CHAPTER VI.

SUPREMACY OF COSIMO DE’ MEDICI TO THE REFORM OF LUCCA PITTI.

Pope Eugene in Florence—Political Positions on Cosimo’s

return Home—Antecedents of the Medici Party—Lucca

Pitti—Neri Capponi—The Acciaiuoli—Agnolo and Donate

Acciaiuoli—Diotisalvi Neroni—The Giugni and other Friends of

the Medici, the Pandolfini, Salviati, Guicciardini—Cosimo’s

Party-management—Restriction of free Voting by the Practice of

Nominating to the Magistracy—Abrogation of the Law against the

Nobles—Relations towards his Opponents—Palla Strozzi—Troubled

Lot of Rinaldo degli Albizzi and his Family—Cosimo’s

Attitude towards his own Party—Neri Capponi—Baldaccio

d’Anghiari—Disunion in the Dominant Party—Termination of

Extra-legal Authority—Re-introduction of the Selection of

Magistrates by Vote—The Formation of the Cadaster—Progressive

Scale—Taxation in the Hands of the Medici—Revision of

the Cadaster in 1458—Discontent of powerful Burghers of

the Medici Party—Luca Pitti, Gonfalonier—Change in the

Government—New Commission for the Choice of Magistrates and

for Taxation—Weakening of Cosimo’s Authority—Violence of his

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