medici godfathers of the renaissance
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Medici:
Godfathers of the Renaissance Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance tells the story of a violent, dramatic and compelling age; a critical turning point in Western history. Travel back in time to see the real human stories behind the European Renaissance, and the family that bankrolled it. This is a family who inspired some of the greatest moments in the birth of the modern world and challenged some of the greatest thinkers and pioneers of the age. Filmed on 16mm film entirely on location in Italy, the story of the Medici is an epic drama that weaves the descendants of one Tuscan family with momentous cultural and political turning points. Played out in the courts, cathedrals and palaces of Renaissance Europe, this is the cradle of modern civilization. Their story is a bloodthirsty mix of ambition and triumph, murder and revenge. And it is a tale of inspiring achievement and cultural revolution. Through the eyes of the Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance, uncover the history of the greatest achievements of the early modern era. From the construction of the great dome of Florence, the painting of the “Birth of Venus” and the sculpting of Michelangelo's “David”, to Luther's Reformation and Galileo's earth-‐shattering confrontation with the Church. None of these would have happened without the Medici… and their friends. Combining extraordinary dramatic sequences with interviews, original archive and special effects this four-‐hour documentary series is a political suspense thriller and riveting intellectual adventure story, told through the lives of some of history's most exciting characters.
Part 1: Birth of a Dynasty Europe, 1400: A continent torn apart by war and plague is dominated by the authority of the Catholic Church. In the towns and cities live merchants and entrepreneurs who sense that their world is changing. With increasing trade and wealth an appetite for enlightenment develops. No longer neglected in the shadows of the Church, classical philosophy, poetry, art and sculpture begin to reach a new audience. This is especially true in cosmopolitan cities like Florence, home of Cosimo de'Medici. Cradle of the Renaissance Florence in the year 1400 is unlike any other city in Europe. A major trading centre at the heart of Tuscany, it is a republic where powerful families compete for political control. From a side-‐street off the main piazza, Cosimo's father, Giovanni de'Medici, manages the up-‐and-‐coming Medici bank. In one shrewd move, Medici father and son gamble on a Papal election and win. The reward for their loyalty is the entire Papal bank account. On the back of this contract, the Medici bank expands across Europe, elevating the family to the Florentine elite.
The Dome Florence's leading families are obsessed by a humiliating failure. For more than a century, an enormous cathedral has loomed over the city. It has no roof or dome and is open to the elements. The original planners built a central space too vast to cover. Whoever could give the city its dome would win everlasting fame. One man believed he knew how to build that dome. Filippo Brunelleschi, goldsmith and engineer, had studied the building techniques and materials of ancient Rome, and believed he could rewrite the rules of modern architecture. Now, with the aid of an egg, he convinced the cathedral authorities to let him loose on the biggest show in town. The Showdown As Medici wealth increases, so does the fury of their rivals. As soon as Giovanni dies, the Albizzi family launches a feud against his Medici heirs. Florence is not big enough for both families, and on September 7,1433, Cosimo de'Medici is arrested and accused of treason. Cosimo bribes his way out of jail, but the Medici are banished and the Albizzi triumph. Now, no friend of Cosimo is safe. Even Brunelleschi is thrown into jail, and work on the dome is halted. Life without the Medici isn't easy. Business in Florence dries up, and within a year the tables turn on the Albizzi. With the intervention of the Pope, Cosimo secures his return to Florence, and assumes his position as unofficial leader of the city. Revenge is sweet. Triumph? With a taste for art and an eye for talent, Cosimo now commissions the finest craftsmen of his age. From Donatello and Lippi to Michelozzo and Gozzoli, magnificent work is produced in the name of the Godfather. By 1436, the dome is at last complete, and Cosimo takes the credit. He invites his friend, the Pope, to perform the holy consecration. In 1439, Cosimo seizes the chance to bring the cultures of east and west together at the magnificent Council of Florence. It is the height of his success, and yet Cosimo fears for the future of his dynasty. His favored son and grandson die before him. “I know the humors of my city, before 50 years have passed we shall be expelled, but my buildings will remain.” On his death in 1464 Cosimo is honored with the title Pater Patriae -‐ Father of the Fatherland -‐ but who will lead the Medici, and Florence? Who will fill the shoes of the Godfather of the Renaissance? Part 2: Magnificent Medici Florence, August 1466: Lorenzo de'Medici, the 17-‐year-‐old heir to the dynasty, foils a murderous plot against his father and saves his family from a coup d'etat. The Medici still dominate Florence, but now take extra precautions, picking a useful bride for Lorenzo. Clarice Orsini, a baron's daughter and cardinal's niece, brings connections, class, and military muscle to the Medici dynasty. In the workshops of Florence, business has never been better. Under Medici patronage, artists like Sandro Botticelli go on to redefine the Renaissance itself. For now, Botticelli's “Adoration of the Magi” confirms his position at the heart of Medici power.
