The House Of Medici

by Christopher Hibbert

  Medici, Cosimo di Giovanni de’, Pater Patriae (1389–1464), 32; imprisoned, 19, 50, 51, 200; education, 37; and humanism, 37–8; his personality, 38, 41; his marriage, 38, 39; and his slave-girl, 39–40; and war with Lucca, 42–3; his friends, 44, 45–7; and Filelfo, 48; and the Albizzi plot, 48, 49–52; commissions a library for San Giorgio Maggiore, 54; in exile, 54–5; returns to Florence, 58; banishes his enemies, 58–9; in politics, 59–60, 61–3; his unostentatious behaviour, 60, 73; Vespasiano da Bisticci on, 60, 97–8; Pius II on, 63; Guicciardini on, 63; and Council of Florence, 64, 65–6; his interest in philosophy, 68–9; and Ficino, 68–9, 77; his library, 69, 88; a generous patron, 69, 71, 73; and Brunelleschi, 70; and Ghiberti’s reliquary, 70; his munificence, 73–4; his new palazzo, 75–6; his love of country life, 77; and his villas, 77, 78, 316; and Florence’s foreign policy, 79, 82–6; and Francesco Sforza, 82; the Venetian ambassador on, 85; and Calixtus III, 86, 157; the banker, 86–8, 104, 129: and Pius II, 88; and Donatello, 91, 92; and Filippo Lippi, 93–4; his respect for artists, 94; and Fra Angelico, 94; on painters, 94; in old age, 94–5, 96; and his grandson, 96; death of, 97; his funeral, 98, 101–2; memorial to, 98, 319; in the Magi pageant, III; Gozzoli and, III; Savonarola and, 180; Leo X on, 261; Novices’ Chapel, Santa Croce, 313; and Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi, 320; and Luca Pitti, 328; statue to, 331; and the old sacristy of San Lorenzo, 317

  Medici, Cosimo di Ferdinando de’, later Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1642–1723), his temperament, 287; his appearance, 288, 292, 297; his marriage, 288–9, 290, 291, 294–5, 328; in Il Mondo Festeggiante, 289; travels abroad, 292; economic problems, 293, 296; a bigot, 297–8, 306; punishment under, 298; levies taxes, 298-9, 307; and Grand Prince Ferdinand, 301; worried and ill, 303–4; and the Tuscan succession, 305; his religious zeal, 305–6; death of, 306; and the Villa Medici, 318; and the Cathedral façade, 324; and the Villa Ambrogiana, 333

  Medici, Cosimo di Giovanni de’, later Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1519–74), 312; elected to power in Florence, 257–8; Cellini on, 258; and his father, 261–2; his appearance, 262; his childhood, 262; his nature, 262–3, 267–8, 270; Varchi on, 263; and the Fuorosciti, 263–4; and Charles V, 264; his marriages, 264, 273; his ruthlessness, 264–5; his ambition, 265–6; Grand Duke, 266; creates the Florentine navy, 266–7; his pleasures, 267; and his wife, 269, 272; the children of, 269; and the death of his daughter, 269–70; his austerity, 270; attempted assassinations of, 270–1; and his son Francesco, 272; his mistresses, 272–3; death of, 273; his achievements, 273–4; and his daughter-in-law, 275; Giambologna’s equestrian statue of, 280, 331; and the Giardino dei Semplici, 315; and his villas, 316, 330; and the lions of Florence, 327; Pitti Palace altered for, 328; his Landsknechte, 329

  Medici, Don Giovanni de’, illegitimate son of Cosimo I, 324

  Medici, Eleonora de’, daughter of Don Garzia of Toledo (1556–76), 277

  Medici, Eleonora de’, née Eleonora Toledo (1522–62), 264, 268–9, 271, 272, 328

  Medici, Eleonora de’, née Gonzaga, 304

  Medici, Ferdinando di Cosimo de’, Cardinal, later Ferdinando I, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1549–1609), Grand Duke, 279–80; his lavish expenditure, 280; wedding celebrations for, 280–1; and Ponte Vecchio, 312; his arms, 313; and Santa Trinità, 328; and Bianca Capelle, 329; and Villa Medici, Rome, 330; erects monuments in Piazza Santa Trinità, 331

