Medici, Lorenzo de, titled, with great propriety, the Magnificent, was the grandson of Cosmo, and about 16 years of age at his decease. In 1469 his father died, and he succeeded to his authority as if it had constituted a part of his fortune. In the year 1474, Lorenzo incurred the displeasure of the pope for the opposition Medici, he made to some of his encroachments on the petty princes of Italy, and for this reason he deprived him of the office of treasurer of the Roman see, which he conferred on one Pazzi, connected with a Florentine family, the interest of which he thus secured, and intended to sacrifice Lorenzo and Juliano to his private revenge. Their assassination was fixed for Sunday, April 26, 1478, and the cathedral was the place in which a monster of an archbishop had resolved to murder them by the instigation of the pope. When the people saw one of their favourites (Juliano) expiring, and the other (Lorenzo) covered with blood, their rage was not to be expressed in language. The interference of the magistrates was finally victorious, who had the courage and virtue to hang the archbishop from one of the windows, arrayed in his pontifical robes, which made Florence resound with the acclamation—Medici, Medici! down with their enemies!

Lorenzo was delivered from that part of the cathedral to which he had fled for refuge, and was triumphantly carried home, where his wounds were attended to by men of ability. His friends in the mean time purified the conspirators, and spared none who happened to fall in their way. In a word, the generality of them were either hanged or decapitated, and very few had the good fortune to escape their uncommon vigilance. Much to the honour of Lorenzo, he exerted all his influence to prevent the indiscriminate massacre of his cruel enemies, and refrain the just indignation of the people, begging that they would trust the magistrates with the punishment of the guilty; and the respect in which he was held had the most astonishing effect in restraining the vengeance of popular indignation.

No sooner had hostilities ceased between Pope Sixtus and the Florentine republic, than Lorenzo began to develope plans for securing the internal peace and tranquillity of Italy, by which the highest honour has been conferred on his political life. But the life of this great man was again brought into imminent danger by the intrigues of Cardinal Riaio, and some Florentine exiles, who determined to assassinate him in the church of the Carmel, on the festival of the Ascension 1481; but the plot was happily discovered, the conspirators were executed, and after this Lorenzo very seldom went abroad without being surrounded by a number of friends in whom he could securely confide.

When we attentively examine the character of Lorenzo, it will not perhaps appear astonishing, that Italy, Christendom, and even the Mahometans themselves, conferred upon him the most flattering approbation. Even Prince Mirandola chose Florence as the place of his residence entirely upon his account, and there ended his mortal career. To a most engaging person Lorenzo added almost every other accomplishment. He was the favourite of the ladies, the envy of his own sex, and the admiration of all. He was declared to be unrivalled in chivalry, and one of the most eminent orators that the world in any age has produced. According to the opinion of his contemporaries, he was even superior to Julius Caesar himself, except as a general, yet he would also have proved a most consummate commander had not peace been always the darling of his soul. We recollect a memorable passage in the Rambler, which may here be appositely introduced. A great man condescending to do little things, is like the Medici, fun in his western declination; he remits his splendor, but retains his magnitude, and pleases more though he dazzles less. To such little things did Lorenzo frequently submit, often seeking pleasure in his nursery, and spending hours there in all the frivolous pranks of childish diversion. The gravity of his life, if contrasted with its levity, must make him appear as a composition of two different persons, incompatible, and, as it were, impossible to be joined the one with the other.

Such were the love and veneration of the citizens for Lorenzo, that the physician who attended him on his deathbed, terrified to return to Florence, left the house in a state of dilatration, and plunged himself into a well. When Ferdinand king of Naples was informed of his death, he cried out, "This man has lived long enough for his own glory, but too short a time for Italy." He died on the 8th of April 1492, amidst a number of his weeping friends, who appeared deeply conscious of such an irreparable loss.

Medicis, John de, on account of his bravery and knowledge in military affairs, was surname the Invincible. He was the son of John, otherwise called Jourdain, de Medicis. His only son Cosmo I. styled the Great, was chosen duke of Florence after the murder of Alexander de Medicis, A.D. 1537. He first carried arms under Laurence de Medicis against the duke of Urbino, afterwards under Pope Leo X. Upon the death of Leo, he entered into the service of Francis I., which he quitted to follow the fortune of Francis Sforza duke of Milan. When Francis I. formed an alliance with the pope and the Venetians against the emperor, he returned to his service. He was wounded in the knee at Governola, a small town in the Mantuan territory, by a musket ball; and being carried to Mantua, he died the 29th of November 1526, aged 28. Brantome relates, that when his leg was to be cut off, and when he was informed that he needed some person to support him, "Proceed without fear (said he), I need nobody!" and he held the candle himself during the operation. This anecdote is also mentioned by Varchi. John de Medicis was above the middle stature, strong, and nervous. His soldiers, to express their affection for him and their concern for his loss, assumed a mourning dress and standards, which gave the name of the black band to the Tuscan troops whom he commanded.

Medicis, Laurence or Laurencin de, was descended from a brother of Cosmo the Great, and affected the name of popular. In 1537, he killed Alexander de Medicis, whom Charles V. had made duke of Florence, and who was believed to be the natural son of Laurence de Medicis duke of Urbino. He was jealous of Alexander's power, and disguised this jealousy under the specious pretext of love to his country. He loved men of learning, and cultivated literature. His works are, 1. Lamenti, Modena, 12mo. 2. Acidofio Commedia, Florence 1595, 12mo. He died without issue.

