The first de facto Lord () in the history of the Republic of Florence was Cosimo de' Medici. Thanks to his moderate policy, Cosimo managed to maintain power for over thirty years until his death, ruling the state silently through his trusted men and thus allowing the consolidation of his family, the Medici, in the government of Florence.

In 1532, to reinforce and formalize the Medici rule in Florence, Pope Clement VII, himself a Medici, created the title of Duke of the Florentine Republic to Alessandro de' Medici. With the creation of the new title it abolished the age-old signoria (elective government) and the office of gonfaloniere (titular head-of-state elected for a two-month term) and replaced it with three institutions: the consigliere, the Senate and the Council of Two Hundred.

Background From its creation in the 12th century until the first decades of the 15th century, the city-state of Florence was ruled by a series of republican governments, such as the Consul, Podestà and most notably by a council known as the Signoria of Florence. The signoria was chosen by the gonfaloniere (titular ruler of the city), who was elected every two months by Florentine guild members. Not having until that moment fallen into the hands of powerful dynasties as happened in several other Italian states. This situation completely changed with the rise of the Medici family, in that period owners of the largest European bank, and the wealthiest family of that era, which made the dynasty accumulate immense influence in the city, even without holding public offices.

Medici lords of Florence, 1434–1494 PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccessionCosimo de' Medici27 September 1389 – 1 August 14646 October 1434 – 1 August 1464Contessina de' Bardic. 14152 sonsFirst de facto Lord of FlorencePiero I the Gouty1414 – 2 December 14691 August 1464 – 3 December 1469Lucrezia Tornabuoni3 June 14445 childrenSon of CosimoLorenzo I the Magnificent1 January 1449 – 8 April 14922 December 1469 – 8 April 1492Clarice Orsini4 June 146910 childrenSon of PieroGiuliano I de' Medici25 October 1453 – 26 April 14782 December 1469 – 26 April 1478Fioretta GoriniNever married1 sonSon of Piero and co-ruler with LorenzoPiero II the Unfortunate15 February 1471 – 28 December 15039 April 1492 – 9 November 1494Alfonsina OrsiniFebruary 1488Rome2 childrenSon of Lorenzo, was deposed and exiled

Republic of Florence, 1494–1512 Portrait Name From To Note Girolamo Savonarola 1494 1498 Inspired reform around Florence, was condemned a heretic and was simultaneously hanged and burned at the stake in the middle of the piazza. Piero Soderini 1498 1512 was declared Gonfaloniere of Justice ("Standard Bearer") for life, fled Florence after the Medici conquest

Medici lords of Florence, 1512–1532

PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccessionCardinal Giovanni de' Medici11 December 1475 – 1 December 152131 August 1512 – 9 March 1513Never marriedSon of Lorenzo, later became Pope Leo XGiuliano II de' Medici12 March 1479 – 17 March 15169 March 1513 – 17 March 1516Filiberta of Savoy22 February 1515Parisno issue1 illegitimate sonSon of LorenzoLorenzo de' Medici12 September 1492 – 4 May 151917 March 1516 – 4 May 1519Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne5 May 1518Château d'Amboise, Amboise1 daughter1 illegitimate sonSon of Piero the UnfortunateCardinal Giulio de' Medici26 May 1478 – 25 September 15344 May 1519 – 19 November 1523Never marriedSon of Giuliano de Medici, later became Pope Clement VIIIppolito de' Medici1511 – 10 August 153519 November 1523 – 16 May 1527Never marriedIllegitimate son of Giuliano II de MediciAlessandro de' Medici22 July 1510 – 6 January 153716 May 1527 – 1530Margaret of Parma13 June 1536Florenceno issue3 illegitimate childrenIllegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici

After the Sack of Rome, Florence overthrew the Medicis once more and briefly became a republic until Pope Clement VII signed a peace treaty with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who then invaded Florence and restored the Medicis. PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccessionAlessandro de' Medici22 July 1510 – 6 January 15375 July 1531 – 1 May 1532Margaret of Parma13 June 1536Florenceno issue3 illegitimate childrenIllegitimate son of Lorenzo II de Medici

Medici dukes of Florence, 1532–1569

PortraitNameLifespanReignConsortsSuccessionAlessandro de' Medici22 July 1510 – 6 January 15371 May 1532 – 6 January 1537Margaret of Parma13 June 1536Florenceno issue3 illegitimate childrenIllegitimate son of Lorenzo II de MediciCosimo I de' Medici12 June 1519 – 21 April 15746 January 1537 – 21 August 1569(1) Eleanor of Toledo29 June 1539Florence11 children(2) Camilla Martelli15701 daughterSon of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, later became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany.

See also Grand Duchy of Tuscany History of Tuscany List of grand dukes of Tuscany List of Tuscan consorts March of Tuscany#Margraves of Tuscany, 812–1197

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