Giovanni de’ Medici (1475–1521)
Giovanni de’ Medici (1475–1521) was a prominent figure in the early 16th century, whose ecclesiastical career was marked by significant political ambitions despite his physical limitations, including obesity and poor eyesight. Rising to prominence at a young age, he was appointed cardinal at just fourteen, leveraging his family's influence. Giovanni later became Pope Leo X from 1513 until his death in 1521, during which he focused on strengthening the Medici family's power, expelling foreign invaders from Italy, and fostering a unified Italian state. His leadership included significant military engagements, such as participating in the Battle of Ravenna and orchestrating the return of the Medici family to power in Florence. Notably, he took decisive action against the duke of Urbino to secure control for his nephew, Lorenzo, although this campaign placed a considerable strain on the papal finances. Giovanni de’ Medici's tenure as pope was characterized by a blend of religious authority and political maneuvering, reflecting the complex dynamics of Renaissance Italy.
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Giovanni de’ Medici (1475–1521)
- Born: December 11, 1475
- Birthplace: Florence, Italy
- Died: December 1, 1521
- Place of death: Rome, Italy
Principal wars: Italian Wars
Principal battle: Ravenna (1512)
Military significance: Although the Battle of Ravenna was a victory for the invading French, it proved so costly they were forced temporarily to evacuate Italy.
Overweight and with poor eyesight, Giovanni de’ Medici was unfit for the military but because of his superior intelligence, suited for an ecclesiastical career. In 1489, through family influence and venality, at the age of fourteen, he was given the rank of cardinal.
As cardinal and later as Pope Leo X (1513–1521), Giovanni pursued three main goals: to promote the interests of his family, to rid Italy of invading foreigners, and to establish a strong Italian state. In 1512, Pope Julius II organized a Holy League to drive the invading French from Italy. Cardinal de’ Medici took part in the Battle of Ravenna as papal representative. Taken prisoner, he escaped. He then used the Holy League forces to march on Florence to force the Florentines to reinstate the exiled Medicis as their rulers. Influenced by the brutal sack of the nearby town of Prado, the Florentines complied—installing Giuliano, Cardinal Giovanni’s younger brother, as ruler.
After becoming pope, Giovanni took military action against the duke of Urbino in 1516, seeking to replace him with the pope’s nephew Lorenzo as ruler of a unified Italian state. Although successful, the campaign nearly bankrupted the papal treasury.
Bibliography
Guicciardini, Francesco. The History of Italy. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1984.
Hibbert, Christopher. The House of Medici. New York: William Morrow, 1999.
Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. Indianapolis, Ind.: Hackett, 1995.
Vaughan, Herbert M. The Medici Popes, Leo X and Clement VII. New York: Methuen, 1988.