Medici

Question 1

December 1469

Answer 1

Death of Piero de Medici and delegation of leading Florentines led by Tommaso Soderini come to ask Lorenzo to lead the city.

Question 2

1449

Answer 2

Lorenzo de Medici born

Question 3

Clarice Orsini

Answer 3

Picked by Piero to marry Lorenzo. Roman woman of wealthy family that had sizeable private army. Orsini were also regularly appointed cardinals.

Question 4

1470

Answer 4

Armed invasion of Prato, 10 miles from Florence, led by Bernardo Nardi. Mayor Cesare Petrucci summons militia and hangs conspirators.

Question 5

Florin

Answer 5

Florence’s banking supremacy, and the trustworthiness of its bankers, led to the city’s currency becoming an institution. As early as 1252 Florence had issued the fiorino d’oro, containing fifty-four grains of gold, which became known as the florin. Owing to its unchanging gold content (a rarity in coins of the period), and its use by Florentine bankers, the florin became accepted during the fourteenth century as a standard currency throughout Europe. This was a considerable advantage to bankers, who otherwise had to deal with flexible exchange rates between a range of different coinages.

Question 6

Ghibellines

Answer 6

Noble families

Question 7

Guelfs

Answer 7

Wealthy merchants and popolo minuto (general public or working class)

Question 8

Ciompi Revolt

Answer 8

1378. Wool workers and artisans led a revolt demanding to form their own guilds so they could vote. Salvestro de medici threw open the prisons but was overtaken by the rioters and replaced by Micele di Lando. Lasted two years before Lando and Medici teamed up to call out militia and put down revolt.

Question 9

1296

Answer 9

Ardingo de’ Medici became the first member of the family to be chosen as gonfaloniere.

Question 10

1298

Answer 10

Leading Sienese banking family the Bonsignori goes bankrupt after lending to royalty. Florentines took over banking.

Question 11

1340

Answer 11

Europe suffered an economic depression, and King Robert of Naples and Edward III of England were unable to repay their debts and simply reneged on them. As a result, the three leading banking families in Florence went bankrupt in quick succession.

Question 12

1388

Answer 12

Salvestro de Medici dies and Vieri Medici takes over.

Question 13

Giovannia di Bicci de Medici

Answer 13

B 1360. Takes over after Vieri dies.

Question 14

1360

Answer 14

Giovanni di Bicci de Medici born. Inherits family fortunes after Vieri dies in 1395.

Question 15

October 1 1397

Answer 15

Giovanni di Bicci establishes head office in Florence, the banking capital of Europe. Initial capital 10,000 florins, earning 10%

Question 16

Prudence and circumspection

Answer 16

Apart from financing another wool workshop in 1408, this was to be the limit of the Medici Bank’s expansion during the first twenty years…the Medici made their money through caution and efficiency.

Question 17

1414

Answer 17

Council of Constance called by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund to end the Great Schism. Cosimo attended to watch over John XXIII.

Question 18

1417

Answer 18

Great Schism ended. Martin V elected new pope and other Anti-Popes deposed, including John XXIII, client of Medici, who was imprisoned and held ransom of 35,000 florins. Ransom paid by Giovanni di Bicci.

Question 19

September 1420

Answer 19

Pope Martin V leaves Florence for Rome and starts banking with the Spini.

Question 20

Baldassare Cossa’s Tomb

Answer 20

Giovanni hired Donatello and architect Michelozzo to create his tomb. Allowed inscription to say, “John XXIII formerly pope,” which enraged sitting pope Martin.

Question 21

1421 (giovanni)

Answer 21

Giovanni di Bicci elected Gonfaloniere for first time over objections from rival families

Question 22

1424

Answer 22

Spini family goes bankrupt, allowing Medici to become bankers to Pope Martin V.

Question 23

1419 (Art)

Answer 23

Giovanni di Bicci in charge of the public committee that commissioned the building of the Ospedale degli Innocenti. Hires Brunelleschi, whose portico is regarded as the first piece of Renaissance architecture.

Question 24

1422 (war)

Answer 24

Filippo Maria Visconti, the Duke of Milan, signed a peace treaty with Florence so that Milan could attack Genoa. Instead, conflict spiraled into a 5-year war that nearly bankrupt Florence. Leads to catasto (property tax) replacing estimo (income tax) system.

Question 25

Catasto system

Answer 25

Instituted to pay for Milan war. Based on the citizen’s entire wealth, which would be declared in a public register, rather than merely income. Popular with the people because wealthy paid more in taxes.

Question 27

1433

Answer 27

Cosimo exiled by an Albizi coup to Padua

Question 28

5 October 1433

Answer 28

Cosimo de’ Medici exiled