On a Sunday in 1478, chaos erupted inside the Florence Cathedral. Worshippers crowded the nave, while nobles adorned in luxurious velvet and jewels stood beneath the dome. Members of the Medici family, particularly the head of the family, Lorenzo, and his brother Giuliano, were near the altar. Suddenly, an assassination attempt shattered the peace. Members of the Pazzi family launched a surprise attack, stabbing Giuliano 19 times and injuring Lorenzo. The people of Florence, outraged, captured the assassins and executed them. The young artist Leonardo da Vinci witnessed the bodies of the assassins hanging from the municipal building and depicted this gruesome scene in his artwork. Lorenzo survived the attack and inherited the family's rule, continuing to foster Florence's cultural prosperity.
Lorenzo's father, Cosimo, had seized control of Florence's council in the early 15th century through wealth and political maneuvering, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Albizzi family’s conspiracy. Cosimo not only funded artists and scholars but also actively participated in politics, making Florence the cradle of the Renaissance. His son Piero succeeded him and, despite suffering from gout, continued to uphold the family’s dominance. Lorenzo inherited his father’s legacy, promoting the arts and skillfully maintaining a balance among the Italian city-states, protecting Florence from external threats. His death was mourned throughout all of Italy.
