Death in Florence: the Medici, Savonarola and the Battle for the Soul of the Renaissance City
Page 51
Lorenzo the Magnificent wishes to maintain balance of power in, 75
works of ancient philosophers reach, 87
Savonarola preaches in north of, 95–6
Savonarola is aware of political situation in, 134
Tuscan dialect become national language of, 135–6
Savonarola’s preaching concerning, 143, 144, 145, 188
and threat from Ottoman Empire, 145
balance of power upset by ambitions of Ludovico Sforza, 167–8
Charles VIII dreams of invading, 168
Charles VIII perceives need to have justification to invade, 169
suffers cold winter in 1494, 169–70
and threat of French invasion, 171–3, 174–5
the French army in, 176–8, 183–7, 189–91, 192, 199–202, 203–8, 211, 218–21
Renaissance spreads through, 234
faces possibility of another French invasion, 244
exceptional wet weather of 1495–96, 252–3
planned French invasion is cancelled, 256, 257
forces ranged against Florence, 257–8
political situation shifts in Alexander VI’s favour, 265
Alexander VI’s ambition to dominate, 292
news of ordeal by fire spreads through, 313
see also names of cities
Jacopo IV d’Appiano, Lord of Piombino, 61
Jerusalem, 169, 219
Joan of Arc, 228n
Julius II, Pope see Rovere, Cardinal Giuliano della
Kabbala, 69, 87, 88, 147
Landucci, Luca
on gifts given to Giovanni de’ Medici on his installation as cardinal, 119
on lightning strike on Florence Cathdral, 123
recognises historical significance of Lorenzo the Magnificent’s death, 129
on Lorenzo, 129–30
on sermons preached in the cathedral before death of Lorenzo, 132
on cold winters, 169–70, 291
on death of King Ferrante of Naples, 171
on imprisonment and release of Lorenzo and Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici, 175
on news concerning the French invasion, 177–8
on loss of support for Piero de’ Medici, 193
on the sight of Cardinal Giovanni praying, 194
on Giovanni’s escape, 195
on the rewards offered for killing Piero and Giovanni, 196
on disturbances in Florence, 202
on Charles VIII’s appearance, 204
on rumours about French intentions, 206
on the hanging of Miniati, 213
on collection of alms, 213
on Savonarola’s sermons, 214, 216
on the stabbing of his son, 216
on the new Signoria elected by the Twenty, 217
on people’s response to Savonarola’s preaching, 218
on the building of the Great Hall, 232
on an attempt to attack Savonarola, 233
on atmosphere during Carnival time in 1496, 247–8, 248–9
on exceptional rainfall, 252–3
on plague, 253, 279, 280, 285
on ‘French boils’, 253
on events in Livorno, 256
on corn prices, 259, 269, 280
on famine, 259, 266–7
on numbers attending Savonarola’s sermons, 267
on a friar’s preaching against Savonarola, 267
on false rumours about Piero de’ Medici, 269
on Piero’s approach, 270
on Piero’s departure, 271
on the fouling of cathedral pulpit, 274
on disturbances during Savonarola’s sermon, 275
on palio of Santa Barbara, 278–9
on the departure of Florentine inhabitants for the country, 280
on the fate of citizens accused of treachery, 282, 285
on the Signoria’s attendance at ceremony at San Marco, 291
on attendance at Savonarola’s sermons after his excommunication, 293, 294
on the ordeal by fire episode, 306, 313n, 317
on disturbances outside San Marco, 323, 326–7
on death of Valori, 326
on the atmosphere in Florence after imprisonment of Savonarola, 331
on torture of Savonarola and Fra Domenico, 332
on Savonarola’s protocol, 340–1
on scourging of Piagnoni, 347
on the erection of a scaffold, 358
on Savonarola’s execution, 363, 364
on the atmosphere in Florence after the execution, 368
brief references, 131, 329n, 336, 361n
La Sapienza, Florence, 153–4
