Jacopo Pontormo: posthumous portrait of Cosimo de' Medici, 1518-1519: the laurel branch, il Broncone, was an impresa used also by his heirs. Jacopo Carucci ( May 24, 1494 — January 2, 1557) usually known as Jacopo da Pontormo, Jacopo Pontormo or simply ^[1]

Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici (September 27, 1389 – August 1, 1464), was the first of the Medici political dynasty, rulers of Florence during most of the Italian Renaissance; also known as "Cosimo 'the Elder'" ("il Vecchio") and "Cosimo Pater Patriae. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere "

Biography

Born in Florence, Cosimo inherited both his wealth and his flair for business from his father, Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici. Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici (1360 &ndash February 20 to February 28 1429 was the founder of the famous and powerful Medici dynasty of Florence and the In 1415 he accompanied the Antipope John XXIII at the council of Constance, and in the same year he was named Priore of the Republic. Pope John XXIIIPope John (numbering Baldassarre Cossa (c 1370 &ndash November 22 1419 also known as John XXIII, was Pope or Antipope during In the Roman Catholic Church, the Council of Constance is the 16th Ecumenical council. Later he acted frequently as ambassador, showing a prudence for which he became renowned. An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country

In 1433 Cosimo's power over Florence, which he exerted without occupying public office, began to look like a menace to the anti-Medici party, led by figures such as Palla Strozzi and Rinaldo degli Albizzi: in September of that year he was imprisoned, accused for the failure of the conquest of Lucca, but he managed to turn the jail term into one of exile. Palla di Onorio Strozzi ( 1372 - May 8, 1462) was an Italian banker politician writer philosopher and philologist Rinaldo degli Albizzi (1370 - 1442 was a member of the Florentine family of the Albizzi. Lucca is a city in Tuscany, northern central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near (but not on the Ligurian Sea He went to Padua and then to Venice, taking his bank along with him. Padua ( Padova 'padova Latin: Patavium, Padoa) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the His grandson Lorenzo joined him after a failed attempt to raise an army to conquer the city by force. Lorenzo di Giovanni de' Medici (c 1395 &ndash September 23 1440) was an Italian banker of the House of Medici of Florence, the younger Prompted by his influence and his money, others followed him: within a year, the flight of capital from Florence was so great that the ban of exile had to be lifted, making Cosimo return a year later in 1434, to greatly influence the government of Florence (especially through the Pitti and Soderini families) and to lead by example for the rest of his long life.

Cosimo's time in exile instilled in him the need to quash the factionalism that resulted in his exile in the first place. In order to do this, Cosimo, with the help of favourable priors in the Signoria, instigated a series of constitutional changes to secure his power through influence.

In the political sphere, Cosimo worked to create peace in Northern Italy through the creation of a balance of power between Florence, Naples, Venice and Milan during the wars in Lombardy, and discouraging outside powers (notably the French and the Holy Roman Empire) from interfering. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. The wars in Lombardy were a series of conflicts fought in central-northern Italy between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan, and their different The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in In 1439 he was also instrumental in convincing pope Eugene IV to move the Ecumenical council of Ferrara to Florence. Pope Eugene IV (1383 &ndash February 23, 1447) born Gabriele Condulmer, was Pope from March 3, 1431, to his death This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. The arrival of figures from the Byzantine Empire, including Emperor John VIII Palaiologos himself, started the boom of culture and arts in the city. John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus ( Greek Ιωάννης Η' Παλαιολόγος Iōannēs VIII Palaiologos) ( December 18 1392

Cosimo was also noted for his patronage of culture and the arts, liberally spending the family fortune (which his astute business sense considerably increased) to enrich Florence. According to Salviati's Zibaldone, Cosimo stated:

"All those things have given me the greatest satisfaction and contentment (grandissima contentamento e grandissima dolcezza) because they are not only for the honor of God but are likewise for my own remembrance. Salviati can mean The Salviati were a prominent 15th century Florentine-Roman banking family For fifty years, I have done nothing else but earn money and spend money; and it became clear that spending money gives me greater pleasure than earning it (ed accorgomi che ancora sia maggior dolcezza lo spendere che il guadagnare). "^[2]

