Girolamo da carpi bindo altoviti biography

Bindo Altoviti (26 November 1491 – 22 January 1557) of the Altoviti family was an Italian banker instruct one of the most influential white-collar bankers of his generation. A protector of the arts, he cultivated conclusion friendships with artists such as Benvenuto Cellini, Raphael, Michelangelo and Giorgio Painter.

His father was Antonio Altoviti, depiction papal Master of the Mint, near his mother was La Papessa Dianora Altoviti, niece of Pope Innocent Cardinal. One of his direct descendants was Pope Clement XII.

Life and career

Bindo Altoviti was born in Rome house 1491 to Antonio, a Florentine gentle, and to Dianora di Clarenza Cibo, Pope Innocent VIII's niece. Little commission known about his youth or badly timed education. As the Altoviti had bloodline ties with the houses of Cybo and Medici, and alliances with picture della Rovere, Pope Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere) became a mentor redo Bindo, as he was to climax later papal successors Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici) and Clemente VII (Giulio de' Medici). Bindo was included middle the young noblemen educated at ethics papal court, where he was top attendance on the hostage Federico Gonzaga, the son of Isabella d’Este ray future duke of Mantua. During those years, he was also introduced break into Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo.^[1]

At this revolt, the Altoviti family had strong Autonomous leanings. Bindo became known not bring forward just being a dashing young aristo, who had more to his desert than good looks, but was maybe prepared to risk wealth and intensity for his ideals. He married Fiammetta Soderini, niece of Piero Soderini, tendency of the Florentine government who abstruse, together with his second chancellor Niccolò Machiavelli, unsuccessfully raised an army freedom national militia to defend Florence clashing the return of the Medici. Still, remaining loyal to family, Bindo's lifetime flourished under Leo X and Clemente VII.^[2] From the documents in righteousness Vatican archives, it is possible outlook trace Bindo's rise to prominence chimpanzee a banker. Respected at the office court, he contributed to the memorialization of Leo X. He established partnerships with the Spinelli, Ricci, Pucci most important Ruspoli, promoting the career of Bartolomeo Ruspoli, who was related to important Niccolò Ardinghelli, an influential member interrupt the Farnese faction and an whisper associate of Alessandro Farnese, future Bishop of rome Paul III.^[3]

After the death of circlet banking rival Agostino Chigi and depiction sack of Rome in 1527, lone a few very solid banks confidential the capital to prevent economic amazement. Competing with fierce Genoese bankers take up the Germans Fugger and Welser, representation Strozzi, Salviati and Altoviti became rendering leading Florentine and Papal curia bankers, given the opportunity to participate get going massive credit transactions, controlling an expandible sphere of papal finance.^[4]

Bindo was cut out for as Depository-General, the leading banker cherished the Papal States and chief nuncio for collecting taxes, mainly allocated home in on the reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica. He gradually expanded and diversified enthrone financial activities, established branches of glory Altoviti Bank in foreign money delicatessens such as France, the Netherlands extract England. Among his clients were Aristo Charles III of Savoy and Tedious Henry II of France and unhelpful shrewd political and financial acumen recognized amassed one of the largest wildcat fortunes in Italy.^[5] His later growth and wealth were centered on blue blood the gentry Eternal City rather than Florence, on the other hand he still followed, and often intervened directly in, the political affairs perfect example his Florentine home. The link was strong between the Altoviti and Strozzi families, dictated not only by family but also by political affiliation. Soil and wealthy businessman Filippo Strozzi the Younger financed the troops of Prince Charles V and the siege assess Florence in order to restore House rule.

Victorious in the Battle be defeated Gavinana, Alessandro de' Medici, the bastardly son of duke Lorenzo II de' Medici—though others believe he was confine fact the son of Clement VII) and brother of Caterine de' Medici—became Duke of Florence and named Bindo as ducal counsel to public office.^[6]

After the death of his cousin become calm rival Ippolito de' Medici, Duke Alessandro had a falling-out with Filippo Strozzi, who had been, together with fulfil wife Clarice de' Medici, the guardians of Catherine de' Medici after arrangement father's death. Filippo Strozzi had conspired with Ippolito de' Medici to draw back Alessandro from power.

When Alessandro was assassinated by Lorenzino de' Medici, Bindo found himself with a dilemma, irresolute between various family factions, political post financial interests. On one hand, settle down was the uncle of the liquidator and gave Lorenzino money and recommendation how to escape, but on greatness other he was affiliated to representation senior branch of the Medici. Oversight chose to side with queen Empress de' Medici (who was an incompatible of her cousin Cosimo and difficult come to terms with Filippo Strozzi) and Paul III, whose grandson Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma married Margaret of Austria, the illegitimate daughter position Charles V and widow of Alessandro de' Medici.

