Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance

By 1512 Giovanni de’ Medici — although exiled from Florence — has become the most senior cardinal at the Vatican. With the power of the Papacy behind him, he returns to the city, seizing it with brutal force. When the Pope dies in 1513, Medici money ensures the quick accession of Giovanni to the Papacy. Taking the name Pope Leo X, he embarks on a frenzy of overspending, depleting papal funds. To raise money, he sells Indulgences — papal forgiveness for sin — on an unprecedented scale. When a German monk named Martin Luther protests, it sparks a revolutionary fire that quickly spreads across Europe. After Leo’s death, his cousin Giulio becomes Pope Clement VII. The second Medici Pope, he continues the family tradition of patronage, commissioning Michelangelo to build magnificent tombs for the Medici family. But his political machinations backfire, and Charles V declares war on Rome. In 1527, Rome is sacked. Though seemingly defeated, the Medici family will soon expand their power. In 1533, Catherine de’ Medici marries the son of the King of France. As Queen, she will reign supreme in France.