Renaisance History
Lorenzo de
Medici
1449-1492
The people of Florence commonly
called Lorenzo de Medici “Lorenzo The Magnificent.” Lorenzo was
a statesman, a ruler, and a supporter of the arts. Lorenzo ruled Florence,
Italy with his younger brother, Giuliano, from 1469 to 1478. After his brother’s
assassination in 1478, he became the solo ruler until death. Lorenzo
was charismatic, tough, passionate, and energetic, equally devoted to his
city, his family, the Church, and the pursuit of art and learning. His life
coincided with the high point of the early Italian Renaissance, and his premature
death marked the end of the Golden Age of Florence. The Medici remained in
power in Florence for several centuries, producing two Popes and two Queens
of France, but none of the family who came after him came close to his vision
or accomplishments in every aspect of Art, Music, Literature, or Science.
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Niccolo Machiavelli
1469-1527
Niccolo Machiavelli was born in 1469 in Florence,
Italy. At the time of his birth Italy was divided between four city-states,
constantly facing threats from foreign governments. The Medici, a family of
powerful bankers, ruled Florence. They were briefly overthrown by a republican
reform movement under the influence of Girolamo Savonarola, a charismatic
Dominican Friar in 1494. Although Lorenzo de Medici was his patron, the young
Machiavelli became a disciple of Savonarola. When the Medici family returned
to power, Machiavelli was tortured and banished.
It was in this period of his life that he began work on The
History of Florence and The Prince. Machiavelli hoped to
regain the favor of the Medici with this work, but it was not to be. The
Prince was not published until after his death.
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Pope Alexander
VI
1431-1503
Pope Alexander the fifth's birth
name was Rodrigo Borgia. He was born at Xàtiva, València, Spain.
Rodrigo first studied law at Bologna and after his uncle's election he was
created successively bishop, cardinal and vice-chancellor of the church, an
act of nepotism characteristic
of the age. He served in the Curia under five popes and acquired much administrative
experience, influence and wealth, and gradually, power. He was economical
in his habits, but wore expensive clothing and lived in a fine palace. His
manners were agreeable, although ruthless with his enemies. His morals were
far from blameless, and when called to repentance by Girolamo Savonarola,
a Dominican monk who should have been subservient to him, he arranged for
him to be stopped and executed.
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Girolamo Savonarola
1452-1503
Girolamo Savonarola was born in to a noble family at
Ferrara. In 1474, he entered the Dominican order at Bologna. He was a preacher
in Florence. Some people felt that he was an inspired prophet. His preaching
plainly hinted at political revolution. From 1494-1498 he was the sole leader
of Florence. In 1495 he was forbidden to preach, because he failed to appear
for a charge of heresy in Rome. On May 23, 1498, he was hanged, then burned
at the stake. He was charged with preaching prophecies and visions that were
decidedly false.
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Christopher
Columbus
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1451-1506
Christopher Columbus was born between August
26 and October 31 in the year 1451, in the Italian port city of Genoa. He
worked for his father in the wool processing business, but studied cartography,
or mapmaking with his brother. Christopher received almost no formal education.
He was an avid reader and was largely self-taught. As a merchant sailor, he
studied and developed the ideas that led him to sail into the unknown to find
a western route to the east indies, or asia. In 1492 he persuaded Spain to
sponsor his voyage. His discoveries were a defining moment in world history.
Western events before and after his voyages have since been termed Pre-Columbian
and Post-Columbian. It is debated as to whether his discovery had a positive
or negative effect for the Americas and the native populations, but the effect
was profound. Columbus died believing he had found Asia.
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Amerigo Vespucci
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1454-1512
Amerigo Vespucci was born in 1454 to a prominent
family in Florence, Italy. As a young man he read widely, collected books
and maps, and even studied under Michaelangelo as part of the household of
Lorenzo de Medici. He began working for the Medici bankers and was sent to
Spain in 1492 to look after his employer's business interests. There, he began
working on ships, sailing to the new world as a navigator on his first voyage
in 1499. They explored the coast of South America, discovering the mouth of
the Amazon River. As a cartographer, his maps and calculations helped define
that part of the world. In 1501 Vespucci made his second voyage. He wrote
two letters to a friend in Europe describing his travels. The letters were
widely read and excited Europe with new worlds to be explored. He was the
first to describe the New World as apart from Asia. Columbus, on the other
hand, always felt he had found Asia. A German, Martin Waldseemüller,
read Vespucci's letters and on his maps designated the New World as the Americas.
Later a movement tried to have the two continents named Columbia, after Christopher
Columbus, since he was the first discoverer, but by then the power of the
printed word had prevailed and on all maps from then on, the land was known
as the Americas.
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