Lorenzo de' Medici Italian merchant prince, known as Lorenzo the Magnificent [the Magnificent]. He prospered in 1464. His father, Piero de' Medici, as head of the Medici family and as virtual ruler of Florence. One of the most important figures of the Italian Renaissance, he was a keen politician, steadfast in purpose, yet docile and tolerant, a patron of the arts, literature and learning, and a respectable scholar and poet. Without adopting any official title, he managed to astutely conduct the affairs of the Florentine state. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay His lavish public entertainments contributed to his popularity, but, combined with his mediocre success as a businessman, they helped dry up his funds. His growing control over the government alarmed Pope Sixtus IV, who helped foment the Pazzi conspiracy (1478) against Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano de' Medici. Giuliano was stabbed to death during mass in the cathedral, but Lorenzo escaped wounded and the plot failed. Lorenzo took revenge on the Pazzi and Sixtus excommunicated him and placed an interdict on Florence. Not long afterward an honorable peace was made. In 1480, to recover huge financial losses, Lorenzo used his political power to gain control over Florence's public funds. However, the city flourished and Lorenzo, who played an important role on the international scene, constantly worked to preserve general peace by establishing a balance of power between the Italian states. Thanks to his credit with Pope Innocent VIII he obtained the cardinal's hat for his son Giovanni (later Pope Leo Despite Girolamo Savonarola's attacks, Lorenzo allowed him to continue his preaching. Lorenzo spent large sums purchasing Greek and Latin manuscripts and having them copied, and he urged the use of Italian in literature. His brilliant literary circle included Poliziano, Ficino, Luigi Pulci and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola. He was a patron of Sandro Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Filippino Lippi, Andrea del Verrocchio, Michelangelo and other famous artists. His own poetry - love lyrics, rustic poems, carnival songs, sonnets and odes - shows a delicate feeling for nature. His son Piero de' Medici succeeded him as head of the family but two years later he was expelled from Florence. Although it was a maxim of Medici policy to maintain close ties with the Holy See, relations between Lorenzo and Pope Sixtus were not always cordial. The Pontiff was very displeased when Lorenzo's diplomacy achieved an alliance between Florence, Venice and Milan, since such a combination was more than a challenge to the armies of the Church. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Sixtus felt frustrated in his ambitions to expand papal territory and uneasy about the security of what the Church already held. His hostility grew when he learned that Lorenzo was trying to purchase the strategically important city of Imola. As a result the Pope agreed to a plot designed to liberate Florence from both Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano. The main conspirators were the Pazzi family, a rival bank and bitter enemy of the Medici. The plan was to assassinate the two brothers at a time when the guard would have been lowered, during the celebration of mass on Easter Sunday, April 26, 1478. Giuliano was killed, but Lorenzo escaped with injuries. The people of Florence rallied behind the Medici banner and inflicted a terrible punishment on the unfortunate conspirators, most of whom did not survive the day. Among those killed was Francesco Salviato,.