had married a woman who also came from a great family of Florentine bankers. This marriage of two wealthy families was in keeping with the custom of the day. A humanist, CosimoÆs interest in classical antiquity made him a supporter of the Renaissance arts. He was also strongly interested in FlorenceÆs political affairs, but his activities in the public arena gained him many political enemies, such as Rinaldo degli Albizzi. During CosimoÆs time, Florence was split between two factions: the upper class old families represented by the Albizzi family, and the middle class new families represented by the Medici. Strife arose between the old and the new since the Medici money largely made from ôbanking abroad, was shattering the political balance of the cityÆs principal familiesö (Martines 42). Albizzi arranged for the arrest and banishment of Cosimo. However, Cosimo was brought back to Florence when a new government, or Signory, took over and he continued to build his power base (The Medici Family). He was largely resp
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