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[[File:Medici Three.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Cosimo De Medici]]
What were the contributions of the de Medici family to the Renaissance in Italy during the fifteenth century? The de Medicis were the effective rulers of the Florentine Republic in the 15th century, and they later became the ruling house of Florence in the 16th and 17th century. The family, especially in the fifteenth century made a decisive contribution to the Renaissance in Italy.
This contribution was through their patronage of the arts in their native Florence and their policies that favored peace and stability in Italy. The de Medicis made a real and telling contribution to the arts, politics, and stability of Italy and encouraged the intellectual and cultural flourishing that became known as the Renaissance.
== Who were the De Medici? ==The Medici family originally originate in a small village to the north of Florence. In the thirteenth century, the first Medici arrived in Florence. The de Medicis family soon prospered in their new home. The early De Medici’s made their money in the wool trade. They used the profits that they made a real and telling contribution in the wool trade to diversify their business interests. Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici (c. 1360–1429) increased the family's wealth, established the artsMedici Bank, and became one of Florence's richest men.<ref> Hibbert, Christopher. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688053394/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0688053394&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=3a60f5b995328d84b5c49af6c25a9362 The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall]</i>. Morrow (London, Morrow, 1975) </ref> The Medici became involved in politics, and stability they were often involved with the popular party in Florence. In general, the Medici liked to influence politics from behind the scene and used their wealth and connections to achieve their goals. In 1434 Cosimo the Elder was elected as one of the leaders of Italy the Florentine Republic, and encouraged although he was only one of several magistrates who ruled the cultural flourishing that became known as city, he came to dominate it.<ref> Ferdinand Schevill, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006D8BXY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0006D8BXY&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d7f7869357eb87e0ad2906fa13cffb47 History of Florence: From the Founding of the City Through the Renaissance]</i> (London, Frederick Ungar, 1936), p. 113</ref>
Cosimo was a very effective leader and was a skilled negotiator, and he brought stability to the city and made it even wealthier. Before Cosimo, the city had been regularly disturbed and unsettled by political factions and influential families. Cosimo was succeeded by his son Piero who had little of the abilities of his father. He died while still quite young and was succeeded by his son Lorenzo, known to history as Lorenzo the Magnificent. He was an excellent ruler and brought peace and prosperity to Florence and its hinterland.
====Why did the De Medici-Background=='s lose control of Florence? ==The However, the De Medici family originally originate in a small village business fortunes began to the north of Florence. In the thirteenth centuryfalter, the first Medici arrived in which ultimately weakened Florence. The family soon prospered in their new home. The early De Medici’s made their money in the wool trade. They used the profits that they made in the wool trade to diversify their business interests. Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici (cs hold. 1360–1429), increased the wealth of the family Lorenzo and established the Medici Bank, survived a plot to kill them and became one of the richest men seize power in the city of Florence1474.<ref> HibbertSchevill, Christopherp. 115<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688053394/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0688053394&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=3a60f5b995328d84b5c49af6c25a9362 The House > After Lorenzo died, his son became head of Medici: Its Rise and Fall]</i>Florence. Morrow (LondonStill, Morrowhe was incompetent, 1975) </ref> and he provoked a popular uprising against the family, which led to their expulsion from Florence from 1494-1512. The Medici became involved Family was restored to Florence in politics1512, and they were often involved with eventually became the popular party in Dukes of Florence. In generalHowever, the glory days were gone, the later de Medici liked to influence politics from behind the scene and used their wealth and connections to achieve their goals. In 1434 Cosimo the Elder was elected not as one of the leaders of the Florentine Republicpowerful or as rich as their predecessors, and although he was only one of several magistrates who ruled the city, he came to dominate itFlorence became a political and cultural backwater.<ref> Ferdinand SchevillPaul Strathern, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006D8BXY1844130983/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0006D8BXY1844130983&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d7f7869357eb87e0ad2906fa13cffb47 History of Florence: From the Founding a398a7e529dca0fff02bd3e08ca6b25a The Medici—Godfathers of the City Through the Renaissance]</i> (London, Frederick UngarPimlico, 19362005), p. 113213</ref>
====How did a more peaceful Italy benefit the De Medici and the Peace of Italy==family? ==In the fifteenth century conditions in , Italy became more peaceful. In previous centuries war was endemic in the Peninsula. There were conflicts between the city-states and often civil conflicts within them. These indeed led to the rise of many tyrants all over Italy especially, in the 14th century. The De Medici did not like to engage in war and did not want to expand Florentine territory.<ref>Hibbert, p. 156</ref> They favored peace and believed that war was bad for trade. In this, they had a decidedly modern outlook. Cosimo the Elder worked tirelessly for peace in the North of Italy. He sought to establish a balance of power in the region between the main powers and the exclusion of foreign powers such as the French and the Holy Roman Emperor. Cosimo helped to negotiate an end to a series of wars in Lombardy and helped the main players in Italy, Milan, Naples, Venice , and Florence to reach an agreement to respect each other’s territorial integrity.
