![Stemma_Principi_Strozzi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Stemma_Principi_Strozzi.jpg)
The House of Strozzi is the name of an ancient (later noble)
Florentine family, who like their great rivals the
Medici family
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...
, began in banking before moving into politics. Until its exile from Florence in 1434, the Strozzi family was by far the richest in the city, and was rivaled only by the Medici family, who ultimately took control of the government and ruined the Strozzi both financially and politically. This political and financial competition was the origin of the Strozzi-Medici rivalry. Later, while the Medici ruled Florence, the Strozzi family ruled
Siena
Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...
, which Florence attacked, causing great animosity between the two families. Soon afterward, the Strozzi married into the Medici family, essentially giving the Medici superiority.
History
Palla Strozzi
Palla di Onofrio Strozzi (1372 – 8 May 1462) was an Italian banker, politician, writer, philosopher and philologist.
Biography
He was born in Florence into the rich banking family of the Strozzi. He was educated by humanists, learning Greek ...
(1372–1462) neglected the family bank, but played an important part in the public life of Florence, and founded the first public library in Florence in the monastery of Santa Trinita, as well as commissioning the important
Strozzi Altarpiece
The ''Adoration of the Magi'' is a painting by the Italian painter Gentile da Fabriano. The work, housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, is considered his finest work, and has been described as "the culminating work of International Got ...
of the
Adoration of the Magi
The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, ...
by
Gentile da Fabriano
Gentile da Fabriano ( – 1427) was an Italian painter known for his participation in the International Gothic painter style. He worked in various places in central Italy, mostly in Tuscany. His best-known works are his ''Adoration of the Magi'' ...
. He played a leading part in forcing the exile of
Cosimo de' Medici
Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici (27 September 1389 – 1 August 1464) was an Italian banker and politician who established the Medici family as effective rulers of Florence during much of the Italian Renaissance. His power derived from his wealth ...
in 1433, but after Cosimo's pardon a year later, was himself exiled, and never returned.
Filippo Strozzi il Vecchio (1428–1491), son of Matteo Strozzi and of
Alessandra Macinghi
Alessandra Macinghi Strozzi ( – March ) was a Florentine Renaissance business and noblewoman known for her preserved correspondence which chronicled her financial and political struggles in Medici Florence. Strozzi was largely family oriented an ...
, was exiled as a young man and became a successful banker in
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
. He was also a
condottiero
''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europe ...
or leader of
mercenary soldiers
A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...
and after his reconciliation with the Medici and return in 1466, began the
Palazzo Strozzi
Palazzo Strozzi is a palace in Florence, Italy.
History
The construction of the palace was begun in 1489 by Benedetto da Maiano, for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466 and desired the ...
, which was finished by his son Filippo II.
Filippo II (1488–1538) is probably the most well known member of the family. Although married to
Clarice de' Medici
Clarice di Piero de' Medici (1489–1528) was the daughter of Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici and Alfonsina Orsini.
Born in Florence, she was the granddaughter of Lorenzo de' Medici, niece of Pope Leo X and sister to Lorenzo II de' Medici. After h ...
, a daughter of
Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici
Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici (15 February 1472 – 28 December 1503), called Piero the Fatuous or Piero the Unfortunate, was the lord of Florence from 1492 until his exile in 1494.
Early life
Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici was the eldest son of ...
and thereby a member of the
Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...
family, he was vehemently opposed to the hegemony the Medicis had acquired as the unofficial rulers of the Florentine republic and was among the leaders of the uprising of 1527.
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
's ''
Doni Tondo
The ''Doni Tondo'' or ''Doni Madonna'', is the only finished panel painting by the mature Michelangelo to survive. (Two other panel paintings, generally agreed to be by Michelangelo but unfinished, ''The Entombment'' and the so-called '' Manche ...
'' probably was commissioned by Agnolo Doni to commemorate his marriage to Maddalena Strozzi.
After the republic was overthrown in 1530 Alessandro de' Medici attempted to win Filippo Strozzi's support, but Strozzi declined and instead, retired to
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
. After the murder of
Alessandro
Alessandro is both a given name and a surname, the Italian form of the name Alexander. Notable people with the name include:
People with the given name Alessandro
* Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), Italian portrait painter
* Alessandro Baricco ...
in 1537, Strozzi assumed leadership of a group of republican exiles with the object of re-entering the city but having been captured and subsequently tortured he committed suicide.
Filippo Strozzi's older son
Piero Piero is an Italian given name. Notable people with the name include:
*Piero Angela (1928–2022), Italian television host
*Piero Barucci (born 1933), Italian academic and politician
*Piero del Pollaiuolo (c. 1443–1496), Italian painter
*Piero de ...
(1500–1558), married Laudomia de' Medici, and fought in Scotland against the English, as well as in France against the Holy Roman Empire and Spain, and was made a
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1 ...
in 1554. He took part in the French siege of
Calais
Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...
(1557), and died of wounds incurred in battle at
Thionville
Thionville (; ; german: Diedenhofen ) is a city in the northeastern French department of Moselle. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.
History
Thionville was settled as early as the time of th ...
, in
Lorraine
Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...
, in 1558. A younger son
Leone (1515–1554) was a distinguished admiral in the service of France and fought against the
Medici
The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...
