Pazzi

The Pazzi family were Tuscan nobles who had become bankers in Florence in the 14th century. They are now best known for the "Pazzi conspiracy" to assassinate Lorenzo de' Medici, which was realized April 26, 1478. Andrea de' Pazzi was also the patron for Brunelleschi's chapter house for the Franciscan community at Florence's Santa Maria Novella church, often known as the Pazzi Chapel. After the conspiracy, the Pazzi were rehabilitated and returned to Florence.

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The family stem from Pazzo ("the madman"), one of the first over the walls in the Siege of Jerusalem (1099), who brought away with him and returned to Florence a stone from the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. A member of the Pazzi family was accorded the privilege of striking a light from this stone on Holy Saturday when all fires in the city were extinguished, from which light the altar light of the Duomo would be annually rekindled, and from it all the hearth fires of Florence. In an elaboration of the primal ceremony, the following day, Easter, a dove-shaped rocket would slide on a wire from above the high altar to an oxcart loaded with fireworks in the piazza. From the fireworks' explosion (the scoppio del carro), sparks would be carried to the city's hearths.

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Bankers: REDIRECT bank...

Florence: Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany, Italy. From 1865 to 1870 it was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Florence lies on the Arno River and has a population of around 400,000 people, plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000 persons. A centre of med...

14th century: As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400....

Pazzi related Images and Photos (experimental)

Medal with the Head of Giuliano De'Medici Commemorating the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478 Verso