Lazaro da Ticino, 122, 124
Leghorn see Livorno
Lenin, V. I., 249, 290, 370
Leo X, Pope see Medici, Giovanni d’ (son of Lorenzo the Magnificent)
Leonardo da Fivizzano, Fra, 267n, 277
Leonardo da Vinci, 2, 6, 30, 37, 170, 254n
The Last Supper, 6
Leoni, Piero, 122, 124, 129
Leonora d’Aragona, 57
Levant, 11, 65
Lightbown, Ronald, 300
Lippi, Fra Filippo, 12–13
Livorno (Leghorn), 187, 211, 256, 257, 271, 280
Locke, John, 287
Lombardy, 95
Lombardy Congregation, 153, 154, 160, 164, 171, 240, 242
Lombardy delegation, 158, 159–60
London, 16, 50, 65
branch of Medici bank, 11, 20, 63, 77, 78
Louis XI, King of France, 172, 173n
Louis XII, King of France, 348, 369
Louis XIV, King of France, 370
Low Countries, 15, 132, 140
Lucca, 116
Lucian, 181
Lucretius, 87
Ludovico da Ferrara, Fra, 254
Luschino, Fra Benedetto, 337
Luther, Martin, 229, 249, 370
Lyons branch of Medici bank, 197
see also Geneva–Lyons branch of Medici bank
Machiavelli, Niccolò, 3, 4, 15, 16, 19, 20, 25, 33, 60, 113, 128, 129, 130, 131, 178, 369
The Prince, 289
Maggi, Sebastian, 240, 242
Malatesta Sacramoro, Fra, 328–9, 332
Manetti, Giovanni, 319, 333
Mantua, 44, 52, 91–2
Manutius, Aldus, 299
Marciano, 84
Mariano da Genazzano, Fra, 107–10, 198, 221, 273, 276, 311, 315
Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, 370
Martin V, Pope, 278
Martines, Lauro, 36, 232, 233, 247, 284n, 294 and n, 318
Maruffi, Fra Silvestro, 311, 332, 345, 359–60, 361, 362–7
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, 255, 257, 258, 300, 301, 304
Mazzinghi, Domenico, 303, 304, 309, 322, 325–6, 341
Medici (née Orsini), Alfonsina de’, 80, 92, 138–9
Medici, Andrea de’, 281–6
Medici, Catherine de’, Queen of France, 370
Medici (née Orsini), Clarice de’, 25–6, 91
Medici, Cosimo de’
establishes Dowry Fund (Monte delle Doti), 116
imprisonment and exile, 11, 330
returns to Florence, 11
and political power and government, 11–12, 25, 27
and Medici bank, 11, 13, 16, 18–19
advice to Piero de’ Medici, 19, 25
anticipates departure of the Medici from Florence, 25, 77, 195
employs Ficino, 14
and monastery of San Marco, 54–5, 160
death, 15
Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici compared with, 173
brief references, 30, 65, 140
Medici, Fra Francesco de’, 324
Medici, Giovanni de’ (son of Lorenzo the Magnificent)
education, 8, 31, 94, 115
Lorenzo’s ambitions for, 8, 76–7, 79–80
career in Church furthered by Lorenzo’s efforts, 76–7, 79–80, 92, 93, 116
extravagance and debts, 115
becomes a cardinal, 118–20
Lorenzo writes letter to, 120–2
and choice of Caraffa to lead Florentine delegation, 155
lifestyle in Rome, 156
favours Cardinal della Rovere in papal elections, 157
and election of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, 157–8
returns to Florence, 158
not consulted by Piero about his switch in allegiance, 172
fails to rally support for Medici cause, 193
remains at Palazzo Medici after escape of Piero, 194
takes valuables from Palazzo Medici, 194–5, 199
escapes from Florence, 195, 196
delivers books and manuscripts to monastery of San Marco, 195–6
seeks support for Medici cause, 230
plans to raise mercenary army, 258
retakes Florence, 369
as Pope Leo X, 369
brief references, 197, 198, 332
Medici, Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’, 31, 63, 65–6, 132, 139–40, 174, 175, 176, 185, 189, 211, 270, 272–3
Medici, Giuliano de’, 13, 30, 31, 33, 34
Medici, Giuliano Mariotto de’, 84
Medici, Lorenzo de’, the Magnificent
birth, 11
early life and influences, 12, 13–15
poetry, 14, 23, 37–8, 91
character, 14–15
sent on his first missions by his father, 15
sent to Rome, 15–17
and Medici bank, 17, 18, 32, 63, 77, 78–9, 115