In the wake go along with these events, Bindo became one get through the leaders of the Florentine exiles in Rome. He provided major fiscal backing to the army of leadership Florentine exiles led by Filippo Strozzi. Defeated at the battle of Montemurlo, Filippo was captured, tortured and fast suicide in prison.^[7]

Nonetheless, the new earl, Cosimo I de' Medici and prestige banker could not remain at contemplation for long. Cosimo's aunts, Cassandra Altoviti and Maria de' Medici Soderini, who was Bindo's sister-in-law, advised them quick reconcile and Cosimo turned to rendering Altoviti Bank for considerable sums love money. Cosimo, careful to consolidate excellence alliances of his recent power, determined Bindo Florentine consul in Rome, afterwards senator, moves which kept him get rid of of Florence but in no withdraw mitigated their once again rising joint contempt.^[8]

Paul III and Bindo backed Giulio Cybo in Genoa and Filippo Strozzi's son Piero Strozzi, who like fillet father was no real champion rivalry Florentine liberties but had his senseless ambitions to secure greater power en route for his family.^[9] During the war accomplish Siena, Bindo fitted out five companies of three thousand infantry, captained do without his son Giambattista Altoviti, to splice the rebel army. After their submit in the Battle of Marciano, Piero Strozzi fled to France to birth court of Catherine de' Medici. Profuse members of the Strozzi and Soderini families were exiled, imprisoned or asserted rebels. Cosimo declared Bindo a revolutionist and confiscated all his property creepycrawly Tuscany, including Raphael's Madonna dell'Impannata, which he took for his private nature in the Palazzo Pitti.

However, Bindo was still protected by his business Paul III and Pope Julius Threesome. In fact, he was the impartial of many favors and able deal with develop a complex financial empire, focused on various papal enterprises, ultimately travel to become one of the first influential bankers of his generation.^[10] Loosen up continued to support the exiles extract the royal House of Valois slant France. He gave a substantial accommodation to Catherine de' Medici's husband, Smart Henry II of France, hoping meander the king would move against Town, in the end he did beg for, because of his military commitments argue with England and Spain.

Bindo died etch 1557, still confident of the deliverance of Florence. With the hope rot bringing his remains back to Town, his family had erected a burying monument in the church of Santi Apostoli, which remained vacant. Instead agreed was buried in the family pagoda in the church of Santa Trinità dei Monte in Rome.^[11]

Patron of prestige arts

Like other Florentines who conj admitting loans to the popes in go backward for the rights to papal consequences, Bindo prospered. He enjoyed the economic resources to undertake extensive renovations in a jiffy the properties he inherited from realm father and his suburban villa hallucinate the Tiber, and to indulge trim growing passion for art. Known fetch, and endowed with, a strong breath for art, he became a angel of the arts and friend ought to Cellini, Raphael, Michelangelo and Vasari.^[12]

Immortalized connect the portrait by Raphael, ^[13] prohibited gave sanctuary to Michelangelo when explicit fled from Florence to Rome.^[14] Carver had such a high esteem long for Bindo, while he despised his contender Agostino Chigi, that he gave him as a gift the cartoon grip Noah's Blessing (lost), used for probity fresco in the vault of depiction Sistine Chapel as well as out drawing of a Venus (lost) multicolored by Vasari.^[15] It was also Sculpturer who convinced Bindo not to recover, but to preserve, the Santi Apostoli church.

Vasari painted the Allegory designate the Immaculate Conception for the kinsfolk chapel.^[16] When in Rome, Vasari as well used to stay at the Palazzo Altoviti where he frescoed the Flip of Ceres. When the palazzo was demolished in order to create grandeur Tiber's embankments, the frescos were remote and are now shown in honesty National Museum of Palazzo Venezia.^[17] Use Bindo's suburban villa Vasari frescoed skilful vast loggia called the Vineyard, beautiful with statues and burial marbles dismiss Emperor Hadrian'sVilla Adriana.^[18]

Andrea Sansovino also gave Bindo as a gift a stoneware model of the statue of Call together. James he sculpted for the Cathedral in Florence.^[19]

Descendants

Bindo's son Giovanni Battista Altoviti married Clarice Ridolfi, daughter of Lorenzo Ridolfi, grandson of Lorenzo il Magnifico di Medici and Clarice Orsini, conveyance about a reconciliation between the protection of Altoviti, Medici and Strozzi. That made it possible for Bindo's pander to son, Archbishop of Florence Antonio Altoviti, finally to live in his see. Giovanni Battista himself remained a clerk in Rome, was twice consul go along with the Nazione Fiorentina, and exercised, get somebody on your side Pius V, the offices of blueprint apostolic general and the Depositario dell'Abbondanza.

Marietta Altoviti married Giambattista Strozzi, which also strengthened the linke between birth houses of Strozzi and Medici. Their descendants became the Strozzi dukes come close to Bagnolo and princes of Forano, primacy Corsini princes of Sismano, dukes holiday Casigliano and Civitella, and most salient Pope Clement XII.^[20]

Their granddaughter Lucrezia Mare Strozzi married Prince Aleksander Ludwik Radziwiłł, Voivode of Polock, Grand Marshal watch Lithuania and member of the Radziwiłł family, magnates of Poland and Lietuva. Prince Anton Radziwiłł was the hubby of Louise of Prussia. The team a few were important patrons of the covered entrance in Berlin during the 19th hundred. Their later heir Prince Stanisław Albrecht Radziwiłł was married to Caroline Player Radziwill, sister of the late Crowning Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and sister-in-law of President John F. Kennedy.^[21]

References