A New Leader At just 20, Lorenzo becomes Capo of the Medici family. The young Godfather opens his doors to the ordinary people of Tuscany. In exchange for whatever they can afford, Lorenzo offers help and protection. This network of mutual favor is called the amici degli amici -‐ the friends of friends. Regular salons inside the Medici Palace bring together the cream of Florence's literati. Inspired, Botticelli creates an entirely new genre of art. Into a world dominated by the Church, Lorenzo injects a spirit of secular freedom yet he is also making enemies fast. The Pazzi family are jealous of Lorenzo's awesome power. With the support of the Pope, they plot to murder both Lorenzo and his brother. Murder in the Cathedral Easter Sunday, April 26, 1478: Thousands pack inside the great cathedral of Florence. Amongst them, Lorenzo, his brother, and the Pazzi family. At the height of the ceremony, hired assassins swoop on the Medici brothers. Giuliano is stabbed 19 times and dies in front of his horrified family. Lorenzo vanishes. The city descends into chaos. Word spreads of assassination, and the Pazzi try to seize control. Suddenly, at the windows of his palace, Lorenzo emerges, blood-‐soaked and wounded, but alive. The city turns on the Pazzi, and its vengeance is brutal. Il Magnifico Giuliano's murder shocks Italy. Allies of the Pazzi want to finish the job that they started, and declare war on Florence. Lorenzo travels alone, to negotiate with the godfathers of the south. “Perhaps God wills that this war, which began with the blood of my brother and myself, should be ended by my means.” He returns to Florence triumphant, having bribed the King of Naples and foiled the Pope. Hailed il Magnifico (magnificent) by his grateful city, Lorenzo eliminates all opposition. He adopts his dead brother's bastard son, and brings the entire government under his personal control. Lorenzo is now a dictator. The Renaissance continues to flourish. Botticelli is commissioned to paint a wedding present for the Godfather's cousin, “The Birth of Venus”. Leonardo da Vinci is discovered and brought into the Medici fold. In the world's first art-‐school, Lorenzo discovers a boy-‐genius, Michelangelo Buonarotti and adopts him into the family. The Prophet of Doom Lorenzo's appetite for material culture and his taste for high-‐living offends a zealous young monk. Girolamo Savonarola believes Lorenzo is leading Florence on a decadent path to destruction. He begins to preach against the Medici, “Go and tell Lorenzo to repent of his sins, for God will punish him and his family!“ In 1492, Lorenzo falls ill. Savonarola's predictions are coming true, and his support in Florence grows. The fortunes of the Medici bank collapse and the family's network of influence begins to fall apart.