returns from Rome to political crisis in Florence, 18, 21
and the conspiracy against his father, 21, 23
and Lucrezia Donati, 23–4
marries Clarice Orsini, 25–6
becomes ruler of Florence, 26–7
tightens hold over electoral process, 27
travels to Rome for coronation of Sixtus IV, 27–8
jewel collection, 28, 114–15, 194–5, 272
ambitions for Medici family, 8, 28, 75–80, 92, 115, 124, 369–70
responds to situation in Volterra, 28–9
intellectual and artistic circle, 30–1, 68, 69, 80–1, 83, 93–4
and Poliziano, 30–1, 91–2, 124–5
takes Lorenzo and Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici to live in Palazzo Medici, 31–2
relationship with Sixtus IV deteriorates, 32
strikes at Pazzi family, 32–3
Pazzi conspiracy against, 33–4, 49
and the declaration of war against Florence, 34–5
succeeds in winning over the king and people of Naples, 35
and public money, 35–6, 64, 79, 92–3, 116–18
peace treaty with King Ferrante and Sixtus IV, 36
makes changes to Florence’s constitution, 36–7
known as Lorenzo the Magnificent, 3n, 37
leading role in Italy, 37
helps spread Renaissance through Italian states, 37
provides entertainments in Florence, 37–8
and monastery of San Marco, 55, 56
Savonarola’s first glimpse of, 55
attempts to deal with war between Venice and Ferrara, 57, 58, 59
commissions Pallas and the Centaur from Botticelli, 61
and the marriage of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco, 61
sends Lorenzo on diplomatic missions, 62
and the inheritance of Lorenzo and his brother, 63–4
Florence flourishes under rule of, 64–5
and the rift between two branches of Medici family, 65–6
and Pico della Mirandola, 68, 69, 83, 84–5, 89, 90, 93, 94
seeks to gain support of Innocent VIII, 75
sends his son Piero to Rome, 75–6
letter to Piero in Rome, 76
and his son Giovanni’s career in the Church, 76–7, 79–80, 92–3, 94, 115–16, 118, 119–20
and Piero’s marriage, 80, 92, 138–9
appoints Ficino as a canon of Florence Cathedral, 80
and religion, 91, 105
and death of his wife, 91
and Savonarola’s invitation to Florence, 8, 94
sends word to Savonarola about the content of his preaching, 102
decides against banishing Savonarola, 104
and banishment of Fra Bernardino da Feltre, 105
plans to undermine Savonarola’s reputation as a public speaker, 105, 107
and Fra Mariano da Genazzano, 107, 108–9
alluded to in Savonarola’s sermon, 110
irritated by Savonarola’s refusal to visit Palazzo Medici, 111
takes conciliatory course of action towards Savonarola, 111–12
realises need to assert his authority, 112
sends delegation of leading citizens to Savonarola, 113
Savonarola’s response to delegation from, 113–14
death predicted by Savonarola, 113–14
physical illness, 114–15, 119–20, 122
embezzlement of money from Dowry Fund, 116–18
and Savonarola’s 1492 Lenten sermons, 118
unable to attend Giovanni’s installation as cardinal, 119–20
letter of advice to Giovanni, 120–2
awareness of his sons’ characters, 120, 138, 273
physical condition deteriorates, 1–2, 122, 124
goes to Careggi, 122
and lightning bolt, 123
deathbed conversation with Piero, 124
face-to-face encounter with Savonarola, 7–8, 124–6
secret pact with Savonarola, 126, 141, 153, 180, 188, 195, 241
diplomatic skill, 2–3
Machiavelli’s assessment of, 3–4
and the future government of Florence, 5
and use of artists to further political aims, 6
death, 9, 128–30
body carried into Florence, 130
funeral, 130–1
succeeded by Piero, 137–8
brief references, 40, 50, 133, 134, 145, 156–7, 167, 170, 172, 185, 189, 198, 199, 231, 235, 236, 237, 245, 247, 267, 289, 347, 371
Medici (later, Popolani), Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ goes to live with Lorenzo the Magnificent, 31–2