He also hired the young Michelozzo Michelozzi to create what is today perhaps the prototypical Florentine palazzo, the austere and magnificent Palazzo Medici. Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396 - 1472 was an Italian Architect and sculptor. For other meanings (eg the word's use in place names see Palazzo (disambiguation. The Palazzo Medici, also called the Palazzo Medici Riccardi for the later family that acquired and expanded it is a Renaissance Palace located in He was a patron and confidante of Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, Michelangelo and Donatello, whose famed David and Judith Slaying Holofernes were Medici commissions. Fra Angelico (c 1395 &ndash February 18 1455) born Guido di Pietro, was an Early Italian Renaissance painter referred to in Vasari Fra' Filippo Lippi (1406 &ndash October 8 1469 Donatello ( Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi; c 1386 &ndash December 13, 1466) was a famous early Renaissance Italian This article is about the sculpture by Donatello for other uses see David (disambiguation. The Bronze sculpture Judith and Holofernes ( 1460) created by Donatello at the end of his career can be seen in the Hall of Lilies His patronage enabled the eccentric and bankrupt architect Brunelleschi to complete the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, and the dome was perhaps his crowning achievement as sponsor. Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 – April 15, 1446) was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the Cathedral church ( Duomo) of Florence, Italy.

In the realm of philosophy, Cosimo, influenced by the lectures of Gemistus Plethon, established a modern Platonic Academy in Florence. Georgius Gemistos (or Plethon, Pletho) in Greek Γεώργιος Πλήθων Γεμιστός, (c An academy ( Greek Ἀκαδημία is an institution of higher learning research or honorary membership He appointed Marsilio Ficino as head of the Academy and commissioned Ficino's Latin translation of the complete works of Plato (the first ever complete translation). Marsilio Ficino ( Latin name Marsilius Ficinus; October 19 1433 - October 1 1499) was one of the most influential humanist Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece Through Ficino and others associated with the Academy, Cosimo had an inestimable effect on Renaissance intellectual life.

The tomb of Cosimo de' Medici in San Lorenzo, Florence.

On his death in 1464 at Careggi, Cosimo was succeeded by his son Piero 'the Gouty', father of Lorenzo the Magnificent. The Villa Medici at Careggi is a patrician villa in the hills near Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Piero de' Medici (the Gouty, Italian Piero "il Gottoso" (1416 &ndash December 2 1469 was the de facto ruler of Lorenzo de' Medici (January 1 1449 &ndash 9 April 1492 was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance After his death the Signoria awarded him the title Pater Patriae, "Father of his Country", an honor once awarded to Cicero, and had it carved upon his tomb in the Church of San Lorenzo. The Signoria was the Government of Medieval and Renaissance Florence. Pater Patriae (plural Patres Patriae) also seen as Parens Patriae, is a Latin Honorific meaning " Father Marcus Tullius Cicero ( Classical Latin ˈkikeroː usually ˈsɪsərəʊ in English January 3, 106 BC &ndash December 7, 43 BC was a Roman The Basilica di San Lorenzo ( Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s

Issue

Cosimo married Contessina de' Bardi (the daughter of Giovanni, count of Vernio, and Emilia Pannocchieschi). They had two sons:

• Piero the Gouty (1416-1469), lord of Florence after Cosimo's death. Piero de' Medici (the Gouty, Italian Piero "il Gottoso" (1416 &ndash December 2 1469 was the de facto ruler of
• Giovanni (1421-1453), who died childless. Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici (July 3 1421-September 23 1463 was an Italian banker and patron of arts

Cosimo also had an illegitimate son by a Circassian slave; Carlo (c. Circassians is a term derived from the Turkic Cherkess ( Çerkes) and is not the self-designation of any people 1428 - 1492) became a prelate.

See also

• House of Medici
• History of Florence
• Lorenzo di Giovanni de' Medici

References

Sources

• Francesco Guerrieri, Patrizia Fabbri, (photography Stefano Giraldi), "Palaces of Florence" (Rizzoli, 1996), for the Palazzo Medici.
• Tim Parks Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence.
• Jacob Burkhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860) 1878. Jacob Christoph Burckhardt ( May 25, 1818, Basel, Switzerland &ndash August 8, 1897, Basel was a Swiss
• William Connell Society and Individual in Renaissance Florence 2002.
• Dale Kent Cosimo De'Medici and the Florentine Renaissance.

External links

• "PBS Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance