Piero di Cosimo de' Medici facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Piero the Gouty
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Portrait of Piero by Bronzino.
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| Lord of Florence | |
| Reign | 1 August 1464 – 2 December 1469 |
| Predecessor | Cosimo the Elder |
| Successor | Lorenzo de' Medici |
| Born | 19 September 1416 Florence, Republic of Florence |
| Died | 2 December 1469 (aged 53) Florence, Republic of Florence |
| Noble family | Medici |
| Spouse(s) | Lucrezia Tornabuoni |
| Issue | Giovanni ill. Bianca Lucrezia (called Nannina) Lorenzo the Magnificent Giuliano Maria Two sons |
| Father | Cosimo de' Medici |
| Mother | Contessina de' Bardi |
Piero di Cosimo de' Medici, often called Piero the Gouty, was an important leader in Florence, Italy, during the Renaissance period. He was born in 1416 and passed away on December 2, 1469. Piero was the main leader of Florence from 1464 to 1469, even though he wasn't officially a king or president.
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Piero's Life and Leadership
Piero was the son of Cosimo de' Medici the Elder and Contessina de' Bardi. He had a health condition called gout, which is why people called him "the Gouty." This condition often kept him in bed. Because of this, his bedroom became his office, where he would meet with important people and make decisions for Florence. This made the Medici palace the center of government.
Taking Over the Family Business
When Piero took over the Medici bank from his father, he looked closely at the money. He found that many people owed the bank money from old loans. Piero asked for these loans to be paid back. This caused problems for some merchants, and they became unhappy with the Medici family. Even though he wasn't as skilled at banking as his father, Piero managed to keep the bank running well during his time.
Challenges to His Power
Piero's time as leader of Florence faced some challenges. In 1466, a group of powerful people tried to take over the government. They planned to capture Piero, but his son Lorenzo found out and warned his father. This helped Piero escape, and the takeover attempt failed. Another attempt, supported by Venice, also failed. Some people believe these attempts were not just "coups" but efforts to bring back Florence's traditional way of governing.
War and Peace
In 1467, Piero had to deal with a war against the Republic of Venice. This happened because Florence supported the new duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza. However, the Venetian army was defeated in a battle by a group of allies, including Florence, Naples, the Papal States, and Milan.
Supporting Art and Learning
Piero continued his family's tradition of supporting artists. He commissioned Gozzoli to paint a famous fresco called Procession of the Magi in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi. This painting even includes Piero and his two sons, Lorenzo and Giuliano. Piero also enjoyed art from other countries, like Dutch and Flemish artworks.
He loved books and added many rare ones to the Medici collections. He was very interested in humanism, which was a new way of thinking focused on human values and classical studies. He asked Marsilio Ficino to translate important works by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato.
Piero's Passing
Piero passed away in 1469 from gout and a lung illness. He is buried in the Church of San Lorenzo next to his brother Giovanni. His sons, Lorenzo and Giuliano, commissioned a beautiful tomb for him, created by the artist Andrea del Verrocchio.
Family Life
On June 3, 1444, Piero married Lucrezia Tornabuoni. They had several children, including Lorenzo the Magnificent and Giuliano de' Medici. It is believed that his entire family is shown in the famous painting by Botticelli called the Madonna of the Magnificat, where Lucrezia Tornabuoni is thought to be the Virgin Mary.
Piero and Lucrezia had at least six children:
- Bianca (1445–1505) – she married Guglielmo Pazzi.
- Lucrezia "Nannina" (1448–1493)
- Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449–1492)
- Giuliano (1453–1478)
- Maria (1455–1479) – she married Leonetto Rossi.
- Two sons who died as newborns.
Before his marriage, Piero also had an illegitimate son named Giovanni.
Piero in TV Shows
You can see a young Piero in the 2016 TV series Medici: Masters of Florence, played by Alessandro Sperduti. An older Piero is played by Julian Sands in the second season of the show, Medici: The Magnificent.
Sources
See also
In Spanish: Pedro de Cosme de Médici para niños
