Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici

Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici was born around 1360 into a family with modest political presence—relatives had served in Florence's Signoria and one was tied to the Ciompi Revolt of 1378, but none had built lasting power. He changed that by founding the Medici Bank, transforming access to capital into dynastic leverage. He died in February 1429, leaving two sons: Cosimo de' Medici and Lorenzo the Elder. Through Cosimo the line ran forward—to Piero di Cosimo, to Lorenzo the Magnificent, and eventually to Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Giovanni never wore a crown, but he wrote the opening balanc…