House of Medici
The House of Mediciwas an Italian banking family, political dynasty and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside, gradually rising until they were able to fund the Medici Bank. The bank was the largest in Europe during the 15th century, seeing the Medici gain political power in Florence — though officially they remained citizens rather than monarchs.
The Medici produced three Popes of the Catholic Church—Pope Leo X (1513–1521), Pope Clement VII (1523–1534), and Pope Leo XI (1605);[2] two regent queens of France—Catherine de' Medici (1547–1559) and Marie de' Medici (1600–1610). In 1531, the family became hereditary Dukes of Florence. In 1569, the duchy was elevated to a grand duchy after territorial expansion. They ruled the Grand Duchy of Tuscany from its inception until 1737, with the death of Gian Gastone de' Medici. The grand duchy witnessed degrees of economic growth under the earlier grand dukes, but by the time of Cosimo III de' Medici, Tuscany was fiscally bankrupt.
Their wealth and influence initially derived from the textile trade guided by the guild of the Arte della Lana. Like other families ruling in Italian signorie, the Medicis dominated their city's government, were able to bring Florence under their family's power, and created an environment where art and humanism could flourish. They, along with other families of Italy—such as the Visconti and Sforza of Milan, the Este of Ferrara, and the Gonzaga of Mantua—fostered and inspired the birth of the Italian Renaissance.
The Medici Bank was one of the most prosperous and most respected institutions in Europe. There are some estimates that the Medici family were the wealthiest family in Europe for a time. From this base, they acquired political power initially in Florence and later in wider Italy and Europe. A notable contribution to the profession of accounting was the improvement of the general ledger system through the development of the double-entry bookkeeping system for tracking credits and debits. The Medici family were among the earliest businesses to use the system.
Origins
The Medici family came from the agricultural Mugello region,[3] north of Florence, being mentioned for the first time in a document of 1230[4]. The origin of the name is uncertain. Medici is the plural of medico, meaning "medical doctor".[5] It has been suggested that the name derived from one Medico di Potrone, a castellan of Potrone in the late 11th century, who presumably was the family's ancestor.[citation needed]
The dynasty began with the founding of the Medici Bank.
Rise to power.
The Medicis: money, myth and mystery
They were a family of Florence bankers whose riches powered the Renaissance, yet their art ignores the material world. Why?
In the Sainsbury wing of the National Gallery in London, the founding m
The House of Mediciwas an Italian banking family, political dynasty and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside, gradually rising until they were able to fund the Medici Bank. The bank was the largest in Europe during the 15th century, seeing the Medici gain political power in Florence — though officially they remained citizens rather than monarchs.
The Medici produced three Popes of the Catholic Church—Pope Leo X (1513–1521), Pope Clement VII (1523–1534), and Pope Leo XI (1605);[2] two regent queens of France—Catherine de' Medici (1547–1559) and Marie de' Medici (1600–1610). In 1531, the family became hereditary Dukes of Florence. In 1569, the duchy was elevated to a grand duchy after territorial expansion. They ruled the Grand Duchy of Tuscany from its inception until 1737, with the death of Gian Gastone de' Medici. The grand duchy witnessed degrees of economic growth under the earlier grand dukes, but by the time of Cosimo III de' Medici, Tuscany was fiscally bankrupt.
Their wealth and influence initially derived from the textile trade guided by the guild of the Arte della Lana. Like other families ruling in Italian signorie, the Medicis dominated their city's government, were able to bring Florence under their family's power, and created an environment where art and humanism could flourish. They, along with other families of Italy—such as the Visconti and Sforza of Milan, the Este of Ferrara, and the Gonzaga of Mantua—fostered and inspired the birth of the Italian Renaissance.
The Medici Bank was one of the most prosperous and most respected institutions in Europe. There are some estimates that the Medici family were the wealthiest family in Europe for a time. From this base, they acquired political power initially in Florence and later in wider Italy and Europe. A notable contribution to the profession of accounting was the improvement of the general ledger system through the development of the double-entry bookkeeping system for tracking credits and debits. The Medici family were among the earliest businesses to use the system.
Origins
The Medici family came from the agricultural Mugello region,[3] north of Florence, being mentioned for the first time in a document of 1230[4]. The origin of the name is uncertain. Medici is the plural of medico, meaning "medical doctor".[5] It has been suggested that the name derived from one Medico di Potrone, a castellan of Potrone in the late 11th century, who presumably was the family's ancestor.[citation needed]
The dynasty began with the founding of the Medici Bank.
Rise to power.
The Medicis: money, myth and mystery
They were a family of Florence bankers whose riches powered the Renaissance, yet their art ignores the material world. Why?
In the Sainsbury wing of the National Gallery in London, the founding m
Category
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Creativity