Lorenzo dies aged 42. Savonarola spreads his breed of fundamentalism throughout Florence. All traces of extravagance are consumed in the Bonfire of the Vanities. Prostitutes are beaten, homosexuals burned to death. The Medici are banished. Florence, in search of salvation, has become a vision of Hell. Part 3: Medici Popes Florence, 1501: 26-‐year-‐old Michelangelo carves a giant masterpiece which will come to symbolize his struggle against a family he once adored. Raised from a young age alongside the Medici heirs he watched as they were cast into exile with a price on their heads. Now they are searching for a path back to power. David January 26, 1504: Michelangelo exposes “David” to the scrutiny of the outside world. It's hailed as a triumph. Michelangelo has created the ultimate symbol of resistance to the overbearing Medici. Giulio de'Medici has been ordained as a priest and a prior. His cousin Giovanni is already a cardinal, but their clerical connections mean little, without Florence. Pope Julius II, also from a powerful family, is sympathetic to their plight. With his help, the cousins assemble an army. They head for Florence. Battlelines Florence without the Medici is thriving. Against the wishes of the church, Leonardo da Vinci dissects corpses for private anatomical study. With the city under threat of invasion, he and Michelangelo are invited to produce frescoes of famous Florentine battles. It is an intriguing competition. By 1512, thousands of troops are marching on Tuscany. Florence calls on Niccolo Machiavelli, political genius, to prepare its defense. The soldiers he trains are no match for the troops of the Medici. The Sack of Prato, just outside Florence, is a bloodbath. Giovanni pronounces the massacre a deterrent to those who would resist him. He's right, the leaders of Florence surrender. Through violence and terror the Medici regain control of their city, but not the loyalty of the people of Florence. Papa Leone With the death of Pope Julius, the cardinals gather in Rome. They take so long to elect a new pope, that their meals are reduced to a single unappetizing dish. Giovanni de'Medici is announced as the winner. From now on, he will be known as Pope Leo X. Michelangelo is frightened for his future. Can his recent success inside the Sistine Chapel save him from the wrath of the Medici? The cousins make the artist an offer he can't refuse when they ask him to build tombs for their dead fathers, Lorenzo the Magnificent and Giuliano de'Medici. Even Machiavelli now lobbies for a job inside Leo's regime. But his plan backfires and, trapped in exile, he composes a manifesto for ruthless dictators.
Over-‐indulgence Pope Leo X builds a reputation for lavish excess, with his love of 65-‐course banquets and extravagant parties. Desperate for cash, he turns to the ultimate money-‐spinner, the sale of forgiveness. Agents of Pope Leo X flog Papal Indulgences across Europe, incurring the fury of many including a German monk. In 1517, Martin Luther publishes the “95 Theses” and sparks a religious revolution. Sack of Rome Leo tries to silence the heretic, but succumbs to a simple winter chill. His cousin, Giulio is subsequently crowned Pope Clement VII and has to pick up the pieces. It's a hard task. The fall-‐out from Luther's reformation brings furious armies to the gates of Rome itself. Many are Lutherans and hate the Pope. On May 7, 1527 rampaging German soldiers sweep into Rome. Clement escapes the carnage, but the Sack of Rome becomes the blackest moment of the Renaissance. Back to Florence After months under siege, Clement bribes his way out of a ruined Rome. His enemies in Florence have rebelled, taking captive the only legitimate heir to the Medici line. Catherine de'Medici is 11-‐years-‐old. Her uncle Clement agrees to enter Florence in peace, in return for her safety. Within four years he marries her off to the son of the French King, guaranteeing a future for the Medici. But Clement's own days are numbered. Last judgment A dying Clement summons Michelangelo to complete his work in the Sistine Chapel. The extraordinary “Last Judgment” will be the final twist in Michelangelo's relationship with the Medici. But Clement does not live to see it finished. In 1534, exhausted by the turmoil of his reign, he dies. The disastrous reign of the Medici popes is over. Part 4: Power vs Truth Florence, 1537: Alessandro de'Medici the Duke of Florence, lies murdered in his bed. His cousin is plucked from obscurity to lead Florence. He is just 17. His rivals think he's a puppet, but despite his youth, Cosimo de'Medici, the new Duke of Florence, is ambitious. A Man Reborn Cosimo strikes a deal with Giorgio Vasari, a versatile artist who believes the young Duke has potential. As a boy, Vasari rescued the broken arm of Michelangelo's “David”. Now, with Cosimo's approval, he oversees its repair. Florence is a dangerous city, and the last thing Cosimo wants is to meet his cousin's fate. He embarks on a rigorous training regime to guard against assassination.
