Francesco de' Pazzi (28 January 1444 – 26 April 1478) was a Florentine banker, a member of the Pazzi noble family, and one of the instigators of the

Pazzi conspiracy The Pazzi conspiracy () was a failed plot by members of the Pazzi family and others to displace the Medici family as rulers of Renaissance Florence. On 26 April 1478 there was an attempt to assassinate Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother ...

, a plot to displace the

Medici family The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th ...

as rulers of the

Florentine Republic The Republic of Florence (; Old Italian: ), known officially as the Florentine Republic, was a Italy in the Middle Ages, medieval and Italian Renaissance, early modern state that was centered on the Italian city-states, Italian city of Florence ...

. His uncle, Jacopo de' Pazzi, was one of the main organizers of the conspiracy. On 26 April 1478,

Easter Sunday Easter, also called Pascha (Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek language, Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, de ...

, there was an attempt to assassinate

Lorenzo de' Medici Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (), known as Lorenzo the Magnificent (; 1 January 1449 – 9 April 1492), was an Italian statesman, the ''de facto'' ruler of the Florentine Republic, and the most powerful patron of Renaissance culture in Italy. Lore ...

and his brother and co-ruler Giuliano while both were attending High Mass at the

Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christm ...

cathedral in Florence. Giuliano was murdered by Francesco and

Bernardo Baroncelli Bernardo Bandini Baroncelli (15 January 1420 – 29 December 1479) was a Florentine merchant and a protagonist in the Pazzi conspiracy, a plot to remove the Medici family from power in Florence. Life Bandini dei Baroncelli was born in Flore ...

, who inflicted a fatal sword wound to the head before stabbing him 19 times; however, Lorenzo survived the attack, having been merely wounded by the other conspirators. Francesco then returned to his uncle's villa, where the latter found him with a wound in one leg, reportedly self-inflicted during the attack. Shortly after the failure of the Pazzi conspiracy, most of the people involved were hunted down and killed. Francesco was taken from his bed and dragged through the streets of Florence by an angry mob before ultimately being hanged from the

Palazzo della Signoria A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

, next to the decomposing body of fellow conspirator Francesco Salviati. His uncle Jacopo would soon meet the same fate.

In popular culture

Francesco de' Pazzi was sung by

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

Ludovico Contini in the first performance of

Leoncavallo Ruggero (or Ruggiero) Leoncavallo (23 April 18579 August 1919) was an Italian opera composer and librettist. Throughout his career, Leoncavallo produced numerous operas and songs but it is his 1892 opera ''Pagliacci'' that remained his lasting co ...

's 1893 opera ''

I Medici ''I Medici'' is an opera in four acts composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo, with a libretto by the composer. Set in Renaissance Florence at the court of Lorenzo de' Medici, it was intended as the first part of a planned but unfinished trilogy called ' ...

''. Francesco appears as an antagonist in the video game ''

Assassin's Creed II ''Assassin's Creed II'' is a 2009 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the second major installment in the Assassin's Creed, ''Assassin's Creed'' series, and the sequel to 2007's ''Assassin's Creed ...

'', voiced by Andreas Apergis. In the game, he has a son named Vieri and is a member of the

Templar Order The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the most important military orders in Western Christianity. They were founded in 11 ...

, who are depicted as the orchestrators of the Pazzi conspiracy. Both characters are killed by the protagonist Ezio Auditore, who saved Lorenzo de' Medici during the assassination attempt.

Elliot Levey Elliot Levey (born 6 December 1973) is an English Olivier award-winning actor. Career Two-time Olivier award winner for the roles of Herr Schultz in Cabaret (2022) and Tom Maschler in Giant (2025). Known for his work in British Theatre, he ha ...

portrayed Francesco de' Pazzi in TV series ''

Da Vinci's Demons ''Da Vinci's Demons'' is a historical fantasy drama television series that presents a fictional account of Leonardo da Vinci's early life. The series was conceived by David S. Goyer and stars Tom Riley in the title role. It was developed and ...

''. Francesco is referenced in the film ''

Hannibal Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. Hannibal's fat ...

'', when

Hannibal Lecter Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character created by American novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer and former forensic psychiatrist; after his incarceration, he is consulted by FBI agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling ...

meets a modern-day descendant of the Pazzi family, Chief Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi. Rinaldo tries to capture Lecter to collect a large reward; however, he meets a similar fate to his ancestors when Lecter disembowels and hangs him from a balcony. Francesco appears in the second season of '' Medici: Masters of Florence'', played by Matteo Martari.

References

Works cited

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pazzi, Francesco de' 1444 births 1478 deaths Italian bankers People executed by Florence Pazzi family Italian murderers 15th-century Italian businesspeople People executed by hanging