Piero de' Medici
Piero de' Medici (1472 – 1503), also known as Piero the Unfortunate (Italian: Piero il Fatuo), was the son of Lorenzo de' Medici. He briefly succeeded his father as de facto ruler of Florence from 1492 until 1494, when he was ousted by the invading French armies of Charles VIII, for which he earned the demeaning epithet, "the Unfortunate".[1]
Piero's overthrow led to the rise of Girolamo Savonarola, a monk who filled the power vacuum using an Apple of Eden, and the calamities that followed.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Piero was the son of Lorenzo de' Medici and Clarice Orsini, and older brother of Giovanni. Since his childhood, he was educated to succeed his father as leader of the family and de facto ruler of Florence, under the patronage of notable figures such as Poliziano; however, upon his accession in the wake of Lorenzo's death, he probably had his former teacher murdered through arsenic poisoning.[2]
In late 1492, Piero was in Venice, where Girolamo Savonarola's supporters were attempting to spread his influence. Irritated at the prospect, Piero stood up to one of these heralds, causing a brawl between him and Savonarola's followers. However, before Piero could be killed by the herald, he was aided by Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a friend of his late father; the pair quickly parted ways when Ezio embarked to Florence to track down Savonarola.[3]
In 1494, the Medici were ousted by Savonarola, who had gained control over Florence using an Apple of Eden.[4] In late 1503, Piero fought on the French side at the Battle of Garigliano, which the Spaniards won, leading to their eventual acquisition of the Kingdom of Naples. As the French retreated, the barge Piero was on capsized, and he drowned in the Garigliano river.[1]
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- A database image found inside the files of Assassin's Creed II, coupled with his appearance in the game's novelization, suggests that Piero was originally planned to appear in the game.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed II (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Bonfire of the Vanities (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Renaissance (first appearance)