ABSTRACT
The Medici appear like a carefully assembled operatic cast before the backcloth of the constitutional and banking systems which they manipulated, often with seemingly inevitable success. Like good artistes, they soon dominated the stage which was set for them. Giovanni de’ Bicci was the original father figure of the Medici; the archetype who laid the foundations of the family fortunes; the cornerstone of the prosperity of the house. Giovanni remained a banker with a bias towards the trading aspects of his profession; high finance came later with his son, Cosimo. In many ways Cosimo is the most fascinating of all the Medici and the one who seemed best able to keep his inner being safe from scrutiny. Cosimo was sentenced to exile and his family and supporters received similar punishment. Foreign affairs and the exercise of diplomacy occupied much of Cosimo’s attention – for a good financial reason.