Medicis, Hypolitus de, natural son of Julian de Medicis and a lady of Urbino, was early remarkable for the brilliancy of his wit and the graces of his person. Pope Clement VII. his cousin, made him cardinal in 1529, and sent him as legate into Germany to the court of Charles V. When that prince went into Italy, Medicis, yielding to his warlike disposition, appeared Medici appeared in the dress of an officer, and advanced before the emperor, followed by several respectable gentlemen of the court. Charles, naturally suspicious, and afraid that the legate intended to do him some ill offices with the pope, sent after him and caused him to be apprehended. But when he understood that it was a mere folly of humour in the young cardinal, he set him at liberty in a few days. The character which Medici obtained by the happy success of this appointment was of essential service to him. He was considered as one of the Supports of the Holy See; and a little before Clement's death, when the corsair Barbarossa made a descent into Italy to the great terror of Rome, which was only defended by 250 of the pope's guards, Medici was despatched to protect the coasts from the fury of the barbarians. On his arrival at the place of destination, he was fortunate enough to find that Barbarossa had withdrawn himself at that critical moment; which allowed him to claim the honour of the retreat without exposing his person or his army. When he returned to Rome, he was of great service in the election of Paul III., who nevertheless refused to make him legate to Ancona, though that office had been promised to him in the conclave. Enraged also that the pope had bestowed the principality of Florence on Alexander de Medicis, supposed to be the natural son of Laurence duke of Urbino, he was prompted by his ambition to believe that he might succeed to that dignity by the destruction of Alexander. He entered into a conspiracy against him, and determined to carry him off by a mine; but the plot was discovered before he had accomplished his purpose. Octavian Zanga, one of his guards, was arrested as his chief accomplice. Hyapolitus de Medicis, apprehensive for his own safety, retired to a castle near Tivoli. On his road to Naples, he fell sick at Itri in the territory of Fondi, and died August 13, 1535, in his 24th year, not without suspicion of being poisoned. His house was an asylum for the unfortunate, and frequently for those who were guilty of the blackest crimes. It was open to men of all nations; and he was frequently addressed in twenty different languages. He had a natural son named Andrual de Medicis, who was a knight of Malta. This anecdote proves that his manners were more military than ecclesiastic. He wore a sword, and never put on the habit of cardinal except on occasions of public ceremony. He was wholly devoted to the theatre, hunting, and poetry.

Medici, Alexander de, first duke of Florence in 1532, was natural son of Laurence de Medicis, surnamed the Younger, and nephew of Pope Clement VII. He owed his elevation to the intrigues of his uncle and to the arms of Charles V. This prince having made himself master of Florence after an obstinate siege, conferred the sovereignty of this city on Alexander, and afterwards gave him in marriage Margaret of Austria his natural daughter. According to the terms of capitulation granted to the Florentines, the new duke was to be only hereditary doge, and his authority was tempered by councils; which left them at least a shadow of their ancient liberty. But Alexander, who felt himself supported by the emperor and the pope, was no sooner in possession of his new dignity, than he began to govern like a tyrant; being guided by no law but his own caprice, indulging the most brutal passions, and making light of dishonouring families, and of violating even the asylum of the cloisters to gratify his lust. Among the confidants of his debauchery was a relation of his own, Laurence de Medicis. This young man, who was only 22 years of age, at the instigation of Philip Strozzi, a zealous republican, conceived the design of assassinating Alexander, and thereby of delivering his country from oppression. From the moment when he first became attached to him, he tried to gain his confidence, for no other reason but that he might the better have it in his power to take away his life. A considerable time elapsed before he found such an opportunity as he desired. At length, under pretence of procuring the duke a tête à tête with a lady of whom he was deeply enamoured, he brought him alone and unattended into his chamber, and put him under his bed. He went out, under pretence of introducing the object of his passion; and returned along with an assassin by profession, to whom alone he had entrusted his design, only to stab him. This cruel scene happened on the night betwixt the 5th and 6th of January 1537. Alexander was only 26 years of age. The Florentines derived no advantage from this crime of Laurence, for they failed in their attempt to recover their liberty. The party of the Medicis prevailed, and Alexander was succeeded by Cosmo: whose government, it must be confessed, was as just and moderate, as that of his predecessor had been violent and tyrannical. Laurence de Medicis fled to Venice, to some of the leaders of the malecontents at Florence, who had taken refuge there; but not thinking himself in sufficient security, he went to Constantinople, whence he returned some time after to Venice. He was there assassinated in 1547, ten years after the duke's murder, by two soldiers, one of whom had formerly been in Alexander's guards: And these soldiers were generous enough to refuse a considerable sum of money, which was the price put upon his head.

Medici, Cosmo de, grand duke of Tuscany, joined Charles V. against the French, after trying in vain to continue neutral. As a reward for his services, the emperor added to the duchy of Tuscany Piombino, the isle of Elba, and other states. Cosmo soon after received from Pope Pius IV. the title of grand duke; and had it not been opposed by all the princes of Italy, this pontiff, who was entirely devoted to Cosmo, because he had thought proper to acknowledge him to be of his house, would have conferred on him the title of king. There never was a more zealous patron of learning. Ambitious of imitating the second Caesar, he like him, was fond of learned men, kept them near his person, and founded for them the university of Pisa. He died in 1574, at the age of 55, after governing with equal wisdom and glory. In 1562 he instituted the military order of St Stephen. His son, Francis Mary who died in 1587, was the father of Mary of Medicis, the wife of Henry the Great and of Ferdinand I. who died in 1608.