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The House of Medici (English: / ˈ m ɛ d ɪ tʃ i / MED-itch-ee, UK also / m ə ˈ d iː tʃ i / mə-DEE-chee, Italian: [ˈmɛːditʃi]) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici, during the first half of the 15th century.
Nov 9, 2009 · Learn about the Medici family, also known as the House of Medici, who rose to prominence in Florence, Italy, in the 13th century and became the patrons of the Renaissance. Explore their political, cultural and religious influence, as well as their rise and fall over three centuries.
- 9 min
Medici family, Italian bourgeois family that ruled Florence and, later, Tuscany during most of the period from 1434 to 1737, except for two brief intervals. It provided the Roman Catholic Church with four popes (Leo X, Clement VII, Pius IV, and Leon XI) and married into the royal families of Europe.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Learn about the origins, rise and legacy of the Medici family, who shaped Florence's history and culture for six centuries. Discover their role in banking, politics, arts and humanities, and their influence across Italy and Europe.
- The founding of the Medici dynasty. The Medici family originated in the agricultural Mugello region of Tuscany. The name Medici means “doctors”. The dynasty began when Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici (1360–1429) emigrated to Florence to found the Medici Bank in 1397, which would become Europe’s largest and most respected bank.
- The three branches of the Medici family. There were three branches of Medicis that successfully gained power – the line of Chiarissimo II, the line of Cosimo (known as Cosimo the Elder) and the descendants of his brother, who went on to rule as grand dukes.
- Cosimo the Elder and his descendants. During Cosimo’s reign, the Medicis gained fame and prestige first in Florence and then across Italy and Europe. Florence prospered.
- The Pazzi conspiracy. In 1478, the Pazzi and Salviati families attempted a plot to displace the Medicis with the approval of Pope Sixtus IV, who was an enemy of the Florentine family.
Nov 14, 2016 · Learn about the Medici family, the powerful Italian noble dynasty that ruled Florence and supported the Renaissance. Discover their origins, achievements, coat of arms, and cultural legacy.
Apr 4, 2024 · The Medici family, prominent during the Italian Renaissance, wielded immense power in Florence and beyond. Rising from humble beginnings as bankers, they ascended to become one of Europe's most influential dynasties. Their patronage of the arts catalyzed the Renaissance, nurturing talents like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