. He died of a wound received while attacking Sarlino in 1554. Another son,
Lorenzo Strozzi
Lorenzo Strozzi (December 3, 1513 – December 14, 1571) was an Italian abbot and cardinal. He was the son of Filippo Strozzi, a member of the powerful Strozzi family of Florence, and Clarice de' Medici.
Lorenzo Strozzi was born in Florence ...
(1513–1571) went into the Church, also in France, and ended as a cardinal and
Archbishop of Siena
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
from 1565. The son of Piero,
Filippo di Piero Strozzi
Filippo di Piero Strozzi ( French: ''Philippe Strozzi''; 1541 – 27 July 1582) was an Italian condottiero, a member of the Florentine family of the Strozzi. He fought mainly for France.
Biography
He was born in Florence to Piero Strozzi and L ...
(1541–1582) was born in exile in France and served as a royal page and then in the
French army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
, before being captured and killed by the
Spaniards
Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...
at the
Battle of Terceira
The naval Battle of Vila Franca do Campo, also known as Battle of Ponta Delgada and Naval Battle of Isla Terceira, took place on 26 July 1582, off the coast of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, during the ...
.
Later family members
It is unclear whether
Bernardo Strozzi
Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history, allegorical, genre and portrait paintin ...
(c.1581–1644), a prominent and prolific Italian Baroque painter born and active mainly in Genoa and Venice, was a part of this immediate family.
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Carlo Strozzi (1587–1671) formed an important library and collected a valuable miscellany known as the Carte Strozziane, of which the most important part is now in the state
archive
An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located.
Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...
s of Florence. He was the author of a ''Storietta della città di Firenze dal 1219 al 1292'' (unpublished) and a ''Storia della casa Barberini'' (Rome, 1640).
The poet
Giulio Strozzi
Giulio Strozzi (1583 - 31 March 1652) was a Venetian poet and libretto writer. His libretti were put to music by composers like Claudio Monteverdi, Francesco Cavalli, Francesco Manelli, and Francesco Sacrati. He sometimes used the pseudonym Luigi ...
was a member of the family. He adopted the composer
Barbara Strozzi
Barbara Strozzi (also called Barbara Valle; baptised 6 August 1619 – 11 November 1677) was an Italian composer and singer of the Baroque Period. During her lifetime, Strozzi published eight volumes of her own music, and had more secular ...
(1619–1677), who presumably was his natural daughter.
The Strozzi acquired by marriage the titles of Princes of Forano and Dukes of Bagnolo. A branch of the family moved to
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
and built the
Palais Strozzi
''Palais Strozzi'' is a palace in Vienna, Austria. It was owned by the Strozzi family.
The palace is located in the VIII. district of Vienna Josefstadt, was built between 1699 and 1702 for Countess Maria Katharina Strozzi, née Khevenhülle ...
there. The Palazzo Strozzi in Florence belonged to the family until 1937 when it was sold to the
Istituto Nazionale delle Assicurazioni (INA). From 1999 it became property of the Italian State.
They also owned the Palazzo Strozzi
Morosini Morosini is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Morosini family
*Piermario Morosini (1986–2012), Italian footballer
* Sergio Rossetti Morosini (1953– ), New York author, painter, sculptor and independent filmmaker, ha ...
in Venice,
Palazzo Strozzi
Palazzo Strozzi is a palace in Florence, Italy.
History
The construction of the palace was begun in 1489 by Benedetto da Maiano, for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466 and desired the ...
in Lombardy,
Villa Strozzi,
Villino Strozzi,
Palazzo Strozzi Bevilacqua,
Palazzo Strozzi alle Stimmate,
Palazzo Nonfinito
The Palazzo Nonfinito (Italian language, Italian: lit. ''Unfinished Palace'') is a Mannerism, Mannerist-style palace located on Via del Proconsolo #12, (corner with Via del Corso) in central Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. Begun in 1593 using d ...
,
Palazzo Strozzi di Mantova
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
,
Palazzo Strozzi del Poeta, and
Palazzo dello Strozzino
Palazzo dello Strozzino is a Renaissance palace in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. The stone Renaissance facade is located on Piazza degli Strozzi, diagonal to the Southeast corner of the imposing Palazzo Strozzi. The Northern façade on Via ...
.
Today, Strozzi descendants are still living in Florence and elsewhere, including in America.
The Villa Cusona is the Tuscan home of the family, operated as a vineyard by Prince Girolamo Strozzi and his family.
See also
*
Alessandra Macinghi
Alessandra Macinghi Strozzi ( – March ) was a Florentine Renaissance business and noblewoman known for her preserved correspondence which chronicled her financial and political struggles in Medici Florence. Strozzi was largely family oriented an ...
References
*Bardi, ''Filippo Strozzi'' (Florence, 1894)
*Niccolini, ''Filippo Strozzi'' (Florence)
*Guasti, ''Le Carte Strozziane'' (Florence, 1884–1891).
Other Women's voices*
*
Womentalking.co.uk: Feature article on Strozzi Princesses
Sources
* Richard A. Goldthwaite, ''Private Wealth in Renaissance Florence'', p. 3
books.google.de
External links
*
{{Authority control
Families of Florence
Austrian noble families
Italian noble families
Surnames
14th-century people of the Republic of Florence
15th-century people of the Republic of Florence