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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; [4] Italian: [ˈmɛːditʃi]) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th century.
Contessina de' Bardi (1390–October 1473 [1]), was an Italian noblewoman from the House of Bardi.Her marriage into the House of Medici provided her husband's family with much needed nobility, prestige, and military support as they established their power in Florence.
Cosimo I de' Medici Coat of arms of House of Medici. In 1569, Cosimo de' Medici had ruled the Duchy of Florence for 32 years. During his reign, Florence purchased the island of Elba from the Republic of Genoa (in 1548), [8] conquered Siena (in 1555) [9] and developed a well-equipped and powerful naval base on Elba.
The first Medici to rule Florence as a hereditary monarch, Alessandro was also the last Medici from the senior line of the family to lead the city. His assassination at the hands of distant cousin Lorenzaccio caused the title of Duke to pass to Cosimo I de Medici , from the family's junior branch.
Lorenzo's grandfather, Cosimo de' Medici, was the first member of the Medici family to lead the Republic of Florence and run the Medici Bank simultaneously. As one of the wealthiest men in Europe, the elder Cosimo spent a very large portion of his fortune on government and philanthropy, for example as a patron of the arts and financier of public works. [7]
A White Field with The Coat of Arms of The Medici Family in the center. 1659–1675 The Contarina flag of the Republic of Venice: A gold Lion of St. Mark on a field of dark red accompanied by six sestiere on the fly. 1701–1803 2nd Flag of The Principality of Piombino A white field with the coat of arms in the center.
Catherine de' Medici (Italian: Caterina de' Medici, pronounced [kateˈriːna de ˈmɛːditʃi]; French: Catherine de Médicis, pronounced [katʁin də medisis]; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian [a] noblewoman born into the Medici family.
Piero di Cosimo de' Medici, known as Piero the Gouty (Italian: Piero "il Gottoso"), (1416 – 2 December 1469) [1] was the de facto ruler of Florence from 1464 to 1469, during the Italian Renaissance.