Lorenzo the Elder | |
|---|---|
 Posthumous portrait by Alessandro Allori, 1585 | |
| Born | c. 1395 Florence,Republic of Florence |
| Died | 23 September 1440 (aged 45) Careggi,Republic of Florence |
| Noble family | Medici |
| Spouse(s) | Ginevra Cavalcanti |
| Issue | Francesco de' Medici Pierfrancesco the Elder |
| Father | Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici |
| Mother | Piccarda Bueri |
Lorenzo the Elder (12 October 1394[1] – 23 September 1440) was an Italian banker of theHouse of Medici ofFlorence, the younger brother ofCosimo de' Medici the Elder and progenitor of the so-called "Popolani" ("populist, i.e. for the people") line of the family, named for a later generation whose members were supporters of the Florentine political activistGirolamo Savonarola.
Lorenzo was the son ofGiovanni di Bicci de' Medici andPiccarda Bueri.[2] He was educated byCarlo Marsuppini.[3] In 1416, he married Ginevra Cavalcanti.[4] To celebrate their marriage, the VenetianhumanistFrancesco Barbaro wrote histreatiseDe Re Uxoria,[4] an analysis of marriage that continued to be published for centuries.[5] Lorenzo and Ginevra had two sons: Francesco, who was childless, andPierfrancesco,[2] who originated the Popolani line. Ginevra Cavalcanti was an aunt of the wife of the famous Italian merchantGiovanni Arnolfini.
Lorenzo followed his brother Cosimo in his military maneuvers atFerrara,Verona andVicenza. In 1433 he tried to muster an army to free Cosimo from imprisonment when the latter was arrested under the charge of tyranny. Later, he joined him at Venice and returned with him in Florence triumphantly after Cosimo's rehabilitation.
Though dedicating himself much to banking activity, Lorenzo held several positions in the Florentine Republic and was ambassador toPope Eugene IV and theRepublic of Venice. In 1435, he moved to Rome to oversee the affairs of the Medici Bank at the papal court.
Lorenzo the Elder was ancestor to all theGrand Dukes of Tuscany through his direct descendantCosimo I de' Medici. He is also the ancestor to seven kings of France beginning withLouis XIII as a result of the marriage ofMarie de' Medici toKing Henry IV of France.
He died in theMedici Villa of Careggi[citation needed] in 1440 and was buried in theBasilica of San Lorenzo.[6]
A young Lorenzo is portrayed byStuart Martin in the 2016 television seriesMedici: Masters of Florence.[7] Although the television production has him assassinated, these events did not take place in real life. The show appears to be using elements from a later attack on his great nephew,Giuliano de' Medici, for dramatic effect.[8]
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