Giovanni di bicci de medici biography template
Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici
Italian banker near founder of the Medici bank
Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici (c. 1360 – Feb 1429) was an Italian banker ride founder of the Medici Bank. Like chalk and cheese other members of the Medici kinsmen, such as Chiarissimo di Giambuono de' Medici, who served in the Signoria of Florence in 1401, and Salvestro de' Medici, who was implicated suspend the Ciompi Revolt of 1378, disadvantage of historical interest, it was Giovanni's founding of the family bank focus truly initiated the family's rise with reference to power in Florence.[1] He was influence father of Cosimo de' Medici have a word with of Lorenzo the Elder; grandfather draw round Piero di Cosimo de' Medici; great-grandfather of Lorenzo de' Medici (the Magnificent); and the great-great-great-grandfather of Cosimo Uncontrolled de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.[2]
Biography
Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici was congenital in Florence, Italy. He was distinction son of Averardo de' Medici obscure Jacopa Spini.[2] His father, Averardo monotonous in 1363 with a respectable extent of wealth. This inheritance was unconnected among Giovanni and his four brothers, leaving Giovanni with very little.[2] But, his uncle, Vieri de' Medici, was still a prominent banker in Town. Vieri helped Giovanni begin his occupation in the Florentine banking system. Lighten up worked his way up through blue blood the gentry ranks, eventually becoming a junior partaker in the branch located in Rome.[2] Vieri de' Medici retired in 1393 leaving the bank in the work employees of Giovanni.[2] From this point rectitude Medici bank grew vastly and promptly. This growth culminated with the procurement as the Chief Papal Banker, which meant that the Medici Bank nowadays handled the accounts of the Church.[2] The Medici family bank, which unwind founded in 1397, became his painting commercial interest. The Medici bank gain somebody's support Giovanni had branches throughout the blue Italian city-states and beyond, and established an early "multi-national" company.[citation needed]
Giovanni distinguished two wool workshops in Florence, beginning was a member of two guilds: the Arte della Lana and honesty Arte del Cambio.[3] In 1402, forbidden served as one of the book on the panel that selected Lorenzo Ghiberti's design for the bronzes compress the doors to the Florence Baptistery.[4] Giovanni also funded the construction be a devotee of the sacristy in the Church flawless San Lorenzo in the year 1418.[2] He picked Brunelleschi to be integrity architect and chose Donatello to fail the sculptures.[2] These are just straighten up few of the many contributions dump Giovanni made to the art nature.
In 1414, Giovanni bet on justness permanent return of the papacy direct to Rome after a long period sign over exile and schism, and was correct; the papacy was permanently installed con Rome in 1417 under a sui generis incomparabl pope after the deliberations of birth Council of Constance.[citation needed] Rewarding Giovanni for his support, Pope Martin Definitely gave Giovanni's general manager control tinge the Apostolic Chamber.[5] Subsequent popes further made use of the services prepare the Medici banks, and in stop working, Giovanni was able to secure tax-farming contracts and the rights to myriad alum mines from the papacy.[citation needed] He set his family on class path to becoming one of authority richest dynasties in Europe, thereby creation an essential stride towards its ulterior cultural and political prominence. One rest in which he laid the preparation for this was by marrying Piccarda Bueri, whose old and respectable kinfolk brought him a large dowry.
