Piero the Unfortunate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Piero de' Medici
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A portrait of Piero de' Medici by Gherardo di Giovanni del Fora.
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| Lord of Florence | |
| Reign | 9 April 1492 – 9 November 1494 |
| Predecessor | Lorenzo de' Medici |
| Successor | Girolamo Savonarola |
| Born | 15 February 1472 Florence, Republic of Florence |
| Died | 28 December 1503 (age 31) Garigliano River, Kingdom of Naples |
| Noble family | Medici |
| Spouse(s) | Alfonsina Orsini |
| Issue | Clarice de' Medici Maria de' Medici ill. Lorenzo II, Duke of Urbino Luisa de' Medici |
| Father | Lorenzo de' Medici |
| Mother | Clarice Orsini |
Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici (born February 15, 1472 – died December 28, 1503) was an important leader in Florence, Italy. He was sometimes called "Piero the Fatuous" or "Piero the Unfortunate." Piero led Florence from 1492 until he was forced to leave in 1494.
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Early Life of Piero de' Medici
Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici was the oldest son of Lorenzo de' Medici, also known as Lorenzo the Magnificent. His mother was Clarice Orsini. Piero grew up with his younger brother, Giovanni, who later became Pope Leo X. His cousin, Giulio, also became a pope, Pope Clement VII.
Piero was trained to take over from his father. He was meant to lead the powerful Medici family and rule the Florentine state. Important teachers like Angelo Poliziano and Marsilio Ficino helped educate him. However, Piero's personality was not well-suited for such a big role. He often disagreed with his cousins, Lorenzo and Giovanni. They were older and richer than Piero.
Piero's Family and Children
In 1486, Piero's uncle, Bernardo Rucellai, helped arrange his marriage. Piero was to marry Alfonsina Orsini, a noblewoman from Tuscany. They met in 1488. Alfonsina was the daughter of Roberto Orsini, who was the Count of Tagliacozzo.
Piero and Alfonsina had three children together:
- Clarice (born September 1489 – died 1528), who later married Filippo Strozzi the Younger.
- Lorenzo (born September 1492 – died 1519), who later became the Duke of Urbino.
- Luisa (born February 1494).
Piero also had another daughter named Maria. She was born in February 1492 and was not born within marriage.
Piero's Rule in Florence
Piero became the leader of Florence in 1492 after his father, Lorenzo, passed away. For a short time, things were calm. But then, the peace between the Italian states broke down. This happened in 1494 when King Charles VIII of France decided to invade Italy. He wanted to claim the Kingdom of Naples. Charles was encouraged by Ludovico Sforza, the former ruler of Milan. Ludovico wanted to remove his nephew and become duke himself.
After dealing with Milan, King Charles moved towards Naples. To get there, he needed to pass through Tuscany. He also needed to leave soldiers there to protect his supply routes. As Charles's army neared Tuscany, he asked Piero for help. He wanted Piero to support his claim to Naples and let his army pass through Florence. Piero waited five days before saying Florence would stay neutral. King Charles did not accept this. He decided to invade Tuscany, starting with the fortress of Fivizzano. His army attacked Fivizzano and killed many people.
Piero tried to fight back, but he did not get much support. Many important people in Florence were influenced by a priest named Girolamo Savonarola. Even Piero's cousins, Lorenzo and Giovanni, sided with King Charles. They sent him messages offering their support and money.
By the end of October, Piero had failed to get any support for Florence. Without asking the city's government, the Signoria, he decided to visit Charles's camp. He hoped to make friends with the king. During their meeting, Piero agreed to all of Charles's demands. This included giving up important fortresses and towns like Sarzana, Pietrasanta, Sarzanello, Librafratta, Pisa, and Livorno.
When Piero returned to Florence to tell the Signoria, the public was very angry. Piero and his family quickly fled the city and went to Venice. Their family palace was looted. The Republic of Florence was re-established, and the Medici family was officially sent away. A member of the Medici family did not rule Florence again until 1512. That year, the city was forced to surrender by Giovanni de' Medici. He became Pope Leo X in 1513, which helped the family regain its power.
Piero's Time in Exile
Piero and his family first escaped to Venice. They were helped by a French diplomat named Philippe de Commines. To support themselves, they sold jewels that Lorenzo de' Medici had collected. Piero tried many times to return to Florence. Once, he appeared at the Porta Romana in Florence with a group of men. But when it seemed the people of Florence did not want the Medici back, they left for Siena.
In 1503, the French and Spanish armies were still fighting in Italy over the Kingdom of Naples. Piero died while trying to escape after the Battle of Garigliano. The French, who he was allied with, had lost the battle. He was buried in the Abbey of Monte Cassino. His tomb was designed by Antonio and Battista da Sangallo.
See also
In Spanish: Pedro II de Médici para niños
