Episode 26: Master of the Country (Part I)

I Take History With My Coffee Podcast
Episode 26
Title: Master of the Country (Part I)

“He acted privately with the greatest discretion in order to safeguard himself, and whenever he sought to obtain an object he contrived to let it appear that the matter had been set in motion by someone other than himself.”

Description of Cosimo de Medici, Memoirs of Vespasiano da Bisticci, 15th century

Welcome back to the I Take History With My Coffee podcast and thank you for continuing our exploration of the Early Modern period.



In the previous episode, I charted how Giovanni di Medici established himself as the head of one of the most influential banks in Europe.  By the time Giovanni retired in 1420, he had amassed a great deal of wealth and turned around the Medici family’s fortunes.  And there was then a need to safeguard this carefully-earned fortune.  Business and politics naturally became entwined.  The decision to acquire political power was driven by the need to protect the wealth of Giovanni's bank and the associated bank of his nephew Averardo. 

Giovanni’s rise was set against the struggle against Gian Galeazzo Visconti, which I covered in episodes 21, 22, and 23.  This conflict ended with the Duke of Milan’s sudden death in 1402.  But within a few years, Florence was again at war, this time of its choosing.  During this war, Florentine forces captured Pisa in 1406.  Then a new threat arose from the south as the King of Naples harbored the same ambitions as the Duke of Milan.  This threat ended in much the same manner with the king’s sudden death in 1414.  By 1424, Florence was again at war with Milan under Filippo Maria Visconti.  Peace would be concluded in 1428.

Though I will use the word party, what Giovanni di Medici built differed from a political party in the modern sense.  It operated much like 19th-century political machines like Boss Tweed’s Tammany Hall.  The Medici party grew and consolidated its power through alliances with other prominent families and by gaining the loyalty of less influential individuals who identified with their interests.  The party used a combination of legal and illegal means to advance their political goals. They solicited votes, advocated for increasing the names in the electoral bags, and helped each other secure administrative positions within the city. The family paid off supporters’ debts, making them eligible to hold office.  The management style was calculated and paternalistic, offering its members loans, advice, and support. While the Medici methods could be considered corrupt, they did not involve overt bribery or coercion.

When Giovanni died in 1429, the leadership of the Medici party fell to his son, Cosimo de Medici.  Cosimo was born on September 27, 1389, the feast day of Cosmas and Damian, the patron saints of physicians.  He received an early education at the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli.  Later, as with most of the sons of wealthy Florentines, he studied under Roberto de’ Rossi, a leading scholar of the day.  This humanist education instilled in the young Cosimo a respect for classical learning and ideals. He collected a sizable library of classical works and would surround himself with some of the early Renaissance's most influential humanist writers and thinkers. More about Cosimo’s connection to art and culture will be covered in separate episodes of this podcast.

Machiavelli, in his “History of Florence,” described Cosimo de’ Medici as a prudent man, courteous in his demeanor, and humane.  “And by the unwearied generosity of his disposition, made himself partisans of all ranks of the citizens.  This mode of proceeding increased the difficulties of those who were in the government, and Cosimo himself hoped that by its pursuit, he might be able to live in Florence as much respected and as secure as any other citizen.”

At first, like his father, he desired to remain out of the public eye.  He never had more than one servant when he walked the streets, dressed modestly, and showed deference to older citizens.  He left it to the sons of the other families to participate in tournaments and other frivolities.  He listened carefully, and his advice was always terse and straight to the point. Ordinary citizens adored him and trusted him.  His whole manner commanded affection.

In his early twenties, he married Contessina de’ Bardi, the eldest daughter of Giovanni de’ Bardi, a partner in the Rome branch of the Medici bank. Giovanni de’ Bardi was from the old Florentine banking family that had success in the early 14th century. Like many others, the Bardi family suffered financially due to loans to defaulting rulers and constant warfare in Italy. Contessina's modest dowry included the Palazzo Bardi on the Via de’ Bardi, where they lived and had their first child, Piero.

Their marriage lacked affection, with long periods of separation and no written correspondence. Contessina had a basic education, was unsociable, and managed the household contentedly. In 1414, Cosimo attended the Council of Constance with Pope John XXIII. He spent two years visiting Medici Bank branches in Germany, France, and Flanders before briefly returning to Florence. He then became the branch manager of the family bank in Rome, where he stayed for three years, occasionally returning to Florence.

