The Medici family is inevitable, utterly and eternally linked to the Renaissance and Florence. No other European non-royal family has ever so clearly defined an era in history as them.

And over a time-span of just 150 years – a drop in the ocean of time – they supported some of the greatest artists the world has ever known and thus became immortalised.

It started with money

The Medici family began as bankers and had owned a bank in Rome since the 14th century. Giovanni di Bicci de Medici moved this bank to Florence, Tuscany in 1397 and it flourished. In 1408 he opened branches in Venice, Geneva and Napoli. A few years later, he had opened a new bank in Rome and was represented in Bruges and London. In 1413 he became the Pope’s banker. The family became incredibly rich and with economic power came political power. With the power to make dreams come true or to destroy them, the Medici family began their reign over Florence.

Patrons of artists

Giovanni was also the first of the Medici to become patron to some of the contemporary artists like Donatello, Ghiberti and Brunelleschi.

Cosimo il Vecchio – the Elder – succeeded his father Giovanni in 1429, almost 40 years old. He played the part of a man with humble manners, rather riding a mule than a horse but this was certainly just a part of the Medici show: Not to attract attention, envy or distrust. To appear as innocuous as possible, while actually ruling the city, wisely manipulating and acting with great discretion.

Donatello was Cosimo’s favourite artist and he supported him through his lifetime. Cosimo was also patron of Fra Angelico, a gifted renaissance painter, and he financed Niccolò Niccoli, a humanist, copyist and collator of ancient manuscripts. As his father before him, Cosimo supported Brunelleschi and ensured that the gravity-defying dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral of Florence, was finished. The Platonic Academy was established in 1462 under Cosimo’s patronage and the Medici continued to sponsor this spiritual home of the Florentine Renaissance for another 3 generations.

The magnificent

The Italian Renaissance peaked under the rule of grandson Lorenzo il Magnifico. He was only 20 years old when his father died in 1469 and left him the family business. Despite assassination attempts, changes in the Florentine political scene and economic turbulence, he ruled both business and Florence for 23 years. He perfected the role as generous benefactor, hedonistic emperor and merciless dictator.

During his reign, Botticelli was employed by the Medici and lived in their Palazzo, decorating the walls. Leonardo da Vinci acted in 1482 as Lorenzo’s Art Ambassador. The 14-year-old Michelangelo spent three years studying at The Platonic Academy while living with Lorenzo and his family in Palazzo Vecchio.

Lorenzo’s death in 1492 marked the end of an era. Six months later, Columbus discovered America.

Legacy

The Medici family produced Pope Leo X and Pope Clemens VII, which used their influence to employ prodigies like Michelangelo, Rafael and Cellini.  Lorenzo’s great granddaughter Caterina was married to Henry II and became queen of France. Cosimo I, from another branch of the Medici family tree, ruled Florence as Grand Duke of Tuscany and established the Uffizi – former administrative offices and present art museum.

While the renaissance might have ended with Lorenzo’s death, the influence of this powerful family affected history for several hundred years.

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