Although the Medici maintained a large menagerie and had previously featured a giant wooden model of a giraffe in the animal entertainments they provided to the citizenry, this was the first time a living example had been seen in the city.

When Cosimo received Pope Pius II and Galeazzo Maria Sforza in April 1459, he assembled animal combat spectacles, including "a wild boar, two horses, four bulls, two young buffalo, some goats, a cow, and a calf" plus "twenty-six lions".

Lions, which were fierce and proud symbols of Florence, were unwilling to demonstrate their power, placing Cosimo's stature at risk.

[3] Witnessing his grandfather's catastrophic spectacle, Lorenzo realized that he would not achieve absolute respect from his peers with money alone, and that he needed real political power at home and abroad.

[4] In 46 BC, Caesar staged a series of spectacular triumphs to celebrate his accomplishments in defeating Pompey, conquering Asia Minor and Egypt, and asserting his power back in Rome.

[5] A parade of lions, leopards, black panthers, baboons, green monkeys, Egyptian saluki dogs, parrots, flamingos, and ostriches marched through the streets.

[8] In 1422, the Florentine government had concluded a commercial treaty with the sultan of Egypt and Syria,[9] initiating a marine line for goods transportation to and from the East; however, no significant achievements emerged from these efforts.

In return, the Medici would acquire a long-standing friendship with the French whilst forging a familial relationship with Pope Innocent VIII.

Given the intense relations between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, it is unclear why Qaitbay stole presents that an ambassador from India had brought to Bayezid in 1485.

This giraffe represented Qaitbay's efforts "to establish good diplomatic relations with the Florentines in order to make them intervene on their behalf in the inter-Muslim conflict.

Another advantage of keeping this giraffe was enhancing Lorenzo's persuasive negotiation with the Pope for a cardinal's hat for his son, Giovanni de' Medici.

[15] Cem died in February 1495 in Capua, where he accompanied King Charles VIII of France, Anne's brother, to march south.