The Medici family was part of the patrician class, not the nobility, and through much of its history the family was seen as the friends of the common people. They did many incredible acts, such as spending money on their city, and making it the most powerful state in Italy as well as the world's most beautiful city. Florence beca

Piero de Medici (1416-1469) was nicknamed il Gottoso, meaning the gouty, due to his ill health and ruled for just a few years but continued his father's policies while enjoying the support of the populace. Although Piero was by no means incompetent, he lacked his father's judgment and got into trouble by calling in loans in order to buy real estate. This action caused distress among rich depositors in the Medici bank the Pitti, who joined with other important families in forming the Poggia conspiracy, sending bands of thugs into Florence to assassinate Piero. Once again Florence faced civil war, but Piero showed energy and political acumen. By means of gifts, promises, and threats, he persuaded a large contingent of the Poggia party to join his own. Another crisis of Piero was the outbreak of war in 1467, pitting Florence, Milan, and Naples against Venice and her allies. Actually, it ended comically: the opposing mercenary armies became tired of fighting and fell asleep in their tracks on the battlefield, while the opposing captains visited each other to gossip about the days events! Piero died in 1469 leaving tow sons, Lorenzo and Giuliano. (Canfield, 11)

In 1512, Cardinal Giovanni met the principal foreign powers in Mantua to try to work out a peace settlement for the whole peninsula and at this conference he obtained military backing for the return of the Medici family to Florence. (Canfield, 17)

The Medici had not, as a rule excelled themselves as politicians or administrators. They had not greatly influenced the evolution of their times, on every scientific and artistic movement of their age. The Medici's last magnificent gesture to Florence, which they had ruled for such a very long time, was the priceless treasure that Gian Gastone's sister, the Archduchess Anna Maria Ludovica, bestowed upon their city. She inherited from Gian Gastone the immense fortune of the Medici and the vast collections of works of art that had been assembled from Giovanni di Bicci's day to hers. When she died in 1743, she divided her fortune between her various relatives, friends, and servants. Her will was stipulated that all the works of art, all the paintings, sculpture, books, furniture, silverware, stoneware, clothing, medallions, tapestries, and pottery, should become part of the patrimony of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. (Brion, 204) She further stipulated that this inheritance would be valid only if the masterpieces remained in Florence and were made accessible to people from every country. Thus the old Renaissance Florence was assured of remaining one of the world's most important art centers. (Canfield, 23) To which countless admirers would make pilgrimages from every corner of the earth, there to pay homage and contemplate the diverse manifestations of beauty in the City of the Lily. (Brion, 204)

Giovanni, who had inherited a fortune, was a wise, discreet businessman; modest, and generous, he lacked worldly ambition. He spent vast sums on his city, commissioning Brunelleschi to rebuild the church of San Lorenzo with money donated by himse

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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)