How Did Cosimo Influence The Italian Renaissance

Fourteenth century Italy was divided into many individual city-states. However, instead of being ruled by one sovereign, each city was governed by the dominant families located nearby. Many of these families held strong economic or political roles in their society. From the late fourteenth to the seventeenth century, the Medici family held an extremely influential role in the governance of Florence. Giovanni di’ Bicci, whom many consider to be the founder of the Medici dynasty, brought to life the Medici Bank, a strong economic power of this time. Ensuing Giovanni’s death, his son Cosimo inherited the family fortune. Cosimo was well-versed in the politics of diplomacy and business, therefore allowing him to expand the family bank and become the most influential man in Florence . Cosimo de’ Medici used his influential social standing to bring forth a wave of innovation and cultural rejuvenation to Florence, thus leading to the expansion of the Italian Renaissance. This is …show more content…
Had he not been a great patron of humanities and the arts, there would not have been as much change. He used his political and economic powers to employ humanists, political figures and artists to bring forth such a revolutionary wave of culture and innovation to Italy. Each of these social influences were equally important for patronage. Due to the influence and values taught by his father, Cosimo was adored by the Florentine people, thus allowing him become the ruler of Florence. He was regarded as a king of his time, despite not being of noble origin. Without his patronage of the arts, there is not way of knowing how society would be nowadays. Would Ancient Greek and Roman artistic techniques, teachings, philosophies and knowledge been revived to the same extent? It is possible that without Cosimo de’ Medici’s influence, the Italian Renaissance would not have had such of an influential impact, if at