During his business trips, Cosimo took care to avoid stirring up controversy that could be used against him by rivals. However, old animosities resurfaced after his father's death and his permanent return to Florence. He was suspected of supporting the Popolo Minuto, which drew suspicion from other prominent families, particularly the Albizzi family.

The Albizzi family belonged to the old guard, defending their privileges since the 1378 revolt. They advocated for continuity and strong leadership amid ongoing warfare, aiming to preserve their position and influence while warning against external factions. As members of the powerful wool merchants guild, the Arte della Lana, their sympathies aligned with strengthening the power of the Popolo Grande.

At the helm of the Albizzi family in the early 15th century was Rinaldo degli Albizzi. Rinaldo, an arrogant and impulsive man, was a staunch reactionary. As a soldier and diplomat, his primary goals were to uphold the oligarchy's power and defeat Florence's rivals in warfare. He was the one who pushed for a war against Filippo Maria Visconti of Milan, a conflict that ended inconclusively.

In 1429, Rinaldo urged Florence to wage war against their long-standing rival, Lucca, in the silk trade. Although the idea gained popularity, Cosimo de' Medici and others believed it was not the right time for a new conflict. Reluctantly, Cosimo joined the emergency committee, known as the Ten of War, where he openly expressed concerns about potential defeat under Albizzi's leadership.

Cosimo's concerns proved valid. Lucca successfully sought aid from Duke Filippo Maria Visconti, who hired the condottiere, Francesco Sforza. The Sforza family will play a crucial role later on. Sforza outmatched the Florentines, and the Signoria resorted to bribing him with 50,000 florins. However, this only prompted the Duke of Milan to hire another talented commander, Niccolo Piccinino. The Ten of War then devised a plan to divert the Serchio River and overcome Lucca's defenses. Unfortunately, the plot failed when Lucca's garrison emerged at night to dismantle the dams and flood the Florentine camp.

By autumn 1430, Cosimo had enough. He felt it unwise to remain associated with a failing and increasingly costly endeavor. Under the pretext of allowing others to handle the war, Cosimo left Florence for Verona.

This allowed Cosimo’s enemies to spread rumors. They accused him of using his wealth to overthrow the Florentine government and hiring an army of condottieri to invade the city. A delegation representing the various families approached Niccolo da Uzzano, an elderly and respected statesman, to garner his support against the Medici. Niccolo argued that removing the Medici would only empower the Albizzi, who could become tyrannical. He also highlighted the Medici's support from the Popolo Minuto and influential families like the Tornabuoni, Bardi, and Cavalcanti. As long as Niccolo da Uzzano was alive, Cosimo had little to fear from his enemies, and the Albizzi's plot against the Medici remained on hold.

However, the situation changed in 1432 with Niccolo's death. Prompted by Rinaldo degli Albizzi, stories began circulating about Cosimo. It was claimed that he dressed plainly to conceal his ill-gotten wealth, that his sympathy for the Popolo Minuto was a sham, and that his charitable donations were merely a guilty conscience. In early 1433, the Medici palace doors were smeared with blood.

In response, Cosimo retreated to his estate in the Mugello region. He discreetly transferred money from his Florence banks to branches in Rome and Naples while depositing funds in secure monasteries to safeguard against confiscation.

These precautions proved necessary as Rinaldo degli Albizzi seized the opportunity of Cosimo's absence to manipulate the elections for the new Signoria. By paying off the tax debts of Bernardo Guadagni, a known Albizzi supporter, Rinaldo ensured his election as the gonfalonier for September and October 1433. This allowed the Albizzi to secure a majority in the Signoria.

Almost immediately, in the first week of September, Cosimo was summoned back to Florence by Guadagni.   There were “some important decisions to be made.”

Cosimo arrived in Florence on September 4, 1433.  That afternoon, he visited the Palazzo della Signoria to meet with the Gonfaloniere.  Guadagni was evasive as to what “the important decisions” were, but they would be discussed when the Signoria met in three days.  Cosimo then made further transfers from his bank while waiting for the Signoria to meet.  

But those decisions had already been made.  When Cosimo returned to the Palazzo della Signoria on September 7, the council was already in session, and armed guards escorted him up to a cell in the tower.  This cell was lovingly called the “alberghetto,” the little hotel.  He was incarcerated and told he had been “arrested on good grounds, as would be soon made clear.”