Lorenzo , the Magnificent, followed his grandfather’s policies with regard to about maintaining a balance of power in Italy. This led him Lorenzo and other Northern Italian leaders to negotiate the Treaty of Lodi that brought peace and stability to the North and Central Italy.<ref> Hibbert, p. 118</ref> The de Medici through their policies did much to bring peace and security to too much of Italy , and this was crucial for the Renaissance <ref>Miles J. Unger, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/074325435X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=074325435X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=ae832840e01fbaf68a8af9739f4806f4 Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo de Medici]</i>, (London, Simon and Schuster 2008), p. 134</ref> It is no not a coincidence that the cultural zenith of the Italian Renaissance occurred when it produced the great works of Florence was stable. Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael, corresponded to a relatively produced their most celebrated works when Northern Italy was experiencing an unprecedented peaceful period in Northern Italy in the fifteen fifteenth century. In this way, the de Medici family helped to create an ideal environment for the great artists of the era to grow and create peerless works of art.
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====The How did the De Medici and the revival of Medicis revive Greek Learning==Knowledge? ==
[[File: De Medici One.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|Michaelangelo – whose patrons were the De Medici]]
The Renaissance was inspired by the Classical World of Ancient Greece and Rome. However, until the fifteenth century, the Italian humanists only knew of Ancient Greece and the great works of Plato and the other great Greeks through the Romans. Cosimo the Elder helped to introduce Ancient Greek manuscripts and culture into Italy. Cosimo the Elder sought to end the schism in the Christian Church. He helped to negotiate the union of the Catholic and the Orthodox Church that was formalized at the Council of Florence in 1439. This Union ultimately failed , but it was to have a profound impact on the development of the Renaissance.
The Byzantine Emperor visited Florence in 1493 to ratify the Union , and he was attended by several hundred followers among them the great Neoplatonist philosopher George Gemistos Plethon.<ref> Miles, p. 123</ref> Cosimo had failed to achieve a lasting union between the eastern and the western Church. However, he inspired renewed interest in the works of the Greeks as he patronized several Greek scholars from Byzantium and appears appeared to have secured some manuscripts that were previously unknown in Florence. In the Byzantine Empire, there were many great works from the Greek past that were unknown in Italy. The city of Florence soon became the center for the study of Ancient Greek culture and Neoplatonism, became very influential.<ref>Hibbert, p. 134</ref> The increasing interest in Greek culture was to direct the Renaissance in new directions and inspired a new generation of writers and philosophers such as Pico Della Mirandola.
====Why were the De Medici as Patrons==art patrons? ==
[[File:Medici Two.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|Lorenzo the Magnificent]]
All of the de Medici had an interest in the arts in the fifteenth century. This and art was in order used to legitimize the family's rule of the familyFlorence. The works commissioned by the family often sought to raise the status of the family in the city. They used art to fortify their position in Florentine Society. However, the family was also genuinely fond of art, architecture, and literature. Cosimo was very knowledgeable about architecture and Lorenzo the Magnificent was a connoisseur of paintings and sculptures. The Medici’s used their lavish wealth to patronize many of the greatest artists of the time. The family was directly responsible for some of the greatest works in the Renaissance. Cosimo the Elder was the patron of the great architect Bruneschelli and it was under De Medici orders that he built the great Medici Sacristy in the Church of San Lorenzo. It was Cosimo who ordered the building of the great De Medici Palace with its magnificent paintings by Ucelleo. It was Cosimo who also commissioned Donatello's, Bronze of David, one of the most influential pieces of sculpture in the period.<ref> Hibbert, p. 134</ref> Lorenzo was equally lavish in his patronage of artists and the commissioning of great works of art.
*[[Why did the Italian Renaissance End?]]
*[[How did the Bubonic Plague make the Italian Renaissance possible?]]
*[[What was the Borgias contribution to Renaissance Italy?]]
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== Were the De Medici family important during the Renaissance? ==
The de Medici during their rule of Florence in the fifteenth century did much to influence the Renaissance and to enable the great artists, humanists, and writers, to produce their works that have been so influential down the centuries. The family brought stability and peace to the city of Florence. This was crucial in the cultural flourishing in the city in the fifteenth century. The de Medici's largely peaceful rule did much to promote the Renaissance in the city. They also in their relations with the other city-states did much to bring peace to North Italy. Then the de Medici was very instrumental in the growing interest in Greek culture and history.
Cosimo de Medici and his policies promoted, unintentionally, the study of the works of the Greeks. This was to move the Renaissance in new directions, especially under the influence of Neoplatonism. Then there was the patronage of the de Medici; the family directly helped many great artists to produce many new and great works of art. Lorenzo the Magnificent especially helped to raise the status of the artists in Florentine society. By the time of their expulsion in 1494, the family had made a significant contribution to the development of the Renaissance, which has been crucial in the evolution of the modern world.
====References====
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Updated May 6, 2019
[[Category:Italian History]] [[Category:Renaissance History]] [[Category:European History]][[category:wikis]]