  Medici, Ferdinando di Cosimo de, later Ferdinando II, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1610–70), and Galileo, 282, 317; his appearance, 283; his temperament, 283, 285; and Del Cimento, 284; his interest in mosaic, 285; and his brother Gian Carlo, 286; and his son Cosimo, 287, 288; and Marguerite-Louise, 290, 291; death of, 293; and the Grand Ducal Library, 332

  Medici, Ferdinando di Cosimo de’, Grand Prince (1663–1713), 290, 300–1, 304, 320

  Medici, Filigno di Conte de’, 31

  Medici, Filippo di Francesco de’, 275

  Medici, Francesco di Cosimo de’, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1541–87), 269; his nature and appearance, 275; and his mistress, 275, 276; his second marriage, 276; and his brother Pietro, 277; his interests, 278; and Palazzo della Signoria, 312

  Medici, Francesco Maria di Ferdinando de’, Cardinal (1660–1710), 299–300, 304

  Medici, Garzia di Cosimo de’ (1547–62), 269, 272

  Medici, Gian Carlo di Cosimo de’, Cardinal (1611–63), 286, 332

  Medici, Gian Gastone di Cosimo de’, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1671–1737), birth of, 293; his marriage, 302–3; his unhappiness, 303; returns to Florence, 304–5; Grand Duke, 307; his disreputable behaviour, 308–9; death of, 309, 310

  Medici, Ginevra de’, née degli Albizzi, 96

  Medici, Ginevra de’, née Cavalcanti, 43

  Medici, Giovanni di Bicci de’ (1360–1429), his personality, 31–2, 40; his appearance, 31; in public life, 32; his business, 33, 34, 35; and John XXIII, 34, 36; and Martin V, 36; and his son Cosimo, 38, 44; advice to his sons, 40–1; a generous patron, 69, 71; and the Baptistery bronze doors, 70; his cornelian cameo, 70; his funeral, 98; his tomb, 317; his sarcophagus, 319

  Medici, Giovanni di Cosimo de’ (1421–63), 39, 101; and Villa Belcanto, 77–8; and his father, 95; character and appearance, 95; public servant, 95; his slave-girl, 95–6; death of, 96; his tomb, 112, 321; and Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi, 320

  Medici, Giovanni di Cosimo de’ (1543–62), 269

  Medici, Giovanni di Giovanni de’, called Giovanni delle Bande Nere (1498–1526), 242, 257, 261–2, 263

  Medici, Giovanni di Lorenzo de’, later Pope Leo X, q.v. (1475–1521), his education, 145; and his father, 147; and his brother, 187; flees from Florence, 187; his early preferment, 202–3; his appearance, 203; his nature, 203, 217; advice from his father, 204–5; travels abroad, 205; his pleasures, 206; Julius II impressed by, 208; military matters, 209–10, 212, 214; returns to Florence, 215–16; ill, 216; Pope, 217

  Medici, Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’, 115, 178, 185, 187

  Medici, Giuliano di Lorenzo de’, Duke of Nemours (1478–1516), his personality, 206, 216, 219; enters Florence, 215; Gonfaloniere of the Church, 219; his marriage, 219; created Duke, 222; his death, 223; his bastard, 236; his tomb, 240, 326

  Medici, Giuliano di Piero de’ (1453–78), 102; Botticelli and, 109, 320, 322; Gozzoli and, 111; and Clarice Orsini, 117; delights in festivities, 120–1; his giostra, 121–2; and the Pazzi Conspiracy, 133–7; assassinated, 138; his illegitimate son, 144; his tomb, 240, 326; and Gozzoli’s fresco, 321

  Medici, Giulio de’, illegitimate son of Alessandro de’ Medici, 257, 266

  Medici, Giulio de’, illegitimate son of Giuliano di Piero; later Pope Clement VII, q.v. (1478–1534), 237; his birth, 144; flees to Venice, 187; and his cousin Giovanni di Lorenzo, 205, 206; and Albizzi, 212; and Francis I, 220, 222; Leo X and, 232–3; Guicciardini on, 233; and election of Adrian VI, 238; his mode of living, 239; Pope, 239

