Piero de Medici (1464-1469) "Il Gottoso" (gout-ridden)
Republican opposition headed by Niccolo Soderini and Luca Pitti
1465 Soderini leads campaign to restore secret elections
serves two months as gonfaloniere; speeches in favor of "liberty"
1466 death of Francesco Sforza weakens Cosimo's Florence-Milan alliance
Republicans encourage
balance of power restored by
emergency commission (balia) exiles Niccolo Soderini (but note Niccolo's
brother, Tommaso Soderini, remains as leader of the Medici faction)
For republican opposition under Piero, see Mark Phillips, Memoir of Marco Parenti
Marco Parenti is merchant who marries into Strozzi family after exile of
male members of Strozzi by Cosimo in 1434; he writes a political memoir;
Phillips’ other major source is the correspondence of Alessandra Strozzi:
Letters of Alessandra Strozzi, English translation available for papers on women
wife & mother of exiled Strozzi men remains behind in Florence;
corresponds with her sons who are bankers in Naples & Spain;
excellent source for role of women “behind the scenes” of political issues,
her major goal is getting her family re-admitted to Florence
matchmaking documented as she tries to find local wives for exiled sons.
1466 Strozzi re-admitted to Florence; 1489 Fillipo begins construction of Strozzi Palace
Chronology: 15th C. Medici: Cosimo dei Medici (1434-1464)
Piero di Cosimo dei Medici (1464-1469) republican opposition grows under Soderini
Lorenzo the Magnificent (1469-1492) then his son Piero di Lorenzo dei Medici (1492-94)
1494-1512
1512: restoration of the Medici in
1527-1530: restoration of the Republic, second expulsion of Medici
1530: Medici re-instated as Grand Dukes of Tuscany