The Ruler Who Lost Florence In Two Years

Piero de Medici went from inheriting the most powerful city-state in Europe to being an exiled beggar in just twenty-four months. His poor diplomacy during a French invasion destroyed the legacy his father had spent a lifetime building.

Piero took control of Florence after the death of his legendary father, Lorenzo the Magnificent, but he lacked the political genius that kept his family in power. When the French king marched into Italy, Piero surrendered key fortresses without a fight, infuriating his citizens. The angry public rose up in rebellion and cast him out of the city almost overnight. He spent the rest of his life as a wandering exile, forever known as the man who threw away the Medici golden age.