Political and Economic SystemsFlorence (Firenza) during the Renaissance was a republic before the Medici family took over. It was this family that made Florence the center of Renaissance Europe. Wealthy families of this city-state supported the Pope. The city itself was a city of great bankers and merchants. However, banking and trading did not just cause Florence to become the richest Italian city-state but also caused the citizens of Florence to be exposed to new ideas. People of other city-states that were contacted by people of Florence also were exposed to new ideas. This helped bring about and spread Renaissance worldviews.
The Medici Family
This very influential family was the oligarchy of Florence. Two of the Medici's were Cosimo de Medici and Lorenzo de Medici. Cosimo de Medici was called "the father of his country". He supported the arts and the construction of public buildings. Lorenzo de Medici (also known as Lorenzo the Magnificent) was a patron of the arts. When he died the center of the Renaissance moved to Rome.
Florence's coat of arms from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Firenze-Stemma.png. Sources for this post from Our Worldviews, Grade 8 Textbook, published by Nelson Education.
