Medici, Lorenzo de

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Medici, Lorenzo de' ( the Magnificent) (1449–92) Ruler of Florence, grandson of Cosimo de' Medici (the Elder). In 1469 he succeeded his father, Piero. His grip on power worried Pope Sixtus IV, who instigated a coup led by the rival Pazzi family. Lorenzo survived an assassination attempt and ruthlessly clamped down on his enemies. His patronage of Renaissance artists drained the Medici coffers, so Lorenzo gained control of public funds. A notable poet, he encouraged writers. Girolamo Savonarola attacked his autocratic rule.

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