Historical Figure
Lorenzo de' Medici
1492–1519
Italian nobleman (1492–1519)
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Biography
Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici was the ruler of Florence from 1516 until his death in 1519. He was also Duke of Urbino during the same period. A scion of the Medici, his wealth and power saw his daughter Catherine de' Medici become Queen Consort of France, while his recognised but illegitimate son, Alessandro de' Medici, inherited his estate and became the first Duke of Florence.
In Their Own Words (2)
That I might take part in everything, and bear me like the rest, I did tilt in the Piazza of Santa Croce—which tilting occasioned an outlay of ten thousand florins—and although I was very vigorous neither of my years nor of blows, yet was the first prize awarded unto me, namely, a helmet adorned with silver and having a figure of Mars for the crest.
On the jousting tournament held in the Piazza Santa Croce on 7 February 1468, in Lorenzo's Ricordi (c. 1483–5), reported in Isidoro Del Lungo, Women of Florence, tr. Mary C. Steegmann (London: Chatto and Windus, 1907) p. 190 , 1468
The Time returns.
Personal motto, in Del Lungo and Steegman (1907) p. 192 , 1907
Timeline
The story of Lorenzo de' Medici, told in moments.
The Medici returned to Florence after 18 years of exile, restored by a Spanish army. Lorenzo's uncle Giovanni, soon to become Pope Leo X, pulled the strings.
Became Duke of Urbino after Pope Leo X waged a brief war to seize the duchy from its previous ruler. Lorenzo led the campaign himself and was wounded by an arquebus shot during the siege.
Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to him. The book was likely written for his uncle Giuliano, who'd died. Lorenzo may never have read it. He was more interested in hunting and parties.
His wife Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne gave birth to their daughter Catherine. Both parents would be dead within weeks. Catherine grew up to become Queen of France.
Artifacts (10)
The Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici from The Tombs of the Medici
Cornelis Cort|Michelangelo Buonarroti
Portrait of Lorenzo de' Medici
Lucas Vorsterman I|Peter Paul Rubens|Lorenzo de' Medici
Lorenzo de' Medici, 'il Magnifico' (1448–1492)
Niccolò Fiorentino (Niccolò di Forzore Spinelli)
De Arithmetica
Lorenzo da Morgiani and Giovanni Thedesco da Maganza|Filippo Calandri|Lorenzo de' Medici
Les Danseurs au Luth (The Dancers with a Lute), from Les Caprices Series B, The Nancy Set
Jacques Callot|Lorenzo de' Medici
Le Porte-Étendard (The Standard Bearer), from Les Caprices Series A, The Florence Set
Jacques Callot|Lorenzo de' Medici
Le Commandant a Cheval (The Commander on Horseback), from Les Caprices Series A, The Florence Set
Jacques Callot|Lorenzo de' Medici
Escarmouche dans un Cirque (Skirmish in a Circus), from Les Caprices Series A, The Florence Set
Jacques Callot|Lorenzo de' Medici
Drawing of the Head of Michelangelo's Dawn (from the Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici, Church of San Lorenzo, Florence)
Michelangelo Buonarroti|Anonymous
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