Francesco Guicciardini- “The Greatness of Lorenzo de Medici”

Francesco Guicciardini- “The Greatness of Lorenzo de Medici”
Will Stewart

Thesis- Lorenzo de Medici did great things for the city of Florence as a patron of arts and learning, but in doing so built up an inordinate amount of debt.

• Lorenzo de Medici: 1449-1492
• Lorenzo desirous of glory and riches
• Spread into multiple areas
o Angry with those who equaled him
o Made Florence great city through competition
• University in Pisa
o Worse than Padua or Pavia? “Not so!” said Lorenzo.
o Went to all expenses to bring in famous scholars
• Paid them a lot
• Humanities- Agnolo Poliziano
• Greek- Demetrio [Chalcondylas] and [Constantine] Lascari
• Philosophy and art- Marsilio Ficino, Giorgo Benigno, Count Pico della Mirandola
o Also poetry, music, architecture, painting, sculpture
• Men competed to please Lorenzo
• Provided men with livelihoods
o Sent men all the way to Greece to find books for Greek library
• But he spent huge amounts of money on anything he wanted
• Bought favor of powerful people in Lyons, Milan, Bruges, etc.
• Expenses up, profits down
o Didn’t care or know much about business
o Often on verge of bankruptcy, had to borrow from friends