Piero Soderini
Encyclopedia
Piero di Tommaso Soderini (May 18, 1450 – June 13, 1522) also known as Pier Soderini, was an Italian
statesman
of the Republic of Florence
.
to an old family who had become famous in medicine. His brother was the statesman and supporter of Savonarola, Paolo Antonio Soderini
. Their third brother was Cardinal Francesco Soderini
, bishop of Volterra. In 1481 he was Prior of the city, and later became a favourite of Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici
, receiving from him, in 1493, the honour of being the Ambassador to the Kingdom of France
. He was elected gonfaloniere
for life in 1502 by the Florentines, who wished to give greater stability to their republican institutions, which had been restored after the expulsion of Piero de' Medici and the execution of Savonarola
.
Soderini's rule proved moderate and wise, although he had not the qualities of a great statesman. He introduced a system of national militia
in the place of foreign mercenaries, and during his government the long war with Pisa
was brought to a close with the capture of that city by the Florentines in 1509. Niccolò Machiavelli, author of The Prince
, served under him as second chancellor and as ambassador to Cesare Borgia
, Rome and France. Although Macchiavelli initially had much respect for Soderini, his attitude was changed by the events that led to Soderini's fall.
Grateful to France, who had assisted him, Soderini always took the French side in Italian politics. But in 1512 the Medici returned to Florence with the help of a Papal army, deposed Soderini, and drove him into exile. He took refuge at Orašac
(near Dubrovnik) in Dalmatia
, where he remained until the election of Pope Leo X
, who summoned him to Rome
and conferred many favours on him. Soderini lived in Rome for the rest of his life and worked for the good of Florence, to which he was never allowed to return.
He died in Rome in 1522...
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
of the Republic of Florence
Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence , or the Florentine Republic, was a city-state that was centered on the city of Florence, located in modern Tuscany, Italy. The republic was founded in 1115, when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon Margravine Matilda's death. The...
.
Biography
Soderini was born at FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
to an old family who had become famous in medicine. His brother was the statesman and supporter of Savonarola, Paolo Antonio Soderini
Paolo Antonio Soderini
Paolo Antonio Soderini was a noble Florentine jurist active in the anti-Medicean Florentine republic, who spent some years resident at Rome....
. Their third brother was Cardinal Francesco Soderini
Francesco Soderini
Francesco di Tommaso Soderini was a major diplomatic and Church figure of Renaissance Italy, and brother of Piero Soderini. He was an adversary of the Medici family....
, bishop of Volterra. In 1481 he was Prior of the city, and later became a favourite of Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici
Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici
Piero de' Medici , called Piero the Unfortunate, was the Gran maestro of Florence from 1492 until his exile in 1494.-Life and death:...
, receiving from him, in 1493, the honour of being the Ambassador to the Kingdom of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
. He was elected gonfaloniere
Gonfaloniere of Justice
Gonfaloniere of Justice was a post in the government of medieval and early Renaissance Florence. Like Florence's Podestà and Priori, it was introduced in 1293 when Giano Della Bella's Ordinamenti di Giustizia came into force....
for life in 1502 by the Florentines, who wished to give greater stability to their republican institutions, which had been restored after the expulsion of Piero de' Medici and the execution of Savonarola
Girolamo Savonarola
Girolamo Savonarola was an Italian Dominican friar, Scholastic, and an influential contributor to the politics of Florence from 1494 until his execution in 1498. He was known for his book burning, destruction of what he considered immoral art, and what he thought the Renaissance—which began in his...
.
Soderini's rule proved moderate and wise, although he had not the qualities of a great statesman. He introduced a system of national militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
in the place of foreign mercenaries, and during his government the long war with Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
was brought to a close with the capture of that city by the Florentines in 1509. Niccolò Machiavelli, author of The Prince
The Prince
The Prince is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat, historian and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. From correspondence a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus . But the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after...
, served under him as second chancellor and as ambassador to Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
, Rome and France. Although Macchiavelli initially had much respect for Soderini, his attitude was changed by the events that led to Soderini's fall.
Grateful to France, who had assisted him, Soderini always took the French side in Italian politics. But in 1512 the Medici returned to Florence with the help of a Papal army, deposed Soderini, and drove him into exile. He took refuge at Orašac
Orašac
Orašac is a village in southern Croatia, northwest of Dubrovnik, between Trsteno and Zaton. It is located in the Dubrovačko Primorje ....
(near Dubrovnik) in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, where he remained until the election of Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
, who summoned him to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and conferred many favours on him. Soderini lived in Rome for the rest of his life and worked for the good of Florence, to which he was never allowed to return.
He died in Rome in 1522...
Sources
- Silvano Razzi, Vita di Pier Soderini (Padua, 1737)