Corsini family

Corsini is the name of a Florentine princely family.

The Corsinis are an old, historical family of Florence.

They arrived in Florence towards the end of the 12th century. They came from the areas of Poggibonsi and from the “Pesa” valley, which are between Siena and Florence. The Corsini family gained considerable success in the 14th century as politicians, traders, and churchmen in what was at the time, the Republic of Florence. They gave to Florence twelve Priors and forty-seven Gonfalonieres of Justice, the highest appointments in Florence.

Matteo (1322–1402) built a considerable fortune at the Court of England, trading wools, silk and fish. He was a close friend to the great Italian poet, Petrarca. The banking crisis, which had been caused by the insolvency of Edward III following his wars in France, forced Matteo to relinquish his position in England. He then returned to Tuscany where he invested in land. In 1371, Matteo and the Corsinis were granted the title of Count Palatine by the Charles IV, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Matteo’s cousin, Giovanni, became Seneschal of Armenia and Governor of Rodi. Another cousin, Filippo (1334–1421), was a law expert, an active diplomat, and was five times Gonfaloniere of Justice, in Florence.

Two Corsinis were bishops of Fiesole. They were Andrea (1349) and Neri (1374). Two others, Piero (1363) and Amerigo (1411), were bishops of Florence.

Of particular note is Andrea, who was Bishop of Fiesole from 1349 until his death in 1373. He was made a Saint in 1629 (Sant Andrea Corsini, or Saint Andrew Corsini) because of his life of penitence, meditation and dedication to helping the poor. His brother, Neri, was also a Bishop of Fiesole and is a Blessed Soul.

Piero (1363 - 1403) followed Pope Urban V into exile in Avignon as a Cardinal and Bishop of Florence, and supported the Pope’s return to Rome. Amerigo (1411) was the first arch-bishop of Florence.

At the end of the 15th century the political influence of the Corsini family decreased, mainly because of the seizure of power carried out by the Medici family. Though some of the Corsinis opposed the Medici, the family as a whole continued to flourish in business and politics under Medici rule, acquiring titles, lands, and offices.

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