I heard that the Medici was one of the most powerful people in Europe. But I'm curious to know how they acquired that power.
2007-05-26 13:56:43 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
They started out in the wooltrade to France and Spain, and moved into banking in 1397, founding one of the first and most powerfull multinationals in Europe : the Medici Bank. And in 1434 Cosimo the Elder became head of state of Florence ("gran maestro"), with a little help from the family's financial power and control of the selection process. And the rest is history. But it took them another 100 years to get rid of the republican system and become Grand Dukes of Tuscany.
2007-05-26 14:08:51 · answer #1 · answered by Erik Van Thienen 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Medici Bank was one of the most prosperous and most respected in Europe. There are some estimates that the Medici family was for a period of time the wealthiest family in Europe. From this base, the family acquired political power initially in Florence, and later in the wider Italy and Europe
2007-06-03 08:06:53 · answer #2 · answered by pumpkin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Medici Family grew wealthy through trade, then banking. Because they were Florentine, they lived in one of the early centers of the Renaissance, and a large trading city. They, like many others, were traders, but then they began getting into the Banking business. So at that point, they were like a Florentine Gates family, IE Rich but not elected in government. Then, Cosmo de Medici, with the help of wealth, name recognition, and good old-fashioned back-stabbing (He once threw one of his rivals off the top of a tower), rose into the position of Mayor of the City. And because power was handed down from father to son, his son, Lorenzo, became Mayor (a very popular one too). And so on...
2007-06-02 08:28:42 · answer #3 · answered by johancruyffajax 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Medici family was a banking family in Florence, Italy during the 1300s and 1400s. Florence was one of the centers of the Renaissance because it was a major center of trade. Therefore, the Medici family became powerful because of it's success in trading.
2007-05-26 14:05:36 · answer #4 · answered by David B 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Banking, commerce, political offices, customer of the arts made Florence a center for finance and custom or perchance had a kinfolk contributors member boost ideal right into a pope. learn Lorenzo the awesome.
2016-11-27 22:03:08 · answer #5 · answered by declue 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were bankers to the Catholic Church.
2007-06-01 17:46:51 · answer #6 · answered by barbarian31@sbcglobal.net 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ffirrrst u uuu akwouirr d mmoney
2007-06-01 12:28:54 · answer #7 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They won it shooting dice at a craps game.
2007-05-26 14:05:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