Part 5/8:
The Torrid Succession: Piero and Lorenzo
Cosimo's son, Piero, unlike his father, struggled with health issues, hastening the family's decline after his death in 1469. The mantle fell to Lorenzo, known as "Lorenzo the Magnificent." Amidst a growing conspiracy against him by the Pazzi family and others resentful of Medici dominance, Lorenzo faced an assassination attempt during a mass, resulting in the death of his brother.
Emerging bravely from this crisis, he manipulated public sentiment and established a council loyal to him, consolidating his reign over Florence while continuing to champion the arts.