Bernardo Rucellai

Bernardo Rucellai
Engraved portrait of Bernardo Rucellai from L' Etruria Dotta, ossia raccolta d'elogj di toscani illustri nelle belle lettere e nelle scienze, Deca VI by Francesco Allegrini, Lucca 1786
Born	11 August 1448 Florence
Died	7 October 1514 Florence
Nationality	Florentine
Other names	Bernardo di Giovanni Rucellai, Bernardus Oricellarius
Spouse(s)	Lucrezia de' Medici, known as Nannina

Bernardo Rucellai (11 August 1448 – 7 October 1514), also known as Bernardo di Giovanni Rucellai or as Latin: Bernardus Oricellarius, was a member of the Florentine political and social elite. He was the son of Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai (1403–1481) and father of Giovanni di Bernardo Rucellai (1475–1525). He was married to Nannina de' Medici, the elder sister of Lorenzo de' Medici, and was thus uncle to Popes Leo X and Clement VII, who were cousins. Oligarch, banker, ambassador and man of letters, he is today remembered principally for the meetings of the members of the Accademia platonica in the Orti Oricellari, the gardens of his house in Florence, the Palazzo Rucellai, where Niccolò Machiavelli gave readings of his Discorsi.

Rucellai was born in Florence on 11 August 1448, second son and one of seven children of the wealthy merchant Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai and of Iacopa Strozzi, daughter of the banker Palla di Noferi Strozzi. Giovanni Rucellai remained loyal to Strozzi after the banishment of the latter to Padova by Cosimo de' Medici in November 1434, and for about 27 years he took no part in public life. However, he became friends with Cosimo, and in 1461 Bernardo, then about 13 years old, was married to Cosimo's granddaughter Nannina de' Medici, daughter of Piero di Cosimo and elder sister to Lorenzo. Nannina was brought to her husband's house five years later, on 8 June 1466. The wedding feast was famous for its opulence: 500 guests were seated on a dais which occupied the Loggia Rucellai and the whole of the piazza and the Via dell Vigna Nuova () in front of Palazzo Rucellai, the family palace built by Giovanni Rucellai to designs by Leon Battista Alberti.