and art. But his father had mainly trained him to commerce,
for which he had a special liking and aptitude. He was devoted
to business to the day of his death, and like his forefathers
derived pecuniary advantage from his friendly relations with the
papal court. He accompanied Pope John XXIII. to the Council
of Constance, transacted a vast amount of business in that city,
and made very large gains. He then travelled in Germany, and
after his return to Florence discharged several ambassadorial
missions. At the death of his father he was possessed of a vast
fortune and an extended experience, and inherited the leadership
of the opposition to the then dominant party of the greater gilds
headed by Rinaldo degli Albizzi, Palla Strozzi and Niccolò da
Uzzano. Of gentle and kindly manners, generous in lending and
even in giving money whenever he could gain popularity by
that means, at critical moments he frequently came to the
succour of the government itself. He was very dexterous in
turning his private liberalities to account for the increase of his
political prestige, and showed no less acumen and still fewer
scruples in making use of his political prestige for purposes of
pecuniary profit. Indeed, whenever his own interests were at
stake, he showed himself capable of positive villainy, although
this was always tempered by calculation. Cosimo proved his
skill in these knavish arts during the war between Florence and
Lucca. He had joined the Albizzi in urging on this war, and
many writers assert that he turned it to much pecuniary advantage
by means of loans to the government and other banking
operations. When, however, military affairs went badly, Cosimo
joined the discontented populace in invectives against the war
and those who had conducted it. This won him an enormous
increase of popularity, but the hatred of the Albizzi and their
friends augmented in equal degree, and a conflict became
inevitable. The Albizzi, who were far more impetuous and impatient
than Cosimo, were now bent upon revenge. In 1433
one of their friends, Bernardo Guadagni, was elected gonfalonier,
and thereupon Cosimo dei Medici was called to the palace and
summarily imprisoned in the tower. A general assembly of the
people was convoked and a balía chosen, which changed the
government and sent Cosimo into exile. Undoubtedly the
Albizzi party would have preferred a heavier sentence, but they
did not dare to attempt their enemy’s life, being well aware of the
great number of his adherents. Cosimo had some apprehension
that he might be poisoned in prison, but Federigo dei Malavolti,
captain of the palace guard, showed him the utmost kindness,
and, to soothe his fears, voluntarily shared his meals. On the
3rd of October the prisoner was sent to Padua, his allotted
place of exile.
The Albizzi speedily saw that they had done either too much or too little. While seeking to keep the government entirely in their own hands, they beheld the continual growth of the Medici party. When it was necessary to make a campaign in Romagna against the mercenary captains commanding the forces of the duke of Milan, it was plainly seen that in banishing Cosimo the republic had lost the only citizen banker in a position to assist it with considerable loans. The Florentines were defeated by Piccinino in 1434, and this event greatly increased the public exasperation against the Albizzi. Meanwhile Cosimo, who had gone to Padua as a private individual, was entertained there like a prince. Then, being permitted to transfer his residence to Venice, he entered on a course of lavish expenditure. He was overwhelmed with letters and appeals from Florence. Finally, on the 1st of September 1434, a signory was elected composed of his friends, and his recall was decreed. Rinaldo degli Albizzi determined to oppose it by force, and rushed to the Piazza with a band of armed men; but his attempt failed, and he left the country to return no more. The Medici were now reinstated in all their former dignities and honours, and Cosimo, on the evening of the 6th of September, rode past the deserted mansions of the Albizzi and re-entered his own dwelling after an exile of a year. For three centuries, dating from that moment, the whole history of Florence was connected with that of the house of Medici.
Cosimo’s first thought was to secure himself against all future risk of removal from Florence, and accordingly he drove the most powerful citizens into exile to all parts of Italy. Nor did he spare even his former political adversary, Palla Strozzi, although the latter had been favourable to him during the recent changes. His rigour in thisThe Government of Florence. particular case was universally censured, but Cosimo would tolerate no rivals in the city, and was resolved to abase the great families and establish his power by the support of the lower classes. He was accustomed to say that states could not be ruled by paternosters. Still, when cruelty seemed requisite, he always contrived that the chief odium of it should fall upon others. When Neri Capponi, the valiant soldier and able diplomatist, gained great public favour by his military prowess, and his influence was further increased by the friendship of Baldaccio d’Anghiari, captain of the infantry, Cosimo resolved to weaken his position by indirect means. Accordingly, when in 1441 a partisan of the Medici was elected gonfalonier, Baldaccio was instantly summoned to the palace, imprisoned, murdered, and his body hurled from the window. No one could actually fix this crime upon Cosimo, but the majority believed that he had thus contrived to rid himself of one enemy and cripple another without showing his hand. It was impossible for Cosimo openly to assume the position of tyrant of Florence, nor was it worth his while to become gonfalonier, since the term of office only lasted two months. It was necessary to discover some other way without resorting to violence; he accordingly employed what were then designated “civil methods.” He managed to attain his object by means of the balíe. These magistracies, which were generally renewed every five years, placed in the ballot-bags the names of the candidates from whom the signory and other chief magistrates were to be chosen. As soon as a balía favourable to Cosimo was formed, he was assured for five years of having the government in the hands of men devoted to his interests. He had comprehended that the art of politics depended rather upon individuals than institutions, and that he who ruled men could also dictate laws. His foreign policy was no less astute. His great wealth enabled him to supply money not only to private individuals, but even to foreign potentates. Philippe de Comines tells us that Cosimo frequently furnished Edward IV. of England with sums amounting to many hundred thousand florins. When Tommaso Parentucelli was still a cardinal, and in needy circumstances, Cosimo made him considerable loans without demanding guarantees of payment. On the cardinal’s accession to the tiara as Nicholas V. he was naturally very well disposed towards Cosimo, and employed the Medici bank in Rome in all the affairs of the curia. At the time when Francesco Sforza was striving for the lordship of Milan, Cosimo foresaw his approaching triumph, showed him great friendship, and aided him with large sums of money. Accordingly, when Sforza became lord of Milan, Cosimo’s power was doubled.
Without the title of prince, this merchant showed royal
generosity in his expenditure for the promotion of letters and
the fine arts. Besides his palace in the city, he constructed noble
villas at Careggi, Fiesole and other places. He
built the basilica of Fiesole, and that of St Lorenzo
in Florence, and enlarged the church and monasteryCosomo’s Patronage
of Art.
of StMark. Even in distant Jerusalem he endowed
a hospice for the use of pilgrims. The artists of the day
comprised men like Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Luca
della Robbia, and many others, and Cosimo’s magnificent commissions
not only developed their powers but stimulated other
men of wealth to the patronage of art. Without being a scholar,
Cosimo had a genuine taste for letters. He purchased many
Greek and Latin manuscripts; he opened the first public library
at St Mark’s at his own expense, and founded another in the
abbey of Fiesole. The Greek refugees from Constantinople
found a constant welcome in his palace. During the Council of
Florence (1439–1442), Gemistus Pletho spoke to him with enthusiasm
of the Platonic philosophy. Cosimo was so deeply attracted
by the theme that he decided to have the young Marsilio Ficino
trained in philosophy and Greek learning in order to make a
Latin translation of the complete works of Plato. And thus a