marries Semiramide d’Appiano, 61
Lorenzo the Magnificent gives painting to, 61
Ficino and Poliziano speak highly of, 61–2
entrusted with diplomatic missions, 62
comes of age, 62–3
inheritance, 63–4
establishes successful trading enterprises, 65, 66, 132
avoids direct conflict with Lorenzo the Magnificent, 65–6
continues to mix with Lorenzo’s intellectual circle, 66
and Botticelli, 66, 67, 171, 182
makes fortune, 131–2
returns to Florence and begins to build political power-base, 140
Piero de’ Medici compared unfavourably with, 173
ability and popularity, 173
relationship with Piero deteriorates, 174
favours an alliance with Charles VIII, 174
makes contact with Charles VIII, 175
imprisonment, 175
banished from the city and held under house–arrest, 176
eludes house–arrest and goes to Charles VIII, 185
changes his name from Medici to Popolani, 212
becomes member of Council of Twenty, 216–17
continues to encourage art, 234–5
and Michelangelo, 235
Medici (née Tornabuoni), Lucrezia de’, 12–13, 25
Medici, Maddalena de’, 3, 92
Medici, Margherita de’, 84–5
Medici, Marie de’, Queen of France, 370
Medici, Pierfrancesco de’, 19, 21, 22, 31
Medici, Piero de’, the Gouty (father of Lorenzo the Magnificent)
as patron of the arts, 12
suffers from gout, 12
influenced by his wife, 13
becomes ruler of Florence, 15
sends Lorenzo on mi
ssions, 15, 17
advice to Lorenzo, 15, 16
aware of precariousness of his position, 18
and Medici bank, 16, 18–19, 20, 78
plot against, 21–3
finds aristocratic Roman bride for Lorenzo, 25
death, 26, 27
brief references, 30, 76, 120
Medici, Piero de’, the Unfortunate (son of Lorenzo the Magnificent)
education, 31, 138
sent to Rome by his father, 75–6
marries Alfonsina Orsini, 80, 92, 138–9
expected to be Lorenzo’s successor, 8, 115
and his father’s illness, 122
summoned to his father’s deathbed, 124
Savonarola agrees to support, 126
and death of Leoni, 129
Lorenzo succeeded as ruler by, 137–8
character, 138
makes new appointments, 139
dismissal of Soderini and Rucellai, 139, 140
relations with Lorenzo and Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici, 140, 174–6
and Savonarola, 141, 143, 153, 154, 160–1, 165, 166, 180–1, 188
and delegation to the Pope, 154, 155
pursues new foreign policy, 154, 171
and finances, 161
and Michelangelo, 170
Botticelli remains attached to, 170
and French preparations for invasion, 171–2
decision to switch allegiance from France, 172, 173
opinion turns against, 173, 174
refuses French request for safe conduct, 175–6
and Botticelli’s The Calumny of Apelles, 181, 182–3, 209, 210
Commines unimpressed by, 184
despatches Florentine mission to Charles VIII, 184
hires mercenaries to defend fortresses against the French, 185
presents himself to the French, 186
Charles VIII announces his demands to, 186–7
agrees to all French demands, 187
Florentine response to the deal made by, 189–90
returns to Florence, 191
meets with opposition, 192–3
escapes from Florence, 193–4
in exile, 196, 199
Signoria refuses French demand for reinstatement of, 205
and deaths of Poliziano and Pico della Mirandola, 210
Bigi plot for return of, 230, 233
seeks support for Medici cause, 230
makes plans to raise mercenary army, 258
rumours in Florence about, 269, 270
fails in attempt to return to power in Florence, 270–1
returns to Rome, 271–2
dissolute lifestyle, 272
turns against Francesco del Nero, 272
turns against his brother, 272–3
falls out with Lamberto dell’ Antella, 280
Dell’ Antella names citizens alleged to be plotting for return of, 281
and Ser Ceccone, 332
death, 369
brief references, 62, 119, 120, 121, 156, 158, 195, 197, 212, 216, 217, 226, 240, 243, 268, 276, 282, 338, 349