Cosimo the old person (Italian: Cosimo IL Vecchio); more rarely also Cosimo Pater Patriae (father of the native country); (* 27 September 1389 in Florenz; "† 1 August 1464 in Florenz) was the actual founder of the later influence of its family, the Medici.

Life and a character

Cosimos father Giovanni di Bicci (1360-1428), under whom the Medici bank their large upswing experienced, already sent its son Cosimo in recent years into the different branches of the bank, where it could acquire itself an extensive cultural and financial knowledge. On such a journey it participated also in the council of Konstanz. After Giovanni di Bicci had died, Cosimo took over the guidance over the family kinship. Florenz was at that time a republic, which however only on wackligen feet. The family of the Albizzi and the Medici argued about the supremacy. 1433 was banished predominantly with the "“choice"” to the new Signoria trailers of the Albizzi drawn lots, so that Cosimo arrests first, then after Urbino, after an attempted murder had failed on it. It opposed however the judgement and went to Venice into the exile, where it passed the business on of the bank.

Among other things because of an unfair tax policy and papal interventions Cosimo at the beginning of of 1434 could return to Florenz. The trailers of the Albizzi were now for their part banished, without it came to attempted assassinations or death sentences. This kind of the revenge was at that time unusual. The advantage of this kind its enemies to get rid of was that the state came in such a way to money (the fortune of the banished ones drawn in) and that there were no inheriting and concomitantly no new enemies. Now finally Cosimo knew the condition of Florenz so changes that superficially the republican condition was seen further into force, actually however Cosimo now indirectly by and its wealth the fate of the city led. This system of the indirect exercise of power was successfully continued by its successors.

With its wife, the Contessina de Bardi, had Cosimo of two sons, Piero (*1416) and Giovanni (*1421; not to confound with Giovanni, who became a late Pope Leo X.). In addition the illegitimate son Carlo (*1430) came. Giovanni should originally take over the inheritance, deceased however already 1449. Thus it came that Piero, which was strongly with the family illness charge gotten sick, which had to take over guidance of the family and also the city Florenz after the death of the Cosimo.

Cosimo distinguished its extraordinary financial fate, which formed the basis for its power beside the gifts mentioned above all. By its loans it with ease friends could actually bind and ruin enemies. He did both extensively. It was itself in addition, not too unfortunate, people from the simple people, which it considered talented enough to make the ascent possible into high offices. For Cosimo were decisive not the origin, but ability and loyalty. The Pragmatiker Cosimo lived besides, considering its large wealth, relatively modestly and not out-curving. Also it remained spared not by the family suffering of the Medici, for the charge, and died 1464. Into its gravestone Florenz became the inscription "“Pater Patriae"” (father of the native country) in in accordance with ice ELT on resolution of the city.

Politics

Political acting Cosimos was generally coined/shaped by its Patriotismus, with which it the prosperity and the security of the Republic of Florenz to mehren meant for showing and its restraint its power openly. It directed its attention not with priority toward the territorial size of the Republic of Florenz, but successfully provided for the security, which the state needed, in order to develop his economic power and cultural position further.

Home policy

Although Cosimo was clearly the ruler over Florenz, he left its republic to the Florentinern and exercised its power inconspicuously, but steadily. It is characteristic that Cosimo dressed altogether only three times the office of the Gonfaloniere, the highest Priors of the Signoria (1435, 1439, 1445). Even if it could always rely on its popularity with the people, also Cosimo had to get over delicate situations. Since the Florentiner against the May countries a deep dislike preserved (and in reverse) was Cosimos Milan politics (see below) very unpopularly. Because of its support for the Francesco Sforza and the death by force of an opponent Cosimos 1441, into which it was to have been according to complicated rumors, increases resistance against its politics moved May countries. It met this danger, by being able to arrange 1444 by an open violation of the constitution it a genehme popular assembly (Balia) and be selected 1445 to the third time to the Gonfaloniere (boss of the town councillor). Thus it knew its plan to bring further pursue Sforza in Milan to power. The fact that Cosimo for it committed completely openly a violation of the constitution (which for it absolutely not was typical), shows, how important to it the alliance with Milan was. The resistance against this alliance continued to increase nevertheless.

Foreign policy

A priority goal of its foreign policy was a stabilization and a safety device of Florenz by an alliance with the competitor Milan. Since he knew however that an alliance with the ruling family of the Visconti was possible in no case, it planned the fall of Filippo Maria Visconti. It wanted the Visconti by Francesco Sforza, a powerful mercenary leader, replaces, with whom a sincere friendship connected it. This plan Cosimo pursued since 1435 extremely persistent, although in the result unsuccessfully. 1447 died Filippo finally, without male inheriting to left and Sforza went, from Cosimo supported, 1450 as a winner from the fights for the throne out. Thus Cosimo had caused a profound change of the political map of Italy. The coalition with Venice had been replaced by an alliance with the former ore enemy Milan. Now the two parties stood themselves opposite Milan Florenz (supports from France and the Pope) and Venice Neapel. In this constellation Florenz could feel relatively safe and develop his economic power and cultural supremacy further.

See also: History of Florenz

Cultural commitment

Cosimo was no intellectual, but interests lively in cultural things. This interest settled in its extensive with which it pulled considerable artists and scholars after Florenz, and so to the mental and artistic gloss of the city contributed. Thus it e.g. promoted. He donated the monastery San Marco, which decorated Fra Angelico with masterful Fresken to Brunelleschi, Michelozzo, Filippo Lippi and Donatello.1436. Michelozzo extended at the same time the building. To the monastery and the church Cosimo donated also a Bibliothek.1444 called Cosimo with the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana first for each accessible library of the world in the life. It gave the order to Michelozzo to build the Palazzo Medici. Benozzo Gozzoli painted the Fresken in the chapel of the Palazzo Medici.

For many centuries one believed, Cosimo created the Florentiner Platonic academy and transferred their line Marsilio Ficino. Modern research proved this as legend. Cosimo gave a country house to Ficino, but the Florentiner "“Platonic academy"” did not exist as institution; it concerned only the pupil circle Ficinos, which this called the university graduates.

Reference works

• Cleugh, James: The Medici. Power and gloss of a European family.
• Property child, Curt: Cosimo de'Medici IL Vecchio, Firenze 1940. (Italian)
• Reinhardt, Volker: The Medici. Florenz in the age of the Renaissance, Munich 1998.
• Ruby stone, Nicolai: The Governement OF Florence more under the Medici, Oxford 1997. (English, but the standard work!)

Articles in category "Cosimo de Medici"

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Related Websites

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