One of the most powerful families of medieval Florence, the Albizi were active members of the wool guild Arte della Lana and were most prosperous between the 13th and 16th centuries.

By the beginning of the Trecento, the Albizzi had established themselves as one of the most prominent families of Florentine nobility, owing to their success as merchants and financiers.

In addition to producing and selling cloth, the Albizzi also started granting loans to other families and businesses and sold and rented land, fulling mills, and factories located in Tuscany.

During this ban, Maso degli Albizzi, a prominent member of the family, was removed from his position in Pistoia, a region controlled by Florence.

This turmoil followed the War of the Eight Saints (1375 - 1378), a failed military campaign against the Papacy that drained Florence’s finances and imposed harsh religious penalties on the population, leading to widespread dissatisfaction with the government.

This regime, dominated by the city’s wealthy patricians who controlled both commerce and government decisions, was led by Maso degli Albizzi.

[1] During the Albizzi rule after the Ciompi riots, promotions and other forms of sponsorship played an important role in strengthening their influence in Florence.

In particular, from 1382 to 1392, ceremonies and events such as chivalric-courtly celebrations were arranged by the Albizzi to boost their publish image and social relations with other powerful families.

These guests were given special treatment, often watching events from prime spots like church steps or windows, or even participating as spectators or contenders, all while being comfortably accommodated nearby.

Maso and his fellow patricians undid the egalitarian changes made during the Ciompi era and restored a system that gave higher guildsmen more power and a majority in committees.

When his father died in 1417, Rinaldo took his place as the head of the Albizzi family and started a war to conquer Lucca.

He sent ambassadors to Florence in 1455 and 1457 to obtain permission to return, but Cosimo de' Medici was adamant in confirming his exile.

Maria lived here with daughters of other patrician families including the Medici, Orsini, and Rinuccini until sometime before 1471 when she disappeared from lists of convent residents.

His life was marked by significant intellectual and political activity, as well as a notable conversion to Lutheranism that set him apart from many of his contemporaries.

As a young man, Albizzi authored writings on Dante, composed Carnival poems, and penned a biography of Pietro Strozzi.

[11] Despite his conversion, Antonio maintained a low profile, practicing Nicodemism—a secret adherence to Protestant beliefs while outwardly participating in Catholic rituals to avoid persecution.

After the death of Cardinal Andreas in 1600, Antonio relocated to Kempten, a Lutheran town, to avoid the jurisdiction of the Catholic Inquisition.

Here, he lived out his remaining years, contributing to the local community as a political advisor, philanthropist, and supporter of the parish school.

[6][7] Lucrezia di Matteo Albizzi Ricasoli was a Florentine patrician woman born likely in the last decade of the 15th century.

Her letters often reveal her frustrations with the financial difficulties her family faced, particularly with maintaining appearances and managing debts.