#| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒.

TAGGED BY  :   the glorious @starblcssd TAGGING  : @virtuouslongings @idiosynchronics @nikolacvna @gameofwickedness​

LAYER  ONE  :  THE  OUTSIDE .

NAME.    Lorenzo de’ Medici aka il magnifico (the magnificent) EYE COLOUR.    crystal baby blue HAIR STYLE / COLOUR.   light brown turning to darker shades as he grows older. His hair is naturally curly. He prefers letting his hair grow longer in which case his curls turn more loose and elegant-looking. His hair continues to be a huge mess, long or not, and it is not easily tamed. HEIGHT.   6′2″  /  188cm CLOTHING STYLE.    Quite well-dressed and elegant, a proper Renaissance prince. His clothes are tailored and made by expensive fabrics in rich textures and colours, At times his clothing style is even POMPOUS. Same could be said about his modern verse, altough he is more prone to adopt a street style there when he feels like it. BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE.    He has very prominent characteristics overall, but his eyes probably stand out the most. He also has an impressive athletic physique and his long legs probably attract an eye or two.

LAYER  TWO  :  THE  INSIDE .

FEARS.    this boy is bravely stupid so not many material things scare him. He is afraid of disappointing those around him and failing both his family and Florence. He is terrified of illness, war and the prospect of his family being hurt in any way. He is scared AF of bankruptcy and generally doing a shity job as a head of the family and the state. Lowkey is scared his son will ruin all his hard work after his death. GUILTY PLEASURE.   apart from wine and good food, he loves being in love and then romanticising the whole thing (thus it’s safe to assume he is not entirely faithful). He much prefers diving into his philosophy and poetry and he has a passion for hunting (any sport actually) and horses! This boy grooms his horses himself. BIGGEST PET PEEVE.    interrupting him, someone talking to him in authoritative manner. He hates it when someone tells him what he can or cannot do. AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE.   PEACE. He just wants peace, no more problems in the state, some free time to chill at his villas with his friends, write his poetry verses, watch his children grow. Of course, continuing the Medici dynasty, ruling Florence indirectly, restore the bank to its previous glory. A man can have many dreams.

LAYER  THREE  :  THOUGHTS .

FIRST THOUGHTS UPON WAKING UP.    Pre-Pazzi conspiracy: what time is it, sexy time, his schedule.  Post-Pazzi conspiracy: his safety and that of his family’s, what shit he has to deal with today. Fucking Sixtus, god-damn him. WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT MOST.    Politics, Florence, day-dreaming about an easier life filled with poetry and with his brother by his side. WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT BEFORE BED.   Mostly about Florence and issues he is currently dealing with. He mentally goes through tomorrow’s schedule and considers every scenario possible so he may always be prepared. As years go by, he gets very depressed during night time, mourning still for his brother and his (and Florence’s) fate. WHAT YOUR BEST QUALITY IS.   Silver tongue. Charming level 200%, very skilled at most things, makes the best puns and lewd jokes ever.

LAYER  FOUR  :  WHAT’S  BETTER ?

SINGLE OR GROUP DATES.    he feels comfortable with both and can make either of them work. TO BE LOVED OR RESPECTED.   considering he has received both in huge amounts from the day he was born he can’t really separate one from the other. Both is good. BEAUTY OR BRAINS.  he is weak for beauty but he values brains all the more. He is most attracted to beauty accompanied with a sharp mind. DOGS OR CATS.    Dogs all the way. He likes cat but prefers dogs.

LAYER  FIVE  :  DO  YOU …

LIE.    more often than he’d like. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.   a LOT. His confidence falters as he gets older though. BELIEVE IN LOVE.    oh certainly. He has a poet’s heart. WANT SOMEONE.    when doesn’t he?

LAYER  SIX  :  EVER  BEEN …

BEEN ON STAGE.   diplomatic stage? yes. Theatrical stage? only in modern verse! DONE DRUGS.    nah, he’s not into anything that might numb his mind. CHANGED WHO YOU WERE TO FIT IN.    he was shaped as a boy to a certain role. He was moulded to fit the type of the ideal Renaissance prince and ruler. He doesn’t really know who he’d be if he was given freedom to choose his own path.

