Walking around on the dangerously uneven cobbled streets of Florence, it’s buildings towering high above and small cars whizzing past in the city’s narrow lanes, you soon get the sense of the magnitude in the place you are standing, hundred’s of years of history round nearly every corner. Medici coat of arms emblazoned on the Medieval and Renaissance buildings as well as copy’s of some of the period’s best sculptures, mini David’s spotted throughout the city, the past mixing easily with the present .
Having toured through much of Italy on my nearly annual visit back to the country of my Grandmother’s birth I have seen some of the best cities, towns, villages and history this beautiful country has to offer and Florence is unarguably up there with the best.
Florence, the capital of Tuscany has a rich history from early Roman settlement in the 1st Century BC/BCE to becoming a flourishing banking city during the 14th century however for this to all but collapse under the weight and strain of paying the King’s of Europe’s expensive foreign wars, recession as well as receiving heavy casualties to the Black Death as the disease tore it’s way through Europe leaving nothing but loss, misery and destruction in it’s wake. Though like many countries, towns and cities at this darkest of times, Florence re - developed and would eventually give birth to one of the greatest movements in human history, the Renaissance. Thanks to patronage from important families like the Medici, Florence became the centre of forward thinking in Europe and has been rightfully named, the ‘Athens of the Middle Ages.’
Having made the journey to this most infamous of cities, I want to today take a closer look at how Florence rose from the ashes of war and the Black Death to becoming the centre and birthplace of the Renaissance.
Plague and War: The Death of Medieval Florence
The city and surrounding area of Florence had a long history before finally becoming the intellectual and artistic centre it is renowned for today, rising from obscurity as a Roman settlement founded by the notorious general, Julius Caesar in 59 BC/BCE to becoming a Republican state in around the late 12th century. Up until the arrival of the Medici, Florence’s government would be voted in, however rival families still sought to control the outcome of these elections with bribery.
As the years progressed, the city grow in size as well as power, becoming one of the great banking centres in Italy, even creating it’s own currency in 1252. Known as the fiorino di’ orno or the florin, this gold coin soon became the dominant currency within Europe, replacing the mark. As Florence became a major power on the world stage, independent banks were opening branches across the continent to as far as Bruges, coming into direct opposition with their fierce rival Pisa. The eclipse of their powerful enemy would be complete by the 1280s as the independent Pisa was defeated by Genoa. Throughout the north of Italy there was republican states who all fought in a seemingly endless war for control, a tumultuous time for the divided country.
Family fortunes in the bustling city of Florence rose as quickly as they fell with large banking families, going bankrupt and soon extinguishing. However one’s loss could be another’s gain and as the 13th century turned into the 14th, three significant families rose to prominence, namely the Bardis, the Peruzzi’s and the Acciaioli.
As new residential buildings and churches began to dominate the Florentine skyline, the ancient rivals of England and France entered into a new and embittered stage of warfare, one that would last for over a century. The main protagonist’s were Edward III, king of England and Philip VI, king of France of which the former owed fealty to the latter as Edward though a king was also the Duke of Gascony, a vassal of the king of France. A dispute over this duchy sparked what would become known as the Hundred Years’ War which soon took on a dynastic element as Edward claimed to be the true king of France through a superior claim.
The Plantagenet king waged a ferocious war against his French cousin, relying on taxes as well as the profitable wool trade early on to finance this costly endeavour. However, Edward would soon come into business with some of the principal banking families in Florence, namely the Peruzzis and the Bardis. Bankers, not just in Florence had a history of helping to finance costly wars for monarchs as well as the papacy and would continue to do so throughout the rest of the Medieval period.
By 1340, it was said that Edward had debts to both of the families which amounted to 687,000 florins (£103,000) from the Bardis and 474,000 florins (£71,000) from the Peruzzi. (Numbers gathered from Ian Mortimer’s book The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation, written in 2006). It was widely believed that it was the refusal to pay these heavy debts that saw both banking houses go bankrupt and collapse in the 1340s. However, a biographer of the infamous warrior king, Ian Mortimer notes that the debts racked up were closer to ‘a mere £13,000’ which would have no doubt affected the banks but was nowhere near enough to result in bankruptcy. Mortimer asserts that internal disputes within Florence and a recession is what ultimately led to the closing of these two family banks.
