Renaissance - Birth of a Dynasty, Part 4

WARNING: THIS CLIP, AND ITS DESCRIPTION, CONTAINS CLOSE-UPS OF ART WORK WHICH MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR VIEWING BY YOUNG CHILDREN. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

On the 7th of September, 1433, Cosimo de Medici is summoned to the palace of government. The powerful Albizzi family, the power of Florence, has concocted a plan to take down the upstart de Medici family.

Imprisoned at the top of a tower, Cosimo thinks he will be flung down to his death. But Florence is a republic, and the Albizzi family needs a vote to determine Cosimo's fate. His friends, however, are banned from voting.

Found guilty, Cosimo faces execution. He is spared, however, by paying his jailers a hefty fee. Bribery saves his life, but Cosimo and his family are banished. Even Brunelleschi is jailed, ending work on the dome.

However ... Medici (not Albizzi) money has fueled the rebuilding of Florence, so the family's exile negatively impacts the city when the building stops and people are out of work.

Within a year, citizens are anxious for the Medicis to return. Cosimo, however, remembers his father's advice: "Wait to be summoned."

Cosimo's memoirs tell us that he was, indeed, summoned - then offered control of Florence. Revenge against the Albizzi takes place, and Cosimo "is king [of Florence] in everything but name."

As money floods back into Florence, work resumes on the cathedral dome and the Medici bank is back in business. On behalf of the Church, the Medici bank collects money from every parish in Europe.

Life, which had temporarily looked so bleak for Cosimo and his friends and family, is good - once again.

See, also:

Birth of a Dynasty, Part 1

Birth of a Dynasty, Part 2

Birth of a Dynasty, Part 3

Birth of a Dynasty, Part 5

Birth of a Dynasty, Part 6