All family trees are only as strong as the roots upon which
they stand. And yet in the profusion of source material on the Medici family,
most point to Giovanni di Bicci de Medici (1360-1428) as the patriarch of the
family. These series of posts (now at number seven) prove that many prior branches
and roots provided a strong base for the powerful family; each one growing
sturdier on the deeds of those that came before. Unfortunately, it also makes
the information on these early branches both spotty and contradictory (the
custom of using a significant ancestor’s name, such as Charissimo, finds the
two men in question in this post--highlighted in red in the family tree above--both called not only Salvestro but Salvestro
Charissimo…a recipe for confusion). In an effort for clarity they will be
called by their name and their fathers, hence Salvestro di Alamanno and
Salvestro di Averado. Since the previous post, it became clear that Salvestro
di Alamanoo (1331-1388; Gonfalonier of Florence 1370, 1377/78) and not his
cousin, Salvestro di Averado, was, in fact, the Salvestro intricately involved
with the Ciompi Revolt and its resolution. That distinction does indeed belong
to Salvestro di Alamanno.
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| Circled: carding brushes |
The revolt was sparked by the wool carders (a brushing
process to remove imperfections and align the fibers). Not only were these
workers unrepresented by any Guild in a society in which there were Guilds for almost every
profession (what in modern terms would be called Unions), they were some of the
poorest, and most radical, of workers. They resented the growing power of the
other Guilds, especially those within the textile community, such as the Arte della Lanna (the wool guild, one of
the seven ‘great’ trades of Florence). And they grew ever more fearful as
rumors of a takeover were in the air…the manufacturers and bankers were planning
a coup d’état on June 24, Saint John’s Day, a major holiday.
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| Scarperia Castle |
Salvestro di Alamanno had already distinguished himself in
prestigious public offices and as a powerful condottiere (soldier) in the war against the Visconti to defend the
castle of Scarperia. A wealthy man and member of the upper merchant class, he
did, however, sympathize with the unrepresented workers, and as the sitting
governor, spurred the ciompi to take
action with an eloquence that would come to mark the Medici through the ages:
"If we had to deliberate now whether to take up arms, to burn and
rob the homes of the citizens, to despoil churches, I would be one of those who
would judge it was a course to think over, and perhaps I would agree to put
quiet poverty ahead of perilous gain. But because arms have been taken up and
many evils have been done, it appears to me that one must reason that arms must
not be put aside and that we must consider how we can secure ourselves from the
evils that have been committed... You see the whole city full of grievance and
hatred against us: the citizens meet together; the Signoria is always on the
side of the magistrates. You should believe that traps are being set for us and
that new forces are being prepared against our strongholds. We must therefore
seek two things, and we must have two ends in our deliberations: one is to make
it impossible for us to be punished for the things we have done in recent days,
and the other is to be able to live with more freedom and more satisfaction
than we have in the past... If we wish that our old errors be forgiven us, [we
need] to make new ones, redoubling the evils, multiplying the arson and
robbery-- and to contrive to have many companions in this, because when many
err, no one is punished, and though small faults are punished, great and grave
ones are rewarded." (Florentine Histories, III, 13)
In June of 1378, the ciompi,
these disenfranchised and unrepresented workers, took up arms and attacked
government buildings. By July 21, their successful efforts found Michele di
Landio, a wool carder who in the midst of the riot took up the city’s banner
and ran with it (literally) through the heart of the assault, seated as the gonfaloniere of justice (basically the
Governor of Florence). They brought the popolo
minuto (the lower class) some much needed influence; it was a time of great
democracy in a land always ruled by an upper class republic oligarchy. During
their short tenure of power, the ciompi elected
three of their own as members of the Prior (a small but powerful arm of the
government), instituted tax reforms, and reduced judicial corporal punishment.
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| Michele di Landio |
Under Landio’s reign, Salvestro di
Alamanno was not only given revenue of shops on the Old Bridge (the famous Ponte Vecchio) he was also knighted,
along with 63 other Florentine citizens.
Their blaze of glory was but a flash of a flint.
The revolt traumatized the upper classes of Florentine
society and it was not long before a counter-strike was in the offing. As a the
ciompi gathered in the main city square,
the Piazza della Signoria, in front of the government building, they were
attacked by members of the major and minor guilds, outraged men led by the
guild of butchers (that in itself conjures a frightening image). Though they
were ousted from any positions of power, the reforms put in place by the ciompi remained in effect…but only until
1382.
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| Florence's magnificent Duomo |
For Salvestro di Alamanno’s support of the marginalized, the
privileges incurred upon him by Landio were revoked and he was exiled from the
city in 1382. The government did not lift his exile until 1387. He died a year
later, never having married or borne any children. Salvestro di Alamanno did
receive the privilege of entombment within the great Duomo.
His cousin, Salvastro di Averado de’ Medici did not live his
life without distinction of his own however. Born circa 1300, Salvestro di
Averado served as Florence’s envoy to Venice for a year, 1336, perhaps more. In
1326, he married Lisa Donati, daughter of Sinibaldo Donati, one of Tuscany’s
powerful families, forging an importance alliance that would last for
generations. This Salvastro and his wife, Lisa, would also become grandparents
to none other than Giovanni di Bicci de Medici.
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