Lorenzo the Elder
Lorenzo the Elder | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Florence, Republic of Florence |
| Died | September 23, 1440 (aged 45) Medici Villa of Careggi, Florence, Republic of Florence |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, diplomat |
| Known for | Member of the House of Medici; ancestor of the Popolani branch; envoy to Pope Eugene IV and Republic of Venice |
Lorenzo the Elder (born 12 October 1394 – died 23 September 1440) was an Italian financier from the House of Medici based in Florence. He was the younger sibling of Cosimo de' Medici the Elder and the ancestor of the "Popolani" branch, a faction named after later family members who supported the Florentine reformer Girolamo Savonarola.
History
Lorenzo was born to Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici and Piccarda Bueri, receiving his education under the guidance of Carlo Marsuppini. In 1416, he wed Ginevra Cavalcanti. To commemorate their union, Venetian scholar Francesco Barbaro authored De Re Uxoria, a treatise on marriage that maintained influence for generations. The couple had two sons: Francesco, who left no heirs, and Pierfrancesco, who established the Popolani lineage. Additionally, Ginevra was related as aunt to the spouse of prominent merchant Giovanni Arnolfini.
Lorenzo joined his brother Cosimo in military engagements at locations such as Ferrara, Verona, and Vicenza. In 1433, he endeavored to assemble forces to liberate Cosimo during his detention on accusations of tyranny. Subsequently, he accompanied Cosimo to Venice and returned with him to Florence following Cosimo’s political restoration.
Though primarily dedicated to banking, Lorenzo undertook various public duties within the Florentine Republic, including serving as envoy to Pope Eugene IV and the Republic of Venice. In 1435, he moved to Rome to oversee Medici Bank affairs at the papal court.
He is a forebear to all Grand Dukes of Tuscany through his descendant Cosimo I de' Medici, as well as an ancestor to seven French monarchs beginning with Louis XIII, via the marriage of Marie de' Medici to King Henry IV of France.
Lorenzo passed away at the Medici Villa of Careggi in 1440 and was laid to rest in Florence’s Basilica of San Lorenzo.
Fictional depictions
In the 2016 television drama Medici: Masters of Florence, a young Lorenzo is played by Stuart Martin. The series dramatizes his assassination, an event which did not take place historically. This portrayal appears inspired by a later assassination attempt on his great nephew, Giuliano de' Medici, for narrative purposes.