Lucrezia de' Medici (1470–1553)
| Lucrezia de' Medici | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Spouse(s) | Jacopo Salviati |
| Issue | |
| Noble family | |
| Father | Lorenzo de' Medici |
| Mother | Clarice Orsini |
| Born |
4 August 1470 Republic of Florence |
| Died | 15 November 1553 (aged 83) |
Lucrezia Maria Romola de' Medici (4 August 1470 – between 10 and 15 November 1553) was an Italian noblewoman, the eldest daughter of Lorenzo de' Medici and Clarice Orsini and mother of Maria Salviati and Giovanni Salviati. Her portrait was considered (as a newborn) as the baby Jesus in Our Lady of the Magnificat of Sandro Botticelli.
She was married in February 1488 to Jacopo Salviati. She brought a dowry of 2000 florins to the marriage. When her brothers were exiled from Florence, she was in a difficult spot, as Jacopo was a supporter of the new rulers. In August 1497 she spent 3000 ducats to support a plot to return her brother Piero to power. When it failed, the men participating in the plot were executed, but the Francesco Valori, leader of Florence, could not consider harming a woman. She continued to work to build support for the Medici family, including negotiating the marriage of her niece, Clarice de' Medici (1493-1528), to Filippo Strozzi the Younger against the desires of the Florentine leaders. When her brother, Giuliano returned to Florence in 1512, he asked the advice of his sisters on how he should restructure the government.
In March 1513, her brother became Pope Leo X, and the Medicis held days of celebrations in Florence. Lucrezia and her siblings gave gifts and money to crowds outside the family palace. By 1514, Pope Leo had so drained the Vatican treasuries that he pawned the papal tiara (worth 44000 ducats) to Lucrezia and her husband. Lucrezia began to have public disputes with her sister-in-law, Alfonsina Orsini, who was working to elevate her son, Lorenzo to Captain General and later Duke. She and her husband preferred that a group rule Florence, rather than an individual. Pope Leo appointed Lucrezia's son Giovanni a Cardinal in 1517. Lucrezia managed his household and office for him from 1524, particularly while he was travelling as a Papal Legate. She used that influence to help promote Medici causes in Rome. Lucrezia was with Pope Leo when he died.
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