Cosimo's shrewd marriage to an eligible Spanish princess brings an army as a dowry. With it, he sets out to conquer his neighbors. The republic of Siena falls, and the rest of Tuscany soon capitulates to the Medici. The image-‐maker Cosimo isn't slow to publicize his success. Across the walls of the old government building, he commissions monumental frescoes from Vasari. An army of workers fill the walls of the medieval palace with tales of courage and achievement. Cosimo ensures every generation of his family has their place, turning the headquarters of the old republic into a shameless temple to the Medici dynasty. It still isn't enough to satisfy his Duchess. Hungry for grandeur, Eleonora pays 9,000 florins for the Pitti Palace, a huge fortress on the south side of the Arno. The security is welcome. Florence still bristles with murderous intent, and Cosimo goes nowhere without knives down his pants, and body armor beneath his clothes. Cosimo the control freak now has another problem. He is the master of a complex administration, managed by myriad offices scattered throughout the city. Vasari is ordered to provide facilities for a centralized administration. His buildings are constructed along two sides of a street with a corridor linking the two wings. They are known by the Italian word for offices, Uffizi. Cosimo's cultural campaign is capped with a book, written by Vasari, which seals the reputation of the Medici forever. The “Lives of the Artists” is the first ever work of art history. Triumph Cosimo is at last secure, “I am a ruler who accepts the authority of no-‐one, apart from God”. Not even the emergence of the terrifying Roman Inquisition can dampen his success. He organizes a token public book burning, to satisfy their edicts on censorship. In return, he is crowned Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, by the Pope himself. Under Cosimo I, the Medici have scaled the heights of international royalty. They seem unassailable. The Choice Following Cosimo's reign, scientific enlightenment collides with Catholic doctrine, in the shape of the greatest scientist of the age, Gaileo Galilei. For three generations Galileo teaches the Medici Grand Dukes, informing the world about astronomy, gravity, momentum, buoyancy and time. But when he dares to suggest that the Earth travels around the sun, the Pope has had enough. Galileo is summoned to appear before the Inquisition in Rome and threatened with torture. The Medici are forced to choose, between their allegiance to the church and their loyalty to the values of the Renaissance. They choose the path of least resistance, and Galileo is betrayed. They have failed to sustain what had set them apart from their rivals and the Renaissance in Italy is over. Though the reign of the Medici has faded, the movement they started in Florence goes on to launch the enlightenment, the Age of Reason, and the Modern World. Many patrons would try to follow in their footsteps, but none would ever match the legacy of the Medici, Godfathers of the Renaissance.
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Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
Viewing Guide for The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
Name _________________________
Program 1: “The Birth of a Dynasty”
Use the list below to fill in the blanks. Use each term only once.
Albizzi arches artists bribing bricks buildings classical manuscripts columns concrete Cosimo Donatello Brunelleschi Florence gears General Council heresy John XXIII Pater Patriae patronage perspective pope power & prestige republic
1. The Renaissance begins when Cosimo de Medici and his friends search Europe for __________________. Simply reading pagan authors like Socrates and Plato was punishable by excommunication from the church.
2. Popes could excommunicate (throw from the church and damn forever) Christians guilty of _____________, which was believing anything other than what the church preached.
3. _____________________ , who built the dome of the Florence Cathedral, was both architect and engineer.
4. Brunelleschi used __________ as supports for first time in 1000 years, creating a revolution in architecture.
5. Florentines came to watch the construction of the dome. One of the things that amazed them was Brunelleschi’s use of the classical orders of _________________, which hadn’t been used since the fall of Rome.
