One cannot understand the social and political history of late medieval and Renaissance Florence (1300-
1494) without comprehending how the great patrician families jealously fought for influence and power in
the various neighborhoods (gonfalone) of the city. Discuss. (This question is pushing you to discuss that
second, “informal” type of political and social power that existed in Florence, away from the Palazzo
Vecchio and the official oligarchical government. Detail how and why patrican families worked to exercise
this political and social power, and the rivalries/alliances that it created A good answer will not neglect to
discuss how families like the Bardi, Medici, Tornabuoni, Strozzi, Rucellai and Pazzi attempted to create
tangible signs of their power in specific areas of the city. Michael Levey book “Florence a portrait”
Sample Solution
