Cosimo’s political role in Florence
This article is the fourth episode of our series about the Medici dynasty. In this episode, we will be talking about Cosimo’s political role in Florence.
The third episode of Medici: Masters of Florence describes the new role of Cosimo and Lorenzo. Cosimo was now the head of the Medici family and the bank. However, his father Giovanni had advised him to carefully avoid a clash with other families in the quest for power. Giovanni was able to find the proper balance between the Medici own interest and other families.
The Medici brothers
When Giovanni died, his two sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo, had to share the responsibilities in the Medici bank. Cosimo was a partner in the bank with Lorenzo.
The two brothers had a different temper. Cosimo was smart and reflexive, and used a clever strategy to anticipate actions and the consequences. Lorenzo’s physical was stronger, and his actions, sometimes, were based on instinct. However, Cosimo had the last word both in the Bank strategy and in the Medici family, according to his father’s will.
Rinaldo degli Albizzi and Cosimo
Cosimo had to face a dangerous situation. The problem was that the Pazzi and the Albizzi families wanted to avoid that Cosimo could replace his father’s influential position inside the Signoria.
When Giovanni de’ Medici died, Rinaldo had to find an agreement with Cosimo. Rinaldo wanted to increase his family’s power, but Cosimo knew that his only option to increase the Medici role in Florence and to save his father’s heritage and the bank was to replace his father’s role in the Signoria.
The “Gonfaloniere di Giustizia”
The Signoria was managed by the representatives of every leading family in Florence. Messer Bernardo Guadagni is the Gonfaloniere, the head of the Signoria. In the Netflix fiction Guadagni is a Medici sponsor, somehow. However, according to the historical facts, he is actually connected with the Albizzi faction.
The Albizzi family, in particular, wanted to destroy Cosimo, as he was now leader of a Medici dynasty in Florence.
Albizzi was able to find a power ally into the Pazzi family, which tried to replace the Medici as bankers to the Pope, a very important role from a financial point of view.
In the next episode, we will be talking about the Cosimo de’ Medici and his role in the Medici family.
Written by Sergio Porrini, Next-Generation Virtual Reality Expert & ItaliaLiving.com Contributor.
The Magi Chapel pictures are courtesy of Virtualiter.net.
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