Transcript The Medici Family

Origins of the Renaissance
Learning Target: I can explain how the
growth of wealthy trading cities in Italy
led to a new era called the
Renaissance
Trade with Asia
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By the late 1300’s the Black Death horrors were over
One positive result of the the Black Plague- Since the
disease did not damage buildings, ships, farmland,
machines, or gold, survivors were able to use these
things to produce more food as well as make new
products
As goods became available, prices went down, and
people were able to buy things that they wanted
Therefore, there was an increase in trade
Trade Cities in Italy
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There were four northern
Italian cities that became
major trading centers by
the 1300’s
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Florence
Genoa
Milan
Venice
Florence
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Florence was a banking
and trade center
The city’s wealthy
leaders used their
money to make the city
beautiful
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Impressive buildings
Magnificent artwork
The Medici Family
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Bankers in Florence kept money for merchants
all over Europe and made money by charging
interest-a fee that borrowers pay for the use of
someone else’s money
The greatest bankers in Florence were the
Medici family
The Medici’s were possibly the richest family in
Italy in the early 1400’s
Cosimo de Medici
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Cosimo de Medici is
known to be the real
founder of his family’s
fortune
In 1434, Cosimo
controlled the
government in Florence
Cosimo’s contributions
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As ruler, Cosimo did many things to help Florence become
known as the most beautiful city in the world:
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He spent a lot of his money on his city and supported artists
and sculptors
He paid architects to redesign many of Florence’s buildings
He placed a high value on education, therefore he had
libraries built which were filled with books that he collected
He had more churches built
After Cosimo died, he won the title of “Pater Palrige” (father
of his country)
Cosimo de Medici’s sons
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Cosimo had two sons:
Pier and Lorenzo
Although his first son,
Pier, was not a strong
ruler, Lorenzo was a
powerful leader who
contributed to the
Medici family’s increase
in wealth
Lorenzo de Medici
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Lorenzo was a poet, statesman, politician,
banker, patron of artists, writer, philosopher,
and he played an important role in Italian
politics
He spent time writing poetry and carnival
songs
He focused on doing good things for the
people
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He paid for artists’ education and provided them
with homes by buying their work
The Medici Family’s
Accomplishments
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Spent money on Florence, making it the most beautiful
and the most powerful state in Italy
Spent their wealth on having the largest library in Europe
Founded the Platonic Academy and supported artists by
feeding them, educating, them, and providing them with
necessities
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Some of these artists were Donatello, Michelangelo, and
Raphael
Florence became the cultural center of Europe and was
known as an art center and the cradle of New Humanism
Beginning of the Renaissance
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The Medici family was
very interested in the
rebirth of art and
education in Europe, and
with their support the
Renaissance flourished
Renaissance means
“rebirth” and refers to the
period of time following
the Middle Ages
Donato Bramante: S. Maria presso S.
Satiro, Milan, c. 1485