
The House of Strozzi is the name of an ancient (later noble)
Florentine family, who like their great rivals the
House of Medici
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 de' Medici, Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first h ...
, 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 ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
, 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 (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 of the
Adoration of the Magi by
Gentile da Fabriano. 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 House of Medici, Medici family as effective rulers of Florence during much of the Italian Renaissance. His power derive ...
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, was exiled as a young man and became a successful banker in
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
. He was also a
condottiero
Condottieri (; singular: ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian military leaders active during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The term originally referred specifically to commanders of mercenary companies, derived from the ...
or leader of
mercenary soldiers and after his reconciliation with the Medici and return in 1466, began the
Palazzo Strozzi, 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, 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 Lor ...
and thereby a member of the
Medici
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 ...
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 (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...
's ''
Doni Tondo
The ''Doni Tondo'' or ''Doni Madonna'' is the only finished panel painting by the mature Michelangelo to survive. Now in the Uffizi in Florence, Italy, and still in its original frame, the ''Doni Tondo'' was probably commissioned by Agnolo Doni ...
'' 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 ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
. After the murder of
Alessandro 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 language, 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 Cassano (born 1948), Italian keyboardist ...
(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 (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...
in 1554. He took part in the French siege of
Calais
Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...
(1557), and died of wounds incurred in battle at
Thionville
Thionville (; ; ) is a city in the northeastern French Departments of France, department of Moselle (department), Moselle. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle (river), Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.
History
Thionvi ...
, in
Lorraine
Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
, 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 consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th ...
. He died of a wound received while attacking Sarlino in 1554. Another son,
Lorenzo Strozzi (1513–1571) went into the Church, also in France, and ended as a cardinal and
Archbishop of Siena from 1565. The son of Piero,
Filippo di Piero Strozzi (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 (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
, before being captured and killed by the
Spaniards
Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance-speaking ethnic group native to the Iberian Peninsula, primarily associated with the modern nation-state of Spain. Genetically and ethnolinguistically, Spaniards belong to the broader Southern a ...
at the
Battle of Terceira.
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 painting, history, Allegory, allegorica ...
(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 Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
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 organ ...
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 was a member of the family. He adopted the composer
Barbara Strozzi (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
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
and built the
Palais Strozzi 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 in Venice,
Palazzo Strozzi in Lombardy,
Villa Strozzi,
Villino Strozzi,
Palazzo Strozzi Bevilacqua,
Palazzo Strozzi alle Stimmate,
Palazzo Nonfinito,
Palazzo Strozzi di Mantova,
Palazzo Strozzi del Poeta, and
Palazzo dello Strozzino.
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.
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
*
External links
*
{{Authority control
Families of Florence
Austrian noble families
Italian noble families
Surnames
14th-century people from the Republic of Florence
15th-century people from the Republic of Florence