  Medici, Guccio de’, 30, 90

  Medici, Ippolito de’, illegitimate son of Giuliano di Lorenzo, 239, 262; his birth, 223, 236; his unpopularity, 248; created cardinal, 252; and Alessandro, 252–3, 254; death of, 254

  Medici, Isabella di Cosimo de’, see Orsini, Isabella

  Medici, Joanna de’, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, formerly Archduchess of Austria, 275, 276, 312

  Medici, Leopoldo di Cosimo de’, Cardinal (1617–75), 284–5, 328, 332

  Medici, Lorenzaccio di Pierfrancesco de’, also called Lorenzino (1514–47), 255–6, 265

  Medici, Lorenzo de’, illegitimate son of Cosimo I, 266

  Medici, Lorenzo di Giovanni de’ (1395–1440), 32, 43; and the Albizzi anti-Medicean plot, 52; returns to Florence, 58; and the Council of Florence, 66; Gozzoli and, III; and Villa of Careggi, 316

  Medici, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’, 178, 185, 187, 323

  Medici, Lorenzo di Piero de’, called Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449–92), 102, 212, 257, 274; his appearance, 103, 113; his education, 103; on diplomatic missions, 103; and the anti-Medici plot, 105–6; Bott
icelli and, 109; Gozzoli and, III; his happy temperament, 113; his enjoyment of life, 114, 118; his versatility, 114; his marriage, 114, 115; his wedding celebrations, 116–18; his delight in festivities, 120–1, 216; patron of artists, writers and scholars, 122, 164–8, 170, 322, 323; Poliziano on, 122, 174; and public office, 123, 125; respect for, 124; and Volterra, 125–7; the banker, 129, 158–9; and Sixtus IV, 129–30, 148, 150, 159; and the Pazzi Conspiracy, 131–8, 140; wax effigies of, 142–3, 315; and his children, 144, 162; and his wife, 145–7; relationships with women, 146–7; the Signoria on, 149; and the defence of Florence, 150–1; his mission to Naples, 152–5; his generosity, 155; his authority and influence, 156–7, 160, 162; and Innocent VIII, 161–2, 202–3; his prestige, 162–3; connoisseur of architecture, 168; collector, 169; poet, 170–2; dying, 172–4; death of, 174; and Savonarola, 181, 182; and his son Giovanni, 202–5; his tomb, 240, 326; Verrocchio’s fountain, 275; and Poggio a Caiano, 314; and Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi, 320; Filippo Strozzi and, 323–4

  Medici, Lorenzo di Piero de’, Duke of Urbino (1492–1519), 202, 212; and the election of Leo X, 217; the Pope’s representative in Florence, 219; and Francis I, 220; his new title, 220; takes Urbino and assumes title, 224; Leo X and, 232; marriage and death of, 235; his unpopularity, 236; his bastard, 236; his tomb, 240, 326

  Medici, Lucrezia de’, née Tornabuoni, 123; poet, 102, 170; wife and mother, 102; and Botticelli, 109; on Clarice Orsini, 114–15; at Lorenzo’s wedding banquet, 117; and Lorenzo, 123; Poliziano confides in, 145; and Bagno a Morba, 172; portrayed by Ghirlandaio, 319

  Medici, Lucrezia di Cosimo de, see Ferrara, Lucrezia d’Este, Duchess of

  Medici, Lucrezia di Lorenzo de’, see Salviati, Lucrezia

  Medici, Lucrezia di Piero de’, see Rucellai, Lucrezia

  Medici, Luigia di Lorenzo de’, 115

  Medici, Maddalena di Lorenzo de’, see Cibò, Maddalena

  Medici, Margaret de’, later Margaret of Parma, 251, 255, 264

  Medici, Marguerite-Louise de’, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, née Marguerite-Louise of Orléans (1645–1721), her reluctance to marry, 288; and Ferdinand III, 288–9; and the crown jewels, 289; bored and unhappy, 289–91; pregnancy and illness, 290, 291, 293; her indiscreet behaviour, 290, 294, 296; and her mother-in-law, 293; asks for a separation, 294; retires to a French convent, 295–6

