Professor William Landon

Pope Leo promoted Lorenzo in place of Giuliano as Lorenzo was eager for fame, and, therefore, more willing to do the pope’s bidding. However, he alsorealized that Lorenzo was looking to form his own Medici dynasty. […]

Giuliano de’ Medici’s did not wish to spearhead a coup at Florence. But Giovanni and Giulio entered Florence on September 14, 1512, and set up an emergency government—a balìa. […]

Piero Soderni ensured that families who had once been Medici supporters remained outside of the governing process. His government also refused to abandon its alliance with France. […]

In 1512, Cardinal Giovanni and Giulio de’ Medici set out from Rome with a Spanish mercenary army. They besieged Florence’s neighboring city, Prato, hoping it would make Florence surrender, which it did. […]

After their exile, the Medici family continued in their efforts to retake power in Florence. And, despite laws in place, they eventually succeeded in getting a foothold back in Florence through a marriage. […]

When Girolamo Savonarola came to power, there was a good deal of confusion. However, that was indicative of freedom of the Florentines. But when he condemned Pope Alexander VI, Savonarola began to lose his grip on Florence. […]

Though Girolamo Savonarola himself was forbidden from serving in political office, he was allowed to act in an advisory capacity. He even intervened between France and Florence during the former’s brief occupation of the latter. […]

The French invasion of Italy when it was composed of smaller city-states would later be regarded as the end of a period of relative peace and cultural brilliance. Eventually, it would give birth to the concept of nation-state. […]

After Lorenzo de’ Medici passed away, his son, Piero, took his place. Piero, unlike his father, was reckless in his decision-making and drowned in his own pride. […]