In this blog series, we will explore the most famous Italian noble families of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and their coins. We will look at how did they rose to power, what are their heraldic symbols and some of the coins we have in our collection. In this part, we will be looking at the Medici and Farnese families, which are synonymous with Renaissance power and art patronage.

MEDICI OF FLORENCE

The Medici name is often a synonym for Renaissance in Italy and prolific art patronage. The House of Medici is known as a banking and political dynasty. They first came to prominence with Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. There are different origin stories of how Medici came to power and where their heraldry is derived from them. The Medici coat of arms has five red balls and one blue on a gold shield. It is prominently displayed on buildings across Tuscany that had been funded by the family. The family gave four Popes to the Catholic Church and were distinguished patrons of Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Machiavelli and Galileo, financing the construction of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.

A silver Testone of Cosimo III de Medici, minted in Florence, with St. John the Baptist on reverse, the patron saint of Florence.

Cosimo III de Medici was the sixth, penultimate Grand Duke of Tuscany. He had the longest reign in Tuscan history (53 years) and witnessed the economic decline of the family and the region. Upon the death of his son Gian Gastone, Tuscany passed into the hands of House of Lorraine, which was later joined the Habsburg royal family.

A silver Piastra of Cosimo III de Medici, with Christ being baptised by St. John the Baptist on the reverse

To read the complete articles, see:
ITALIAN NOBLE FAMILIES ON COINS - PART 1(https://www.baldwin.co.uk/news/italian-noble-families-on-coins-part-1/)
ITALIAN NOBLE FAMILIES ON COINS - PART 2(https://www.baldwin.co.uk/news/italian-noble-families-on-coins-part-2)