Andrea de' Pazzi (1372 - October 19, 1445) was the head of the Pazzi bank during the time of Cosimo de' Medici, using any means necessary to increase his own power and influence over Florence. He proved to be a dangerous enemy to the Medici.
Biography[]
Andrea de' Pazzi.
Andrea de' Pazzi worked with Rinaldo degli Albizzi to have Cosimo executed for the crime of usury. When this fails and Cosimo is exiled from Florence, Andrea betrays Rinaldo and the latter is arrested. Soon after Cosimo returns to Florence, Rinaldo is murdered after being sent into exile. Andrea accuses Cosimo of being the one responsible for Albizzi's murder. This causes the Pope to decide to transfer the Papal account from the Medici bank to the Pazzi bank. Andrea also pays an assassin to kill an olive merchant by the name of Bredani, chosen by Cosimo to take Rinaldo's place in the Signoria. Cosimo had manipulated the election. Cosimo's brother tracks down the assassin and takes him back to Florence to face justice. He finds a letter that the assassin was carrying that proved Andrea had hired him to kill the olive merchant. The letter also proved that Pazzi was secretly working with the Pope's enemies. Cosimo's brother is then killed by Andrea's men. Fortunately, He gave the letter to Cosimo's wife just before he was killed. Cosimo showed this letter to the Pope. Now that Andrea's treachery has been shown to him, the Pope decides not to transfer funds from the Medici bank to the Pazzi's. Eventually, the Pope's enemies are defeated and he is able to return to Rome. Andrea de' Pazzi's plans may have failed, but the rivalry between his family and the Medici's will live on for several years.
In season 2, Andrea's son Jacopo de' Pazzi, is the head of the Pazzi family. Jacopo clearly inherited his father's hatred for the Medici, as he too was determined to destroy them and take over Florence. Eventually, Jacopo is defeated once and for all by Lorenzo the Magnificent, finally ending the feud between the Medici and the Pazzi. Under Lorenzo's orders, the remaining members of the Pazzi family are all banished from Florence.