LAYER  SEVEN  :  FAVORITES .

FAVOURITE COLOR.   blue or gold FAVOURITE ANIMAL.    horses all the way. He has an obsession. FAVOURITE FOOD.    he’s not a picky eater! Anything that tastes good! FAVOURITE GAME.   anything that spikes his competitiveness. Mainly sports.

LAYER  EIGHT  :  AGE .

DAY YOUR NEXT BIRTHDAY WILL BE.    JANUARY 1ST HOW OLD WILL YOU BE.    (verse dependent) DOES AGE MATTER.   certainly not, especially if you are the unofficial ruler of Florence at the age of 20.

LAYER  NINE  :  IN  A  PERSON .

BEST PERSONALITY.   someone loyal. Preferably with a clever wit and a favourable inclination to the arts. BEST EYE COLOUR.   he likes blue or green, though he’ll never openly admit it. BEST HAIR COLOUR.   he has a weakness for fair hair, but he’s chill. BEST THING TO DO WITH A PARTNER.   make 10 babies, lol. escape to a trip for the weekend, away from everyone, just the two of them.

LAYER  TEN  :  FINISH  THE  SENTENCE .

I LOVE.    my family. I FEEL.    daunted, exhausted, that the burden I carry is too heavy for my shoulders. I HIDE.    because I must not appear weak. I MISS.    my brother. I WISH.   Giuliano was still here. That I’d never have to go to war. That the children I lost would return to me. That Florence wouldn’t consume me so entirely I did not have a life of my own.

#| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #i enjoyed doing this a lot!

[cognoscente]

In fact, Lorenzo's influence was extensive, persuasive and usually decisive. When he made it known to a council or an official what he wanted done, his wishes were normally carried out; when he suggested that a man should be elected to a certain office, the required election generally took place. He may never have held any official title as Capo della Repubblica, but when, after his death, an official document styled him vir primarius nostrae civitatis, no one could deny that he was, indeed, the first citizen of Florence. His enemies, of course, had no hesitation in labelling him a tyrant; but, as Francesco Guicciardini admitted,  'if Florence was to have a tyrant she could never have found a better or more delightful one'. This was a view which was certainly shared by most people in the city, particularly the poorer people. To them, it did not matter whether he was a tyrant or not. Under his rule they had food, they had exciting public holidays and they had justice.

The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici by Christopher Hibbert

#lorenzo de medici #Lorenzo the Magnificent #renaissance history #i medici #medici: the magnificent #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #THIS

[cognoscente]

Between Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano, there subsisted a warm and uninterrupted affection. Educated under the same roof, they had always participated in the same studies and amusements. Giuliano was therefore no stranger to the learned languages, and, in his attention to men of talents, emulated the example and partook of the celebrity of his brother. He delighted in music and in poetry, particularly in that of his native tongue, which he cultivated with success; and by his generosity and urbanity gained, in a great degree, the affections of the populace, to which it is probable his fondness for public exhibitions not a little contributed. At the death of his father, Giuliano was only about sixteen years of age, so that the administration of public affairs rested wholly on Lorenzo, whose constant attention to the improvement of his brother may be considered as the most unequivocal proof of his affection.

The life of Lorenzo de’ Medici, called the Magnificent, by William Roscoe

#lorenzo de medici #giuliano de medici #medici #medici: the magnificent #lorenzo the magnificent #thats so precious #i adore the relationship between lorenzo and giuliano so much #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ my soul is split in two and you own the other half —— ⊰ giuliano ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

Poliziano referred to Lorenzo as Florence's caput; other's would have liked to bestow upon him his grandfather's title of Pater Patriae. But the Council of Seventy, jealously guarding its independent authority, was not always willing to carry out his wishes. As he was to have cause to explain to some foreign envoys who failed to understand why he could not commit the State to a certain policy, he was ' not Signore of Florence but merely a citizen '. He had more authority than he deserved, he admitted, but even he ' had to be patient and to conform to the will of the majority'. Of course, it often suited him for men to suppose that his influence was far less effective than it was. This enabled him not only to avoid granting inconvenient or expensive favours to friends - as his grandfather had done - but also to disprove the charges of enemies of his regime that he was a dictator.

