MEDICI POWER

"The influence of the family and the bank became so overpowering that it was hard to distinguish between the resident representative of the Medici and the political agents of the Florentine State." 
~ D.N. Ghosh

The Medici Bank was founded in 1397 by Giovanni di Bicci (Cosimo de Medici's father). As the bank expanded, Giovanni was determined to make connections within the Catholic Church, the supreme power in Italy. The Medici bank became the bank of the papacy, resulting in substantial income and power for the family. The Medici's financial expertise revived Florence's economy, turning Florence into a center of commerce.