6. Although Brunelleschi examined the construction of the dome of the Roman Pantheon, he couldn’t use the same techniques because of the size of the dome and because the recipe for making _____________ had been lost.
7. Brunelleschi also devised a way to alter the __________ on pulleys so the oxen could pull the 1700-pound sandstone beams 250 feet into the air and return them to the ground without changing direction.
8. Brunelleschi personally lay some of the ___________ on the dome because what he proposed was so revolutionary that the brick masons were afraid the technique would fail and they would die.
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Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
9. Cosimo’s patronage of Brunelleschi helped the Medici family gain _______________________.
10. The ______________ banking family, who resented the power of the Medici, had ____________ arrested.
11. Brunelleschi was jailed and forced to stop work on Il Duomo (the dome) when his patron was found guilty of treason against _____________________.
12. Cosimo escaped from the tower that was his prison by ___________ the guards.
13. When Cosimo was finally asked to return to Florence, he had even more power and prestige. The Medici banks became the most important banks in Europe as they collected money for the ___________.
14. Cosimo de Medici’s patronage of Baldesari Cossa paid off when Cossa became Pope ________________.
15. Marcello Fantoni: “Patronage is great for the production of art but totally irrational from an economic view. ______________ is a political strategy. . . .high political competition. . . .”
16. Florence was proud to be the only _______________ in Europe; but the government was often corrupt.
17. Seventy percent of all Renaissance _____________ lived and worked in Florence.
18. Brunelleschi also invented linear _________________. According to Jeremy Brotton, this invention changed the way we see, creating a modern way of looking at the world.
19. The bronze sculpture of David by __________________ was the first free-standing statue created since ancient Rome.
20. Once Il Duomo was finished, Cosimo organized the _____________________ of Florence, which brought people from all over the world to his city; included were scholars who knew and could translate Greek the ancient Greek texts that Cosimo and his friends had been searching for.
21. When Cosimo died in 1464, the Florentines declared him ________________, father of the fatherland.
Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
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Viewing Guide for The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance Name _________________________Program 2: “The Magnificent Medici”
True/False. Put your answers in the blanks below.
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1. All of the artists that the Ninja turtles were named after (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello) worked for the Medici family.
2. The system of patronage used by the Medici family to operate Florence and Tuscany, in which people are personally loyal to a family that looks out for them in return, was similar to the system used by the Mafia to control Southern Italy.
3. The frescoes in the chapel of the Medici Palace advertised the family’s power.4. Lorenzo de Medici ruled Florence through influence rather than by law or elected
position.5. Lorenzo de Medici married Clarice Orsini because she was beautiful and he was in love
with her.6. The Pazzi, a rival banking family, tried to have Lorenzo and his sister killed Easter
Sunday 1478 in the Florentine cathedral.7. The current pope, Pope Sixtus, was in on the plot against the Medici.8. Monks hired by the Pazzi killed Guiliano by shooting him to death.9. Lorenzo survived, and his supporters hanged the conspirators—including two relatives
of the pope—from the government building windows.10. The Pazzi were killed or run out of Florence, but Pope Sixtus sent an army against
Florence to avenge the death of his relatives.11. Lorenzo visited his enemies in Naples alone, bribed them, and defeated the Pope’s
attempts to destroy Florence. 12. When Lorenzo returned to Florence, he was named “Il Magnifico” and asked to take
over the government of Florence; he agreed. 13. For 20 years, the Florentines benefited from Lorenzo’s public generosity, his “spending
virtuously” on buildings, art, festivals, and entertainments
Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
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Viewing Guide for The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance Name _________________________Program 2: “The Magnificent Medici”
14. _____
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14. Lorenzo established the first art school in Florence.15. Botticelli’s painting La Prima Vera (the spring), which was based on classical
mythology rather than the Bible, explored new and possibly dangerous artistic ground. 16. Botticelli’s paintings like The Birth of Venus are religious rather than humanistic. 17. Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican priest who worked for Lorenzo.18. Savonarola believed that nude paintings and non-religious art were evil.19. Michelangelo and Botticelli fought against Savonarola.20. Eventually Botticelli either changed his mind about what subjects are appropriate for
painting or he feared the repercussions his art might bring because he threw some of his own paintings on Savonarola’s “Bonfire of the Vanities.”
