Download The Medici Family

The Medici Family
Lorenzo de' Medici
(1449 – 1492) was an
Italian statesman and de
facto ruler of the
Florentine Republic
during the Italian
Renaissance. Known as
Lorenzo the
Magnificent (Lorenzo il
Magnifico) by fellow
Florentines, he was a
diplomat, politician, and
patron of scholars,
artists, and poets. His
life coincided with the
high point of the early
Italian Renaissance.
Lorenzo's court included
artists such as Andrea
del Verrocchio,
Leonardo da Vinci,
Sandro Botticelli, and
Michelangelo who were
involved in the 15th
century Renaissance.
Michelangelo lived with
Lorenzo and his family
for several years, dining
at the family table.
Lorenzo was an artist
himself, writing poetry
in his native Tuscan.
Giovanni Boccaccio
Giovanni Boccaccio
(1313 – 21 December
1375) was an Italian
author and poet, a friend
and correspondent of
Petrarch, and an
important Renaissance
humanist in his own
right and author of a
number of notable
works including the
Decameron, On Famous
Women, and his poetry
in the Italian vernacular.
Boccaccio is particularly
notable for his dialogue,
of which it has been said
that it surpasses in
verisimilitude that of
just about all of his
contemporaries, since
they were medieval
writers and often
followed formulaic
models for character and
plot.
Lucretia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia (1480
- 1519) was the daughter
of Rodrigo Borgia, the
powerful Renaissance
Valencian who later
became Pope Alexander
VI, and Vannozza dei
Cattanei. Her brothers
included Cesare Borgia,
Giovanni Borgia, and
Gioffre Borgia.
Lucrezia's family later
came to symbolize
ruthless Machiavellian
politics and corruption.
Lucrezia was cast as a
femme fatale, a role she
has been portrayed in
many artworks, novels
and films. Her father
and/or brother certainly
arranged several
marriages for her, to
important or powerful
men, in order to advance
their own political
ambitions. Lucrezia was
married to Giovanni
Sforza (Lord of Pesaro),
Alfonso of Aragon
(Duke of Bisceglie), and
Alfonso d'Este (Prince
of Ferrara).