, the Medici family was, in fact, the indirect rulers of the city through heredity. Even though the family observed great caution in preserving its power and influence, it remained private individuals or citizens. Indeed, Cosimo in most instances rejected and turned down individuals who sought favors from him due to his position. He told the individuals that he had no power to offer assistance, since he was just a common citizen in Florence (History.com 1). However, Cosimo’s assertion constituted lies since, at that time, the Medici family were second in hierarchical power after the Pope. Therefore, Cosimo and the entire Medici family had massive power and influence in the region that facilitated and supported the Renaissance of the city (History.com 1). The House of Medici under the leadership of Giovanni, Cosimo and Lorenzo played a critical role in ensuring attainment of Renaissance. The success was related to the presence of effective communication lines throughout the city, Italy and in various parts of the world developed by the Medici. For instance, both Giovanni and Medici relied on the banking to ensure that Florence became crossroads and a hub of financial activity and ideas thereby enhancing the Renaissance (History.com 1). Therefore, under the leadership of Cosimo and Lorenzo, Florence became a city open and free to the philosophies as well as ideals of the distant lands. The ideals got absorbed, integrated into writing and art produced within the city. Thereafter, the established art within Florence moved out and flowed freely into other parts of Italy and Europe thereby contributing to the Renaissance (Hibbert 39). Consequently, both Cosimo and Lorenzo sustained the stability of the connections through political and financial means (Hibbert 49). For example, by establishing cordial relationship and connections with the Papacy, the two great leaders from the Medici family ensured mutual benefit to both the cities of Rome and Florence. In case there were no connections between Rome and Florence, the two cities would have engaged in wars since they were rivals. However, under the reign of the Medici family, both Florence and Rome mutually benefited due to the spirit of cooperation throughout the entire Renaissance period. Works Cited Hibbert, Christopher. The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici. London: Rutledge, 1981. Print. History.com. “The Medici Family”. Retrieved April 29, 2014 from http://www.history.com/topics/medici-family Johansson, Frans. The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts, and Cultures. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press, 2004. Print. Pernis, Maria G, and Laurie S. Adams. Lucrezia Tornabuoni Demedici and the Medici Family in the Fifteenth Century. New York: Peter Lang, 2006. Print. Skwirk.com. “The rise of the merchant classes - the Medici family”. Retrieved April 29, 2014 from http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-56_u-422_t-1105_c- 4273/WA/7/The-rise-of-the- merchant-classes-the-Medici- family/Renaissance-in-Europe/Renaissance-and- Reformation/SOSE-History/ Read More