21. When Lorenzo’s banks began to fail, the ‘amici delle amici’ (friends of friends) system of influence began to break down because there weren’t enough personal favors to go around.
22. When Lorenzo died in 1492, Savonarola forgave him on his deathbed.23. After Lorenzo’s death, Savonarola gained control of the city; his bands of “skinhead”
teens roamed the city beating up prostitutes, burning homosexuals, and harassing anyone wearing jewelry, makeup, or elaborate clothes as well as anyone still owning dice or cards.
24. In the “Bonfires of the Vanities,” Savonarola and his followers burned books, makeup, clothes, wigs, art, and jewelry.
25. Six years after his fundamentalist backlash against the Renaissance and Lorenzo de Medici, Savonarola was excommunicated, tortured, chained, hanged, and burned. Florence had turned against the prophet after suffering years of plague, war, and starvation.
Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
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Viewing Guide for The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance Name _________________________Program 3: “The Medici Popes”
MATCHING. Write the letters of the statements that describe each person listed below. The number of blanks indicates the number of letters that identify that person. Use each letter only once.
Catherine de Medici ___
Giovanni de Medici ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Guilio de Medici ___ ___ ___ ___
Leonardo de Vinci ___
Martin Luther ___ ___
Michelangelo ___ ___ ___ ___
Niccolo Machaivelli ___ ___
Pope Julius ___
a. Excommunicated Martin Lutherb. Forced by Pope Julius to paint Sistine Chapel c. In 1517 attached his 95 theses on the door of Wittenburg Cathedral d. Was run out of Florence and exiled for 9 years, returned with an army to invade
Florence, was later welcomed after becoming pope e. Refused Henry VIII’s divorce, leading to England’s establishing the first Protestant
nationf. Forced by Pope Clement VII to create The Last Judgment over altar in Sistine Chapel g. Was pope when Germans sacked Rome under Holy Roman Emperor Charles V; his
poor negotiating skills were largely to blame for the attack.h. Hired by Florentine government to set up defenses for Florence against Giovanni and
Guilio de Medici; assembled a national militia i. Forced by Pope Leo X to sculpt Medici tombs in Florence j. Sold papal indulgences to pay off his debts k. Son of Guiliano who was adopted by Lorenzo l. Lorenzo’s son who became the youngest cardinal in history; Medici money bought him
the papacy; he became Pope Leo X.m. Became Pope Clement VII after the longest conclave in history—it took him two years
to be elected n. His statue of David became a symbol for Florence’s hatred for Medici o. Wrote The Prince, a cynical book describing the realities of politics in his day; dedicated
it to the Medici in an attempt to get their patronage p. Dissected corpses to learn human anatomy
Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
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Viewing Guide for The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance Name _________________________Program 3: “The Medici Popes”
q. Used as a pawn by the Florentines, traded for the safety of the city when they surrendered to the army of Giovanni and Guilio; married to French prince at 14
r. Helped de Medici cousins get army to invade Florence after their exiles. Wrote to his brother, “God has given us the papacy; let us enjoy it.” t. Employed nepotism when he made Guilio cardinal of Florence u. Was excommunicated; started protestant revolution called The Reformationv. After the cardinals attempted his assassination, he created hundreds of jobs in the
Vatican and sold them to his friends--to make money and protect his position, much like a mafia don
w. Completed what his cousin began: splitting the church & starting war in Europe
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Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
Viewing Guide for The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
Name _________________________
Program 4: “Power vs Truth”
List the letter of each action under the heading of Power or Truth. If the action was motivated by a wish to gain or keep power, put it under the Power category. If the action was motivated by a wish to show the truth, put it under the Truth.
