History of Florence, Part 3: Renaissance Florence and the Rise of the Medici

Byzantine Scholars and the Humanist Revolution

Republican rule dominated Florence, whose international prestige continued to increase during the first half of the fifteenth century. Manuel Chrysolaras, Greek/Byzantine philosopher and scholar, travelled to Florence to teach Greek from 1397 to 1400 (it had not been taught for hundreds of years) and brought with him key Greek texts that had long been absent in the region. This became the foundation of the humanist movement that would dominate the Renaissance. Florence’s intelligentsia were exposed to a whole new world of scholarship and it sparked an enormous amount of creativity across key sectors, pushing philosophy, art, architecture, literature, etc. in new directions and bringing with it a revitalization in interest in ancient Rome. Although there had been inklings in that area since the 13^th century, these “new” texts acted as a floodgate. 

The Medici, The High Renaissance, and Savonarola

Florence’s cultural golden age was first heavily funded by Cosimo de’ Medici, son of Giovanni di Bicci, of the eponymous Medici bank; it had become Florence’s most powerful bank by this period. He also used his wealth to fuel his intense political ambitions. He was briefly exiled to Venice in 1433 following his failed attempt at conquering Lucca but he brought his banking empire with him. Haha. Florence’s government rescinded his punishment within a year due to the great loss of revenue from his bank’s absence. He returned, banished his enemies in turn, and assumed control of the government; it would be a republic in name only for the rest of the 15^th century (minus the final few years). He was instrumental in the installation of Francesco I Sforza as the duke of Milan in 1450; Sforza’s claim was aided by the fact that he married Bianca Maria, the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria, the last Visconti duke. This ushered in nearly 50 years of peace in Italy for the first time in centuries. 

Cosimo died in 1464 and was briefly succeeded by his son, Piero the Gouty. That must have been some pretty bad gout. Anyway, he died in 1469 and was succeeded by his son, Lorenzo. His brother, Giuliano, was assassinated in 1478 and Lorenzo adopted his children. Lorenzo ultimately surpassed his grandfather as a great patron of the arts, fueling what is called the High Renaissance, and was deeply involved with Florence’s intellectual circles.

He is still to this day called “il Magnifico,” the Magnificent. Unfortunately, he was a great spendthrift and, after spending his family’s banking fortune, began dipping into the city’s coffers. While Florence was still at peace, it was during this period that the cracks of Florence’s civil and political stability began to appear. Fra’ Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican friar who preached a fire and brimstone, apocalyptic message of repentance across Northern and Central Italy, arrived to the Convent of San Marco in Florence for the first time in 1482; he left and returned several times throughout the ensuing decades, returning permanently in 1490.

Savonarola’s fiery rhetoric only intensified in this period, with him blaming Florence’s current problems—and warning them of their future fate in the afterlife—on humanist philosophy and infatuation with ancient mythology (which included nudity!). He inspired a cult-like following thanks to his charisma and seeming ability of foretelling the future.