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List of heads of state of Florence

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Lords and Dukes of the Florentine Republic
Medicean Coat of Arms
Creation date6 October 1434
First holderCosimo de' Medici (de facto Lord)
Last holderCosimo I de' Medici (Duke)
Extinction date21 August 1569

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

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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 democratic 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

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Portrait Name Lifespan Reign Consorts Succession
Cosimo de' Medici 27 September 1389 – 1 August 1464[8] 6 October 1434 – 1 August 1464 Contessina de' Bardi
c. 1415
2 sons 		First de facto Lord of Florence
Piero I the Gouty 1414 – 2 December 1469[9] 1 August 1464 – 3 December 1469 Lucrezia Tornabuoni
3 June 1444
5 children 		Son of Cosimo
Lorenzo I the Magnificent 1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492[10] 2 December 1469 – 8 April 1492 Clarice Orsini
4 June 1469
10 children 		Son of Piero
Giuliano I de' Medici 25 October 1453 – 26 April 1478[10] 2 December 1469 – 26 April 1478 Fioretta Gorini
Never married
1 son 		Son of Piero and co-ruler with Lorenzo
Piero II the Unfortunate 15 February 1471 – 28 December 1503[11] 9 April 1492 – 9 November 1494 Alfonsina Orsini
February 1488
Rome
2 children 		Son of Lorenzo, was deposed and exiled[11]

Republic of Florence, 1494–1512

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Portrait Name From To Note
Girolamo Savonarola 1494 1498 Inspired reform around Florence, was condemned a heretic and was simultaneously hanged and burned at the stake in the middle of the piazza.
Piero Soderini 1498 1512 was declared Gonfaloniere of Justice ("Standard Bearer") for life,[12] fled Florence after the Medici conquest

Medici lords of Florence, 1512–1532

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Portrait Name Lifespan Reign Consorts Succession
Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici 11 December 1475 – 1 December 1521 31 August 1512 – 9 March 1513 Never married Son of Lorenzo, later became Pope Leo X
Giuliano II de' Medici 12 March 1479 – 17 March 1516 9 March 1513 – 17 March 1516 Filiberta of Savoy
22 February 1515
Paris
no issue
1 illegitimate son 		Son of Lorenzo
Lorenzo de' Medici 12 September 1492 – 4 May 1519 17 March 1516 – 4 May 1519 Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne
5 May 1518
Château d'Amboise, Amboise
1 daughter
1 illegitimate son 		Son of Piero the Unfortunate
Cardinal Giulio de' Medici 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534 4 May 1519 – 19 November 1523 Never married Son of Giuliano de Medici, later became Pope Clement VII
Ippolito de' Medici 1511 – 10 August 1535 19 November 1523 – 16 May 1527 Never married Illegitimate son of Giuliano II de Medici
Alessandro de' Medici 22 July 1510 – 6 January 1537 16 May 1527 – 1530 Margaret of Parma
13 June 1536
Florence
no issue
3 illegitimate children 		Illegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici

After the Sack of Rome, Florence overthrew the Medicis once more and 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.

Portrait Name Lifespan Reign Consorts Succession
Alessandro de' Medici 22 July 1510 – 6 January 1537 5 July 1531 – 1 May 1532 Margaret of Parma
13 June 1536
Florence
no issue
3 illegitimate children 		Illegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici

Medici dukes of Florence, 1532–1569

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Portrait Name Lifespan Reign Consorts Succession
Alessandro de' Medici 22 July 1510 – 6 January 1537 1 May 1532 – 6 January 1537 Margaret of Parma
13 June 1536
Florence
no issue
3 illegitimate children 		Illegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici 12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574 6 January 1537 – 21 August 1569 (1) Eleanor of Toledo
29 June 1539
Florence
11 children
(2) Camilla Martelli
1570
1 daughter 		Son of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, later became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cosimo de' Medici, il fondatore di una dinastia". www.storicang.it (in Italian). 1 August 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  2. ^ "ALESSANDRO de' Medici, primo duca di Firenze in "Dizionario Biografico"". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Repubblica di Firenze: storia, cronologia e protagonisti della Signoria dei Medici | Studenti.it". www.studenti.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ "GONFALONIERE in "Enciclopedia Italiana"". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Mèdici nell'Enciclopedia Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Mèdici, Cosimo de', detto il Vecchio nell'Enciclopedia Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  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. ^ Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Cosimo de Oude.
  9. ^ Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Piero I.
  10. ^ a b Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Lorenzo I.
  11. ^ a b Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, Piero II.
  12. ^ Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins 2002, gonfaloniere.

Bibliography

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  • "Medici, De'". Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins (in Dutch). Microsoft Corporation/Het Spectrum. 2002.
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