For most of a century, the Medici dynasty had held sway in Florence, but subsequent generations neglected to consolidate power, and the family’s fortunes eroded. Through banking and trade, the Medici dynasty gained immense wealth … Read more
The Medici produced several popes and cardinals as the dominant family in early modern Florence and married in Europe’s Catholic royal houses, which dominated the rule of the city from the early fifteenth century to … Read more
Although the exact impulse for the Italian Renaissance is not known, many scholars believe that the shift was due to the economic instability of the 14th century and the lack of investment opportunities in Italy, … Read more