Giovanni il Popolano

Giovanni de' Medici il Popolano
Possible portrait of Giovanni il Popolano
Born	21 October 1467 Florence, Republic of Florence
Died	14 September 1498(1498-09-14) (aged 30) Santa Maria in Bagno, Papal States
Noble family	Medici
Spouse(s)	Caterina Sforza
Issue	Giovanni delle Bande Nere
Father	Pierfrancesco the Elder
Mother	Laudomia Acciaioli

Giovanni de' Medici, in full Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de' Medici, later known as il Popolano (the commoner) (21 October 1467 – 14 September 1498) was an Italian nobleman of the Medici House of Florence. He was the son of Pierfrancesco di Lorenzo de' Medici, and therefore a member of a secondary branch of the family.

Biography

Giovanni was born in Florence. After his father's death (1476), he and his elder brother Lorenzo (il Popolano) came under the tutelage of their cousins Giuliano and Lorenzo (il Magnifico), and were educated by humanists such as Marsilio Ficino and Angelo Poliziano. They conceived a passion for classical studies and books, and later created a large library of manuscripts and codexes.

Later their relationship with Lorenzo il Magnifico deteriorated, mostly for economic reasons (Lorenzo had kept for himself the Popolanos' inheritance, instead of simply administering it). After Lorenzo il Magnifico's death, they were among the opponents of Lorenzo's successor, Piero (il Fatuo), who exiled them in April 1494.

The following November, Lorenzo and Giovanni returned to Florence in the wake of Charles VIII of France's invasion of Italy, as Piero had been ousted by a Republican revolution in the city. Their support for Girolamo Savonarola gained them the Popolano ("commoner", "plebeian") nickname.

He was going to get married with Luisa de' Medici, but she died in 1488 at aged 11. In 1497 Giovanni married Caterina Sforza, Lady of Forlì and Imola. They had a son, baptized Ludovico. However, after Giovanni's death soon afterwards, Caterina re-christened the baby Giovanni and became known as Giovanni delle Bande Nere.