  Medici, Maria de’, née Salviati, 257, 261, 263, 269

  Medici, Maria di Cosimo de’, 269

  Medici, Maria di Francesco de’, see Marie de Medici, Queen of France

  Medici, Maria di Piero de’, see Rossi, Maria

  Medici, Maria Maddalena de’, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, formerly Archduchess of Austria, 282, 283, 332

  Medici, Mario Bartolommeo de’, 55

  Medici, Mattias di Cosimo de’, Prince (1613–67), 285–6, 290, 332

  Medici, Piccarda de, née Bueri, 32

  Medici, Pierfrancesco di Giovanni de’, 115, 159, 255

  Medici, Piero di Cosimo de’ (1414–69), birth, 39; Accoppiatori, 63; his poor health, 95, 101; on his father, 97; and his father’s monument, 98; his appearance and character, 101; the banker, 101–2, 104; and Ficino, 103; and the plot against the Medici, 105–6; and government of Florence, 107; his munificence, 107; Filarete on, 107; friend and patron of artists, 107–12; Botticelli’s Fortitude, 109–10; his tomb, 112, 321; and Donatello’s Judith Slaying Holofernes, 319; and San Miniato al Monte, 320; and Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi, 320

  Medici, Piero di Lorenzo de’ (1471–1503), 135, 173, 212; and his father, 174; his appearance, 177; his temperament, 177–8; and his cousins, 178; and the French invasion, 184, 185; and Charles VIII, 186; flees to Venice, 187; hopes to reinstate himself, 201; death of, 202; his tomb, 324–5

  Medici, Pietro di Cosimo de’, 269, 277

  Medici, Salvestro de’, 31

  Medici, Vieri di Cambio de’, 34

  Medici, Violante Beatrice de’, née Princess Violante Beatrice of Bavaria, 301, 304, 308, 320

  Medici, Vittoria de’, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, née Della Rovere, 287, 293

  Melani, Jacopo, 289

  Mercenaries (see also Condottieri), 42, 56, 125, 126 139

  Michelangelo, prop. Michelangiolo Buonarroti (1475–1564), 168; on Ghiberti’s bronze doors, 71; ‘kneeling windows’, 76; his history, 165; and Lorenzo the Magnificent, 166; and Savonarola, 181; and Julius II, 207, 229; Leo X and, 229, 240; Clement VII commissions, 240; Biblioteca Laurenziana, 240, 326; and the defences of Florence, 249–50; his tomb, 312; and the Palazzo Medici, 318; his early work, 322; and the new sacristy at San Lorenzo, 326; his David, 326; and the commission for a Hercules, 327; and the Boboli Gardens, 328; his compasses, 331; his papers, 332

  Michelozzi, Michelozzo di Bartolommeo (1396–1472), and San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, 54, 315; monastery of San Marco, 74; Cosimo Pater Patriae commissions, 75; and Palazzo Medici, 75, 76; and the Medici villas, 77, 95, 315, 316; and Medici bank in Milan, 87; and the pageant of the Magi, III; and Palazzo della Signoria, 312; and the Novices’ Chapel, Santa Croce, 313, 317; and the tomb of John XXIII, 316; and the tabernacle of Santissima Annunziata, 320

  Milan, Medici bank in, 87, 158; artists in, 167, 168; printing presses in, 169; Cardinal Giovanni in, 209; French troops occupy, 220; fall of, 238

  Milan, Duchy of, government of, 27; Florence and, 42, 79–80, 83, 84, 106, 130, 149, 151; battle of Imola, 55; Venice and Naples declare war on, 84; Duke of Orléans and, 194; Spaniards and, 219; Francis I and, 222; Charles V and, 237