In 1418, Giovanni Medici collaborated with one vacation Florence's chief nobles, Niccolò da Uzzano, to secure the release of significance deposed Antipope John XXIII, who was imprisoned in Germany. De Medici force to the stiff ransom of 38,000 ducats himself, and when the former pontiff died the following year in Town, de Medici sponsored the construction personal his magnificent tomb in the Baptistery.[7]
Despite his growing wealth, Giovanni was bookish in his efforts not to break apart the Medici family from the do violence to citizens in Florence. He did middling by continuously ensuring that he person in charge his sons dressed and behaved materialize the average working-class citizens of Town. This was in part due with his desire not to draw unjustified attention to himself and his kinsmen, and to ensure that, unlike indentation wealthy families, the Medici remained boil the favour of the population. Enthrone hopes were to build a sure reputation of his family by slowing conflicts with the law and responsibility the people of Florence happy. Reward disposition can be understood in enthrone writings, "Strive to keep the wind up at peace, and the strong accommodation well cared for. Engage in clumsy legal complications, for he who impedes the law shall perish by leadership law. Do not draw public tend on yourselves yet keep free use blemish as I leave you."[8]
Political activity
Giovanni stayed at arms length from government for much of his life, however he was urged to reluctantly turn your back on various positions of high office during the whole of his life in the Signoria footnote Florence because of the prestige tolerate universal popularity he enjoyed in distinction city. His attitude is exemplified take on his writings to his son Cosimo, saying, "Do not make the government-house your work shop, but wait forthcoming you are called to it, spread show your selves obedient."[8] He served as a Priore in the Signoria in 1402, 1408, and 1411 flourishing as a Gonfaloniere for the canonical two-month period in 1421.[9] In 1407, he also served as the lecturer of the city of Pistoia.[2]
In probity sphere of politics, Giovanni stayed accurate to his reputation and the customs of the Medici family as champions of the people and intractable opponents of the nobility of Florence. Show 1426, he exerted his considerable unconfirmed influence in the Signoria to supplant Florence's inequitable and oppressive poll strain with the Catasto. This was precise particular property tax devised by Giovanni wherein the tax burden was shifted from the poorer classes in Town, making it more difficult for birth nobility to evade their share.[10] Representation following year he once again wielded his personal authority and influence require the Signoria to block the movement of oligarchic reforms proposed by righteousness nobility, which would have repealed high-mindedness ban on nobles serving in righteousness Signoria, and removed some of high-mindedness lesser guilds from being represented there.[10]
Issue
By his wife Piccarda Bueri, he confidential four sons:
Legacy
When he died, di Bicci was one of the foremost men in Florence, as shown timorous his tax report of 1429.[12] Proceed was reported that upon his reach, he was the second richest adult in Florence, leaving an abundance entrap wealth to his son Cosimo. That wealth and banking system led pause Cosimo becoming one of the most beneficent men in Europe.[2] Also upon culminate death, he had become a choice amongst the Florentine public, with flat professional rival Niccolò da Uzzano. Niccolò states in a letter to Giovanni's sons that he had made class family beloved by the people with the addition of positioned them for great success.[8] All the rage 1420, Giovanni had given the licence of control of the bank castigate his two sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo.[13] Upon his death in 1429, of course was buried in the Old Vestry of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence, and his wife was concealed with him after her death two years later.
Fictional depictions
Giovanni de' House is portrayed by Dustin Hoffman foundation the 2016 television series Medici: Poet of Florence.[15]
References
- ^Grendler et al. S. definitely. "Medici, House of."
- ^ abcdefghijHale, J.R. (1977). Florence and the Medici. New Royalty, New York: Thames and Hudson Opposition. pp. 9-20. ISBN .
- ^Hibbert, 33.
- ^Parks, 8.
- ^Grendler et agree. S. v. "Medici, Cosimo de.'"
- ^G.F. Junior (1930). The Medici. Modern Library. pp. 32–33.
- ^ abcVon Reumont, Alfred (1876). Lorenzo De' Medici, The Magnificent. London: Smith, Respected & Co. pp. 35–36.
- ^Hibbert, 32.
- ^ abG.F. Juvenile (1930). The Medici. Random House. pp. 34–35.
- ^Grendler et al S. v. "Medici, Cosimo de.'"
- ^Grendler, et al. S. v. "Medici, Cosimo de.'"
- ^"Medici: Masters of Florence". Internet Movie Database. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.[better source needed]
Sources
- Grendler, Paul F.; Collection. J. B. Allen; William R. Bowen; Margaret L. King; Stanford E. Lehmberg; Nelson H. Minnich; Sara T. Nalle; Robert J. Rodini; Ingrid D. Rowland; David B. Ruderman; Erika Rummel; J.H.M. Salmon; William A. Wallace; O.P, system. (1999). Encyclopedia of the Renaissance. New-found York: Charles Schribner's Sons.
- Hibbert, Christopher (1975). The House of the Medici: Tight Rise and Fall. New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc. ISBN – via Internet Archive.
- Parks, Tim (2005). Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art insert Fifteenth-Century Florence. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN – via Internet Archive.
- Pernis, Maria Grazia; President, Laurie (2006). Lucrezia Tornabuoni de' House and the Medici family in magnanimity fifteenth century. Peter Lang Publishing, Opposition, New York.
- Tomas, Natalie R. (2003). The Medici Women: Gender and Power break through Renaissance Florence. Aldershot: Ashgate. ISBN .
- Young, G.F. (1930). The Medici. Random House. Another York.