Power Truth
A. Allessandro, Duke of Florence and illegitimate son of a pope, is murdered in his bed by Florentines who are sick of being under the thumb of the Medici. The Florentine Signoria elects Cosimo, a 17-year-old cousin, to succeed the murdered duke because they believe they can control him.
B. Cosimo abolishes the Signoria, becomes de facto king of Florence and Tuscany, and—being basically uneducated—begins to train himself to be both a warrior and a politician.
C. The new pope hires an artist laughingly referred to as Braggatoni (“large underpants man”) to cover up the privates of the nudes in Michelangelo’s painting The Last Judgment.
D. Michelangelo dies after living in Rome for the last 30 years of his life to avoid the Medici. E. The Florentine government steals Michelangelo’s body and sneaks it back to Florence for a
huge burial, claiming him as the greatest of Florentine artists.F. Cosimo II marries a Spanish aristocrat who brings him important allies, then conquers the
territory between Florence and the coast and builds a navy.G. Vasari and Cosimo fix the arm of Michelangelo’s David that had been broken during the
Savonarola frenzy.H. Vasari and Cosimo form an alliance to promote the Medici family and the arts: Vasari paints
frescoes with the Medici insignia all over Florence and helps Cosimo form a new art school.I. In his book Lives of the Artists, Vasari states that the world had been dark for 1000 years, until
the renasciamento, rebirth, or renaissance occurred in Florence under the Medici.J. Cosimo’s wife buys the Pizzi Palace, a fortress, because the Medici Palace is not impressive or
large enough.K. Cosimo must pay 300 bodyguards to protect himself and his family.
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Medici Godfathers of the Renaissance
L. Cosimo appoints Vasari to build the Uffizi Palace, centralizing all of the offices and providing protection from assassins.
M. Following the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church faces a growing clamor for individual freedom from the dictates of the church. As a response, the church begins the Counter Reformation—including the Inquisition—in an attempt to salvage its power and make people obedient.
N. The Inquisition bans 583 heretical works, many of which are in Cosimo’s library; Cosimo organizes a token public book burning when the Inquisition comes to Florence.
O. Galileo invents the astronomical telescope and discovers sun spots, the weird shape of Saturn, the Milky Way, the moons of Jupiter and demonstrates that Copernicus is right: the earth revolves around the sun not the sun around the earth. He also discovers the law of buoyancy and establishes the basis for Newton’s theory of gravity.
P. A priest named Giordano Bruno publishes his theory that the universe is infinite.Q. Bruno is burned at the stake for his scientific beliefs.R. Galileo publishes his heliocentric theory as a dialogue between two friends because his theory
contradicts the Bible and church doctrine. The book becomes very popular, the first book of popular science.
S. Galileo is summoned to the Inquisition and threatened with excommunication and death if he does not deny Copernicus’s theory that the earth revolves around the sun.
T. The pope tells the Duke of Florence to stay out of the controversy with Galileo, that it will not help Galileo and will hurt the dukedom. Duke Ferdinand II stops financially supporting Galileo.
U. Galileo has to deny the truth to avoid torture and save his life.V. Galileo is sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. When he dies, the church refuses to
let the Florentines have a big funeral for him. W. In 1992, the Catholic Church finally restores Galileo’s good name.X. August 23, 1572, Catherine de Medici, Queen Mother of France, has the gates of Paris locked and
thousands of French Huguenot Protestants killed in what becomes known as the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.
Y. In a letter to Grand Duchess Christina, Galileo Galilei says this: “Some years ago, as your Serene Highness well knows, I discovered in the heavens many things which had not been seen before. The novelty of these things stirred men up against me—as if I had placed these things in the sky with my own hands in order to upset nature! But I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. He would not require us to deny sense and reason. To ban Copernicus now would seem in my judgment to be a contravention of truth. . . .”