  Milan, Dukes of, see the Sforzas and Visconti, Filippo Maria

  Mino da Fiesole, 331

  Mirandola, Pico della, see Pico della Mirandola, Count Giovanni

  Moncada, Don Ugo di, 241

  Montaigne, Michel Eyquem de (1533–92), 276

  Monte Cassino Abbey, 202, 324–5

  Montefeltro, Federigo da, see Urbino, Federigo Montefeltro, Duke of

  Montesquieu, Charles, Baron de la Brède et de, 279

  Montpensier, Anne-Marie-Louise d’Orléans, Duchesse de, called Mademoiselle, 292

  Morello, the horse of Lorenzo the Magnificent, 114

  Museums and galleries,

  Galleria dell’ Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, 325

  Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, 325

  Metropolitan Museum, New York, 330

  Musée de Sèvres, 330

  Musée du Louvre, Paris, 320, 330

  Museo degli Argenti, 328

  Museo dell’ Accademia, 319, 326

  Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo, 320

  Museo dell’ Opera di Santa Croce, 315, 321

  Museo Horne, 313

  Museo Nazionale, 313

  Museo Nazionale di Storia della Scienza, 331

  National Gallery, London, 315, 320

  Pallavicini collection, Rome, 325

  Uffizi, look under Florence

  Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 320, 330

  Naples, 34, 87, 158, 169

  Naples and Sicily, Kingdom of, strife in, 27–8; Sforza a condottiere for, 81; Florentines expelled from, 83; France and, 84, 183, 186; declares war on Florence and Milan, 84; and Florence, 106, 150, 152, 155; Orsini estates in, 116; Lorenzo the Magnificent’s mission to, 152–5; Sixtus IV and, 159; Charles VIII in, 193; Spain and, 208; Leo X’s plans for, 219; Francis I and, 222

  Napoleon I, Emperor of France, 330

  Nardi, Jacopo, 213, 254

  Nasi, Bartolommea dei, 146

  Nemours, Duchess of, see Philiberte of Savoy, Princess

  Nemours, Duke of, see Medici, Giuliano di Lorenzo de’

  Neroni, Dietisalvi, 104, 105, 106, 124

  Niccoli, Niccolò, his personality and interests, 44–5; and Bracciolini, 45, 46; Bruni disapproves of, 46; and Traversari, 47; and Filelfo, 47, 48; his books, 69; and Dante’s poetry, 171

  Nocera, Bishop of, 244

  Nori, Francesco, 137, 138

  Orange, Philibert, Prince of (r. 1502–30), 242, 244, 250

  Orca
gna, Andrea, prop. Andrea di Cione (c. 1308–68), 314

  Orléans, Henri de Valois, Duke of, later Henry II, King of France (1519–59), his marriage, 252

  Orsanmichele, church of, commerce in the neighbourhood of, 20; Ghiberti’s St Matthew for, 73, 317; Donatello’s work commissioned for, 90; historical note on, 312; Ghiberti’s bronzes in, 317

  Orsini family, 116–17, 149

  Orsini, Alfonsina, see Medici, Alfonsina de’

  Orsini, Clarice, see Medici, Clarice de’

  Orsini, Isabella, née Medici, Isabella di Cosimo de’, 269, 273, 277

  Orsini, Jacopo, 114

  Orsini, Paolo, 184

  Orsini, Paolo Giordano, 269, 277–8

  Orsini, Rinaldo, Archbishop of Florence, 130

  Orsini, Troilo, 277

  Orvieto, episcopal palace of, 247

  Pageants, see Festivals

  Palazzi,

  Alessandri, 117

  Altoviti, 314

  Antinori, 330

  Bardi, 39, 58, 75

  Bellini, 280, 331

  Capponi, 313

  Corsini, 314

  Davanzati, 313

  degli Acciaiuoli, 315

  dei Giudici, 330, 331

  della Signoria (later renamed Palazzo Vecchio, q.v.), Cosimo Pater Patriae in, 19, 49, 51, 58, 83; Alberghettino, 15, 19, 200; Priori live in, 26; the Vacca, 27, 50, 57, 139, 186, 254; Albizzi plans to attack, 55–6; Soderini at, 104; and festival of St John the Baptist, 120; Princess Eleonora of Naples at, 121; and the Pazzi conspiracy, 138–40, 141; Piero di Lorenzo at, 186; the bonfire of vanities opposite, 192; celebrations for the election of Leo X, 218; re-named, 257; historical note on, 312; Donatello’s works in, 318; Michelangelo’s David in front of, 326

  Ferranti, 66