Cosimo was succeeded by his son Piero "the Gouty," who quelled a plot against his leadership, and maintained his authority for five years, mainly through the prestige inherited from Cosimo. He died on Dec. 3, 1469, leaving two sons, Lorenzo (1449-1492) and Giuliano (1453-1478).
Among his worst enemies were the powerful clan of the Pazzi. They were on the point of inheriting the large property of Giovanni Borromeo when Lorenzo hurriedly caused a law to be passed that altered the right of succession. The hatred of the Pazzi was thereby exasperated to fury. There ensued a desperate quarrel with Pope Sixtus IV. Consequently the Pazzi and Arch bishop Salviati, another enemy of Lorenzo, aided by the nephews of the pontiff, determined to destroy the Medici. On April 26, 2478, while Giuliano and Lorenzo were attending high mass in the cathedral of Florence, the former was mortally stabbed by con spirators, but the latter was able to beat back his assailants and escape into the sacristy. Lorenzo wreaked cruel vengeance upon his foes. Several of the Pazzi and their followers were hanged from the palace windows; others were hacked to pieces, dragged through the streets, and cast into the Arno, while others were condemned to death or sent into exile. The pope had excom municated Lorenzo, put Florence under an interdict, and, with the help of the Neapolitan king, made war against the republic. Lorenzo went to Naples, to the court of King Ferdinand of Aragon, and secured an honourable peace, which soon led to a reconciliation with Sixtus.
Thus at last Lorenzo found himself complete master of Florence. But, as the balia changed every five years, it was always requisite to secure a new magistracy favourable to his aims. In 148o Lorenzo compassed the institution of a new council of seventy, which was practically a permanent balia with extended powers, which not only elected the chief magistrates, but had also the administration of numerous state affairs. This permanent
council of devoted adherents once formed, his security was firmly established. By this means, the chroniclers tell us, "liberty was buried," but the chief affairs of the state were always conducted by intelligent and experienced men, who promoted the public pros perity. Florence was still called a republic ; the old institutions were still preserved, if only in name. Lorenzo was absolute lord of all, and virtually a tyrant.
His immorality was scandalous ; he kept an army of spies ; he frequently meddled in the citizens' most private affairs, and exalted men of the lowest condition to important offices of the state. Yet, as Guicciardini remarks, "If Florence was to have a tyrant, she could never have found a better or more pleasant one." In fact all industry, commerce and public works made enormous progress. The civil equality of modern states, which was quite unknown to the middle ages, was more developed in Florence than in any other city of the world. Even the condition of the peasantry was far more prosperous than elsewhere. Lorenzo's authority was very great throughout the whole of Italy. He was on the friendliest terms with Pope Innocent VIII., from whom he obtained the exaltation of his son Giovanni to the cardinalate at the age of fourteen. This boy-cardinal was afterwards Pope Leo X. From the moment of the decease of Sixtus IV., the union of Florence and Rome became the basis of Lorenzo's for eign policy.
The palace of Lorenzo was the school and resort of illustrious men. Within its walls were trained the two young Medici after wards known to the world as Leo X. and Clement VII. Ficino, Poliziano, Pico della Mirandola and all members of the Platonic academy were its constant habitues. It was here that Pulci gave readings of his Morgante, and Michelangelo essayed the first strokes of his chisel. Lorenzo's intellectual powers were of excep tional strength and versatility. He could speak with equal fluency on painting, sculpture, music, philosophy and poetry.