What was cosimo de medici known for

This placed a heavier burden on the wealthy, who grumbled that the Medici tyrant was using the tax as a weapon against them. The middle class and the poorer citizens, who were Cosimo's strength, were delighted and became even more ardent in their support, particularly when they saw that the funds gained through taxation, amplified by substantial contributions from Cosimo's own pocket, were put to use in public projects. Cosimo employed the architectural skills of Michelozzo to build his palace and, in , the Dominican convent of San Marco.

He commissioned Filippo Brunelleschi to restore the Basilica di San Lorenzo, which was in dire need of repair. The cloisters of Fiesole owe their erection to Cosimo, who added to these monuments of his munificence country villas of contemporary style at both Fiesole and Careggi.

Along with the physical adornment of Florence and its environs, Cosimo provided for its cultural life. He sent his ships to the East to gather the precious manuscripts of ancient writers, and he hired scribes to copy what he could not buy. These valuable manuscripts were distributed to the monastery of San Marco in Florence and the abbey at Fiesole, except for some which Cosimo kept in his own home.

These collections were open to the public. The growing accessibility of the materials of scholarship and the persuasion of Greek scholars, to whom he was always a gracious host, inspired Cosimo to found the Platonic Academy, an institution for the translation of Plato's works and the propagation of his ideas.

Marsilio Ficino, a humanist of great skill, was made president of the academy in His largesse was enjoyed not only by architects and scholars but also by some of the greatest sculptors and painters of the quattrocento, among them Donatello and Fra Filippo Lippi.

In spite of his riches and the lavish entertainment he provided for his guests, Cosimo lived modestly. He ate and drank moderately and simply and worked long, regular hours. But when Giovanni left him and his brother Lorenzo in charge of their empire, he proved himself up to the task. He made plenty of money, grew the Medici bank in Europe and accumulated incredible wealth and a useful range powerful friends.

He did all this with a diplomatic attitude , gracefully scheming and corrupting his way to the top. This was an astute decision that helped pave the way for Medici power in the city. Cosimo was an art enthusiast , and financed many building projects in Florence. Her real name was Lotta. She left behind a body of letters which shows her constant involvement with her children and just how much she drove them.

The marriage was arranged as a way to link the Medici to the Bardi family, one of the most prestigious families in Florence. The Bardi had lost their fortune but none of their influence. In those days the Medici needed all the prestige they could get to rise the greasy ladder of Florentine politics, and she was their bridge. Beautiful, cheerful and full of grace, she reflected the nobility of her family. But she was also a strong personality, staying faithful to the family even in hard times.

Cosimo really did meet and fall in love with the young and beautiful slave Maddalena , that he bought in Rome. At the time of Cosimo's birth, the Medici were already a powerful banking family in Florence.

The bank expanded, branching out from Florence to reach all the other major Italian city-states, including Rome , Venice, and Geneva. The Roman branch created ties to the papacy.

In , Giovanni lent Baldassare Cossa the money to purchase the rank of cardinal. Cosimo inherited this influence and wealth from his family, which gave him a head start when he took the reins. He was named the priore of the Republic of Florence, giving him even more power as one of nine Signoria who governed the city-state.

Although the term length was short, the role helped him consolidate his power, and he later held a political post again as an ambassador. Prior to the Medici family's domination of the banking world, the Bardi clan had run one of the richest banks in Europe.

The couple had two children: Piero, who would be the next Medici patriarch and was later known as Piero the Gouty, and Giovanni. Cosimo also had an illegitimate son, Carlo, by an enslaved Circassian named Maddalena; Contessina agreed to care for the child. Giovanni died in , leaving his sons with immense wealth. Florence was, officially, a representative form of government, governed by municipal councils and the Signoria.

Although Cosimo claimed to have no political ambitions and only served when his name was drawn at random to serve a short term on the Signoria, he actually controlled much of the government through the Medici wealth. The man he chooses holds office He it is who decides peace and war He is king in all but name.

Cosimo used his influence and wealth to improve Florence as a whole. He was a noted sponsor of poets, philosophers, orators, and artists, spending vast sums of money as a patron of art and thought. One of his lasting legacies was the Palazzo Medici, which included work by major artists of the era.

In , Cosimo founded the first public library in Florence: the library at San Marco. By the s, Cosimo de' Medici and his family were the most powerful in Florence, which posed a threat to other influential families such as the Strozzi and Albizzi. Cosimo was imprisoned in after a failed bid to conquer the nearby Republic of Lucca, but he was able to negotiate down from imprisonment to a sentence of exile from the city.