The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici by Christopher Hibbert

#Lorenzo de Medici #lorenzo the magnificent #renaissance history #medici #medici: the magnificent #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

The days were passed when an experienced man like Cosimo weighed everything with anxious deliberation and was afraid to show how high he stood in city and State, or when his son was led to a retired life by illness and inclination. A young man, brilliant, talented, self-conscious, early called into active life, and who had grown up in a prominent position, stood at the head of the State and was determined to enjoy life. A second was growing up, perhaps less gifted, but yet a genuine son of a house in which intellectual capacities and the wish not to hide his light under a bushel already appeared hereditary, powerful, splendid, a born leader of youth. It was only natural that the youth of Florence thronged around Lorenzo and Giuliano.

Lorenzo de’ Medici, the Magnificent by Alfred von Reumont

#Lorenzo de Medici #giuliano de medici #Lorenzo the Magnificent #medici history #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #i have so many quotes to post hawuesdjfkn

[cognoscente]

On the second day after my father's death, the most distinguished men of the State and the ruling party came to our house to express their condolence, and at the same time to request me to undertake the conduct of affairs in the city and government, as my father and grandfather had done. As such a responsibility seemed too great for my inexperience (I was only twenty-one) and involved so much labour and so many dangers, I accepted it unwillingly and only for the sake of our friends and fortune, for those who are shut out from political influence have a bad position in Florence. Hitherto all has succeeded to the general honour and satisfaction, not in consequence of my wisdom, but by God's grace and by reason of the wise measures of my predecessors.

Lorenzo’s memoirs in Lorenzo de’ Medici, The Magnificent by Alfred Von Reumont

#| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #lorenzo de medici #lorenzo the magnificent #medici #lorenzo il magnifico

[cognoscente]

Before him rode nine trumpeters, and a page bearing a red and white banner, and accompanied by two others. Next came two squires in full armour, twelve young noblemen on horseback and Guiliano de' Medici whose attire was estimated at eight thousand ducats. Now came five mounted pages with fifers and drummers, and then Lorenzo himself      He wore a surcoat with a shoulder-piece of red and white silk, and across it, a silk scarf embroidered with fresh and withered roses, and the device 'Le temps revient' in large pearls. On the velvet baret cap, adorned with a great number of pearls, he wore a feather made of gold thread, set with rubies and diamonds, and having in the centre a pearl of five hundred ducats value. The diamond on his shield, called 'Il Libro,' was estimated at more than two thousand ducats.       The horse, a present of King Ferrante, wore red and white velvet housings, embroidered with pearls. When the tournament began he laid aside the velvet surcoat and attired himself in another of Alexandrian velvet with gold fringes, and the golden lilies of France in an azure field; while he put on a helmet with three blue feathers.

Lorenzo de’ Medici, the Magnificent by Alfred Von Reumont aka no one makes an entrance like Lorenzo de’ Medici

#| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #lorenzo de medici #lorenzo the magnificent #medici #renaissance #renaissance fashion

[cognoscente]

From the moment of Lorenzo's birth the Medici were engaged in a continual and delicate process of seduction in which the young boy was presented to the people as both the paragon of the virtuous citizen, a Florentine born and bred of a respectable merchant family, and as a charismatic leader, destined to hold the fate of a nation in his hands. Finding precisely the right balance between the two was difficult. To a people steeped in republican traditions, jealous of rank and ready to cut down to size anyone who sought to raise himself too high above his fellow citizens, Lorenzo was something new. He was, to use an anachronistic term, a celebrity, a child star paraded about the city in fine clothes and the center of attention on many public occasions.

Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo de' Medici By Miles J. Unger

#lorenzo de medici #lorenzo the magnificent #medici #medici: the magnificent #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #magnifico #miles j unger

[cognoscente]

Lorenzo was born to rule. This fact alone set him apart from his grandfather and father, both of whom entered the world at a time when the Medici were a somewhat obscure clan on the margins of Florence's governing oligarchy.  Lorenzo was the first of the Medici born, so to speak, to the purple, and this awareness of an almost imperial destiny shaped his sense of himself and the attitudes of those around him.

Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo de' Medici, By Miles J. Unger

#lorenzo de medici #lorenzo il magnifico #lorenzo the magnificent #medici: the magnificent #medici #magnifico #miles j unger #doing some character study #im gonna spam #be prepared #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

Lorenzo had taken so large a share in the conduct of affairs in his father's last years, and displayed such capabilities, that we need not be surprised if, after the authority of the Medici had been acknowledged now for two generations, all eyes should have been directed towards him, notwithstanding his youth, which excluded him from offices of State.

Lorenzo de’ Medici, the Magnificent by Alfred von Reumont

#Lorenzo de Medici #medici #Lorenzo the Magnificent #renaissance history #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

Lorenzo was precocious and self-assured from an early age and Cosimo and Piero realized that the boy would be an asset in the general struggle for power and prestige. At the age of five he was dressed up in the latest French fashions and bundled off to the gates of the city to greet the visiting Duke of Anjou " surrounded, " we are told, " by a crowd of children and adults. " Lisping formal greetings more suited to an adult's mouth, Lorenzo charmed everyone.

Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo de' Medici By Miles J. Unger

#lorenzo de medici #lorenzo the magnificent #medici #medici: the magnificent #lorenzo il magnifico #listen i cant believe how skilled he was at the age of five?whats this? a child-mircale? #but also this semi makes me sad? because his family took advantage of his talents from such a tender age #i always felt like lorenzo was forced to grow up extremely early considering at 15 he was going on diplomatic missions already #my lil bby #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

Smol reminder that Lorenzo was sent out to important diplomatic missions around Italy since he was 15 and he became the head of the family & the medici bank (not to mention his active involvement in the politics of Florence) at the age of 20. Can my boy live pls.

#was he ever a child? or was he born an adult idk #talking about burdens #most people fool around at 15 #but lorenzo goes to meet the pope at 15 #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ let me take knowledge as my lover—— ⊰ headcanons ⊱

[cognoscente]

smol reminder that Cosimo died when Lorenzo was already like 16 and he most likely shaped Lorenzo to be the man and leader he eventually became. Cosimo and Contessina’s influence made Lorenzo worthy of the title ‘ Magnificent ’.

#of course there were other factors as well and his own mother played a huge role #but if you think cosimo wouldn't mingle with his grandson's upbringing then think again #i will most likely make a headcanon post about this with historical references #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ you made me your image —— ⊰ cosimo ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ you raised him to be above any mortal —— ⊰ contessina ⊱

[cognoscente]

WHAT   MAKES   YOU   TERRIFYING   &   DANGEROUS  ? 

YOUR MIND!

Your mind is terrifying... You're smart, cunning, and your mind might just lean in DARK DIRECTIONS... No matter what you do, it's gonna be GENIUS, and you're not gonna get caught unless you want to. You bide your time, making a master plan, preying on your victim's weaknesses. You can find out exactly what their worst fears are, and make them happen. You're a FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. You might not be quite as menacing as I make you sound though, that could just be when someone crosses you that one last time. You might be a perfectly nice person until someone just pushes you a little too far.

Tagged by: @idiosynchronics Tagging: just steal it from me

#wtf i didnt expect this to be so accurate #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ let me take knowledge as my lover—— ⊰ headcanons ⊱

[cognoscente]

Lorenzo: I don’t have any favourites, I cherish everyone equally. Lorenzo: Apart from Giuliano. I cherish him more than my own life.

#lorenzo in a nutshell #overprotective big brother #| ➸ I see a little silhouetto of a man—— ⊰ crack ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ my soul is split in two and you own the other half —— ⊰ giuliano ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱

[cognoscente]

tag drop.

#| ➸ setting down the quill —— ⊰ out of character ⊱ #| ➸ i can make you immortal —— ⊰ promotions ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ can't you see the sanity in my epiphany —— ⊰ visage ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ wisdom is better than power —— ⊰ musings ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ let me take knowledge as my lover—— ⊰ headcanons ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ he promises that he has the knowledge of God —— ⊰ about ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ sometimes I justify the words I spill —— ⊰ letters ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ i can say that I can change the world —— ⊰ v: king in all but name ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ i can say that I can win it all —— ⊰ v: the magnificent ⊱ #| l. medici ➸ like spitting ambers my words speak and kill —— ⊰ v: king without a crown ⊱