On September 9, a gathering called the Parlamento was held in the Piazza della Signoria. It was designed to appeal to the wishes of the city's general populace and resolve deadlocks between ruling families. However, it often resulted in rapid shifts of power between rival parties. When people arrived at the Piazza, armed supporters of the Albizzi family blocked the entrances, denying access to anyone suspected of supporting the Medici.

Cosimo, observing from his window, claimed to see only a small crowd of twenty-three people in front of the terrace where the city's priors stood. This handful of citizens was asked to approve the formation of a Balia, a committee of two hundred responsible for government reforms, which they obediently did.

Rinaldo degli Albizzi appeared to have control of the Florentine government. However, he couldn't convince the newly formed Balia to recommend executing Cosimo. The Balia feared the potential violence due to the widespread support for the Medici among the lower classes. Influential foreign dignitaries benefiting from the Medici bank services and the pope himself, Eugenius IV, who resided in Florence, exerted pressure. Meanwhile, Cosimo's brother Lorenzo was gathering troops to secure his release.

On September 28, it was decided to exile Cosimo. He was banished to Padua for ten years, while his cousin Averardo was sent to Naples for the same period and Lorenzo to Venice for five years. The rest of the Medici family were declared to be nobility, Grandi, and barred from holding public office in Florence.

When summoned before the Signoria, Cosimo strongly denied the charges but agreed to go to Padua. He requested that the Signoria ensure his safety from potential harm. To avoid violence, they arranged for an armed escort to secretly take him from Florence under the cover of night and accompany him to the border.

As Cosimo journeyed to Padua, he was received with respect and treated as an important figure. Rinaldo's attempts to bankrupt him had failed, and Cosimo remained wealthy. While Rinaldo had formed a loose alliance of wealthy residents of Florence, Cosimo and his father had built a unified party. Rinaldo's control over the city began to weaken, and he realized his position was precarious.  According to Machiavelli, Rinaldo lamented that “it would have been much better for them to have done nothing than to have left Cosimo alive, and his friends in Florence; for great offenders ought either to remain untouched, or be destroyed.”

After two months in Padua, Cosimo obtained permission to join his brother Lorenzo in Venice. He settled there comfortably, staying informed about the situation in Florence while avoiding any involvement in conspiracies to return. With each passing month, the Albizzi's popularity waned, and Cosimo gained support from Venice and Rome, who desired his restoration. Additionally, the Florentine government struggled to find suitable replacements for the Medici as bankers. In the summer of 1434, the Florentine army suffered defeat at Imola against Milanese mercenaries.

Anti-government sentiments grew, and a majority of Medici supporters gained positions in the Signoria, including the Gonfalonier's office. Palla Strozzi, a moderate but wealthy figure, prevented Rinaldo from resorting to violence to impede the new Signoria from convening.

During Rinaldo's brief absence from Florence in September, the new Signoria extended an invitation for Cosimo to return. When Rinaldo returned and was summoned to the Palazzo della Signoria, he feared arrest and mobilized troops to seize the palace. However, the Signoria, with their forces and Pope Eugenius IV acting as a mediator, stood prepared. The situation grew dire for Rinaldo, with troops deserting and support from prominent families dwindling. Ultimately, he was persuaded by the pope to surrender to the Signoria. In a reversal from the previous year, Rinaldo degli Albizzi was imprisoned, a new Balia was formed, and the Medici's banishment was lifted.

On the same day, September 28, 1434, Cosimo de Medici left Venice under the escort of 300 Venetian soldiers. He was greeted with cheers along the roads to Florence, where crowds eagerly awaited his arrival. The large crowds    made the Signoria uneasy, so they requested that Cosimo enter the city at nightfall.

Cosimo re-entered Florence through a small gate near the Bargello, accompanied by his brother Lorenzo, a servant, and a mace-bearer. He spent the night in a prepared room at the Palazzo della Signoria. The following day, he expressed his gratitude to the pope before returning to his residence at the Palazzo Bardi, amidst cheers from crowds in the streets, as if he were “returning from a great victory.”

In the next episode, we will pick up the narrative from the point of Cosimo’s triumphant return to Florence.  




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