With the collapse of these two prominent establishments, the city of Florence teetered on the edge, in a fragile state, however the worse was still to come. Possibly arriving from the Mongol Steppes and travelling to Europe via trading ships notably the Genoese, one of the deadliest diseases in the history of the Europe tore across the continent, leaving a path of death and misery. The populations of countries such as England, France, Spain, Italy and many others were depleted. Florence itself was hit particularly hard by the Black Death, arriving in the city in 1347 and reducing the population from around 110,000 in 1338 to 50,000 in 1351.
This mix of economic downturn and decrease in population took it’s tool on the republic of Florence and could be said to have signalled the closing ceremony of the Middle Ages in the city. However, as death and destruction surrounded the population, Florentine literature began to flourish with notable writers such as Boccaccio, Dante and Petrarch all emerging from the city, at the same time a family established themselves within the republic in 1367, soon opening their first bank, founded by a certain Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici. The infamous Godfathers of the Renaissance had arrived.
The Medici and the Birth of the Renaissance
The origins of the Medici, a family that went from bankers to rulers of Florence to Grand Dukes of Tuscany and royalty are a bit vague. We know that the family itself originated from the old Tuscan village of Cafaggiolo near Florence and decided to leave their home at the turn of the 13th century for the bustling city, moving to the area of San Lorenzo where their presence is still felt to this day, it is also the site of the family’s mausoleum
The rise of the family occurred as the Renaissance began to blossom, both having a great impact on the other. The first real Medici ruler of Florence was Cosimo I who built up his powerbase with successful marriages including his marriage to a member of the old Bardi family whose business had collapsed in the 1340s as well as the large amounts of wealth coming in from the Medici bank, which at the time was the richest in Florence, even working for the papacy in Rome and opening branches across Europe.
Cosimo put his wealth to good use, bribing and controlling the votes of office holders to remain in power however this would face backlash as a anti - Medici party formed believing the family to be a threat to their democracy. The founder of one of the most powerful dynasties in Italian history was imprisoned before being forced into a decade long exile, however would return to the city only a year later in 1434.
As Cosimo reigned over Florence, he would establish his family as the major power in the city for generations to come whilst establishing the Medici’s as patrons of the arts. In his lifetime, Cosimo commissioned the famous David sculpture by Donatello and was noted by the classical historian Edward Gibbon as “the father of a line of princes, whose name and age are almost synonymous with the restoration of learning.” (Edward Gibbon (1880). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Philadelphia: Nottingham Society. pp. 456–457). Though Cosimo no doubt established this tradition of patronage, it would be his ancestors who would come to truly embrace the Renaissance.
With his death in 1464, the control of Florence passed swiftly to Cosimo’s son, Piero, know to posterity as Piero ‘the Gouty’. Under the veneer of a functioning oligarchy, the Medici had solidified their control of Florence with this succession. As for Piero’s brief reign, there is little of note when looking at the development of the Renaissance which was to completely flourish under his son, Lorenzo, rightfully named as the ‘Magnificent’ Medici.
Piero’s brief time in government would end with an agonising death gripped with gout, a disease that had plagued the diplomat for much of his life, the rise of his son, Lorenzo would see the city of Florence and the power of the Medici reach new heights however as well as the Renaissance in Italy reach it’s zenith. Under the patronage and guidance of Lorenzo, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Piero, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Verrocchio to name a few would all flourish. Lorenzo would also develop a great interest of the humanities, something that he would instil in his son, Giovanni, later to become Pope Leo X, the first of the two Medici popes. Lorenzo was interested in poetry and even wrote a couple of his own pieces in his native Tuscan language and the de facto leader of Florence extended the already substantial Medici library founded by his grandfather, Cosimo. Lorenzo’s interests of poetry, collecting literature and advancing the humanities helped cement Florence as the centre of learning with many of the artists and architects under his patronage returning with inspiration from visits to Rome.
