Lorenzo de' Medici biography

Profile

Lorenzo de’ Medici ruled Florence with his brother Giuliano from 1469 to 1478. After the latter's assassination, the crowd stood by the Medici and tore the assassins limb from limb. Lorenzo was considered the Wise, “the needle on the Italian scales,” and ruled from 1478 to 1492. Lorenzo’s patronage of the arts was renowned, and those under his protection included Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci.