In 1397, Banco dei Medici was founded by Giovanni de Bicci de Medici, the progenitor of the influential Medici family. He skillfully built his bank through a close relationship with the papacy, and the church, despite condemning usury, played a pivotal role in the expansion of international banking. Giovanni navigated the complex world of Renaissance finance while laying the foundation for the Medici rise to become international powerbrokers and play an essential role in Florentine culture and politics.

Resources:
The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall by Christopher Hibbert
Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in 15th-Century Florence by Tim Parks

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Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39
Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D