List of heads of state of Florence

Contents

The first de facto Lord (Italian: Signore) in the history of the Republic of Florence was Cosimo de' Medici. Thanks to his moderate policy, Cosimo managed to maintain power for over thirty years until his death, ruling the state silently through his trusted men and thus allowing the consolidation of his family, the Medici, in the government of Florence.[1]

In 1532, to reinforce and formalize the Medici rule in Florence, Pope Clement VII, himself a Medici, created the title of Duke of the Florentine Republic to Alessandro de' Medici. With the creation of the new title it abolished the age-old signoria (elective government) and the office of gonfaloniere (titular head-of-state elected for a two-month term) and replaced it with three institutions: the consigliere, the Senate and the Council of Two Hundred.[2][3]

Background

From its creation in the 12th century until the first decades of the 15th century, the city-state of Florence was ruled by a series of republican governments, such as the Consul, Podestà and most notably by a council known as the Signoria of Florence. The signoria was chosen by the gonfaloniere (titular ruler of the city), who was elected every two months by Florentine guild members. Not having until that moment fallen into the hands of powerful dynasties as happened in several other Italian states.[4] This situation completely changed with the rise of the Medici family, in that period owners of the largest European bank, and the wealthiest family of that era, which made the dynasty accumulate immense influence in the city, even without holding public offices.[5][6][7]

Medici lords of Florence, 1434–1494

PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccession
Cosimo de' Medici27 September 1389 – 1 August 1464[8]6 October 1434 – 1 August 1464Contessina de' Bardi c. 1415 2 sonsFirst de facto Lord of Florence
Piero I the Gouty1414 – 2 December 1469[9]1 August 1464 – 3 December 1469Lucrezia Tornabuoni 3 June 1444 5 childrenSon of Cosimo
Lorenzo I the Magnificent1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492[10]2 December 1469 – 8 April 1492Clarice Orsini 4 June 1469 10 childrenSon of Piero
Giuliano I de' Medici25 October 1453 – 26 April 1478[10]2 December 1469 – 26 April 1478Fioretta Gorini Never married 1 sonSon of Piero and co-ruler with Lorenzo
Piero II the Unfortunate15 February 1471 – 28 December 1503[11]9 April 1492 – 9 November 1494Alfonsina Orsini February 1488 Rome 2 childrenSon of Lorenzo, was deposed and exiled[11]

Republic of Florence, 1494–1512

PortraitNameFromToNote
Girolamo Savonarola14941498Inspired reform around Florence, was condemned a heretic and was simultaneously hanged and burned at the stake in the middle of the piazza.
Piero Soderini14981512was declared Gonfaloniere of Justice ("Standard Bearer") for life,[12] fled Florence after the Medici conquest

Medici lords of Florence, 1512–1532

PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccession
Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici11 December 1475 – 1 December 152131 August 1512 – 9 March 1513Never marriedSon of Lorenzo, later became Pope Leo X
Giuliano II de' Medici12 March 1479 – 17 March 15169 March 1513 – 17 March 1516Filiberta of Savoy 22 February 1515 Paris no issue 1 illegitimate sonSon of Lorenzo
Lorenzo de' Medici12 September 1492 – 4 May 151917 March 1516 – 4 May 1519Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne 5 May 1518 Château d'Amboise, Amboise 1 daughter 1 illegitimate sonSon of Piero the Unfortunate
Cardinal Giulio de' Medici26 May 1478 – 25 September 15344 May 1519 – 19 November 1523Never marriedSon of Giuliano de Medici, later became Pope Clement VII
Ippolito de' Medici1511 – 10 August 153519 November 1523 – 16 May 1527Never marriedIllegitimate son of Giuliano II de Medici
Alessandro de' Medici22 July 1510 – 6 January 153716 May 1527 – 1530Margaret of Parma 13 June 1536 Florence no issue 3 illegitimate childrenIllegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici

After the Sack of Rome, Florence overthrew the Medicis once more and briefly became a republic until Pope Clement VII signed a peace treaty with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who then invaded Florence and restored the Medicis.

PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccession
Alessandro de' Medici22 July 1510 – 6 January 15375 July 1531 – 1 May 1532Margaret of Parma 13 June 1536 Florence no issue 3 illegitimate childrenIllegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici

Medici dukes of Florence, 1532–1569

PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccession
Alessandro de' Medici22 July 1510 – 6 January 15371 May 1532 – 6 January 1537Margaret of Parma 13 June 1536 Florence no issue 3 illegitimate childrenIllegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici12 June 1519 – 21 April 15746 January 1537 – 21 August 1569(1) Eleanor of Toledo 29 June 1539 Florence 11 children (2) Camilla Martelli 1570 1 daughterSon of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, later became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany.

References

  1. 1."Cosimo de' Medici, il fondatore di una dinastia". www.storicang.it (in Italian). 1 August 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  2. 2."ALESSANDRO de' Medici, primo duca di Firenze in "Dizionario Biografico"". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  3. 3."Repubblica di Firenze: storia, cronologia e protagonisti della Signoria dei Medici | Studenti.it". www.studenti.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. 4."GONFALONIERE in "Enciclopedia Italiana"". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. 5."Mèdici nell'Enciclopedia Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  6. 6."Mèdici, Cosimo de', detto il Vecchio nell'Enciclopedia Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  7. 7."La dinastia dei Medici: chi furono i signori di Firenze che governarono per centinaia di anni". www.visitflorence.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  8. 8.Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Cosimo de Oude.
  9. 9.Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Piero I.
  10. 10.[10.2]Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Lorenzo I.
  11. 11.[11.2]Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Piero II.
  12. 12.Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, gonfaloniere.