Though Lorenzo himself did not commission many pieces, his support of these budding artists, architects and sculpturers allowed them to thrive in the city and for Florence itself to become the home of some of Europe’s most forward thinking and artistic citizens, creating a movement that would swarm across the continent as a variety of countries undertook Renaissance ideas, many of which had originated from Florence.
By the time that Lorenzo the Magnificent died in 1497, Florence had undergone a transformation. Though the once prosperous and influential Medici bank began to stumble, the family had become trailblazers in the patronage of the arts and the Renaissance. By the 15th century, Florence had become one of the biggest cities in Europe however had become the most influential in terms of art, architecture and philosophy. At the end of the century, as the city had seemingly reached it’s creative height, a strong piety still burned within Florence and this was taken advantage of by the fierce and charismatic churchman, Girolamo Savonarola. His impassioned sermons attracted hundreds of Florentine citizens who began increasingly to see the Medici as tyrannical force attacking the city’s ancient liberty and without the beloved Lorenzo in charge, the reins of power passing off to his ineffectual son and successor Piero ‘the Unfortunate’ the Medici family was once again forced into exile, as a oligarchy was once again established with the extremely pious Savonarola at it’s head.
Savonarola, a figure who deserves a standalone piece ruled Florence with an iron fist, instructing children to spy on the inhabitants of the city as all perceived sin was rooted out and destroyed with the burning of books, pieces of art, sculptures and extravagant clothing. However the people of Florence soon chafed against the stern and pious Savonarola, arresting and torturing him, leading to him confessing that the visions and prophecies that had made him renowned were in fact fabricated. The churchman was condemned to be burnt at the stake in the middle of the Piazza della Signoria.
With the preacher and head of the Florence state executed, the city looked to revert their governance to how it had initially ran before the rise of the Medici, however the notorious family would make a return, under the would be pope, Giovanni Medici taking the city with the help of French forces.
After their brief period in exile, the Medici returned and would not be removed from their seat of power until the direct family became extinct in the 18th century, having become Grand Dukes of Tuscany and members of the French royal family, their bloodline present in many of the great European families, including the Habsburgs.
The remains of many of the family members lie in the Basilica of San Lorenzo and is one of the largest churches in Florence. In my time at Florence I was lucky enough to have visited the site. Before entering the cathedral itself, you are bombarded with Medici coats of arms as well as statues commemorating some of the family’s greatest figures as well as shops and cafe’s named in the family’s honour. For me the Cappella dei Principi (The Chapel of Princes) is one of the most breath taking sites I have ever visited. Work began in the 16th century and was undertook by the initial Medici’s successors, the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and encompasses and the spirit of the movement that the family has been so closely aligned with. Construction was completed in 1604 and is the burial site of many of the Grand Dukes. The coat of arms of the Medici is a predominant feature within the chapel as well as the giant bronze statues of the Dukes themselves. Within this magnificent chapel you can also view the processional banner of pope Leo X, that is also emblazoned with the Medici coat of arms. Outside of this impressive room, lies the tombs of the Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother who had been murdered in an early conspiracy against the family as well as the first Medici ruler of Florence, Cosimo. For those interested in the history of Florence, the Medici or the Renaissance I would definitely recommend visiting the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
Conclusion
Though the Medici and the Renaissance are the two most significant pieces in Florence’s great history there is plenty more to be explored within the city and is a truly brilliant place to visit. In the 19th century, Florence was briefly the capital of a finally unified Italy and went onto play a important role during the Second World War. Today the ancient and Medieval lives dies by side modern shops, cafes and stalls with stunning architecture round every corner, able to drink a cappuccino whilst taking in the view of the great historical Piazza Della Signoria where so much of this great city’s history took place. For those able to, I would definitely recommend this great and culturally significant city.
Sources/Further Reading
Paul Strathern, The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
Who Were the Medicis? The Family That Ruled Florence | History Hit