Lorenzo de Medici

I watched an interesting documentary about Lorenzo de Medici in the History Channel 8 on Starhub. I searched Wikipedia and found the following:

Lorenzo de' Medici (January 1, 1449 – 9 April 1492) was an Italian statesman and ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance.

Known as Lorenzo the Magnificent (Lorenzo il Magnifico) by contemporary Florentines, he was the most remarkable public figure of his time. Not only a wily diplomat and politician, he headed a brilliant group of scholars, artists, and poets. He was charismatic, tough, passionate, and energetic, equally devoted to his city, his family, the church, and the pursuit of art and learning.

His life coincided with the high point of the early Italian Renaissance; his death marked the end of the Golden Age of Florence.

The fragile peace that he helped to maintain between the various Italian states collapsed with his death; and two years later the French invasion of 1494 began nearly 400 years of foreign occupation of the Italian peninsula.

Though the Medici remained in power in Florence for several centuries, producing three popes and two queens of France, none of his successors approached Lorenzo's range of interests and accomplishments or the generosity of his vision.

Tip: Watch Starhub Channel 8 (History Channel). It is quite interesting.