Western Civilization

The Medicis

The Medici family, known as the Medicis literally ran Florence, Italy from the fifteenth through the eighteenth. They were merchants and bankers at first, but eventually were intertwined in area politics, learning, the arts, and just about every facet of life in Italy. Three of the Medicis became popes (Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI), and two became queens of France (Catherine de' Medici and Marie de' Medici). Thus, their family was extremely influential, powerful, and of course, wealthy. They influenced politics because of their power and wealth, and because they were so involved in so many facets of life, from religion to business to education. They became strong patrons of the arts, and financed many famous artists and craftsmen, such as Michelangelo and da Vinci. They also created many more educational opportunities for the citizens, and often took young people into their homes to help with their education. Thus, they affected just about every aspect of life in Italy, but they especially influenced politics, learning, and the arts.

The Medicis were able to gain power by their wealth and influence rather than military might. As they ruled Italy, they were not always popular, but their rule helps show the shift in Italy from medieval, feudal times to the Renaissance and beyond. Learning and the arts became much more important and stressed, but the entire world was changing. Merchants were no longer the most powerful class, the capitalists were, and the Medicis certainly belonged to this class. The Medicis learned to control government not by actually serving, but only by their power and influence over others. As the arts and learning flourished, so did the economy, and Florence became a leading cultural and economic center. The world shifted from a mainly agrarian, feudal world, to a world based in the cities and on trade, wealth, power, and prestige. The world changed, and the Medici family was right in the middle of it. The ruled by power, not by participation, and this also changed the world of politics.