The family dynasties that came before built their empires on power marriages and military power, but the Medici dynasty was different. Cosimo de Medici, its patriarch, created it by building up wealth through political alliances — he backed his old friend Baldassare Cossa in his bid to become Pope, and in return, as Cossa is elected Pope John XXIII, Medici was selected to handle the sizable Papal treasury — in effect, Cosimo became “God’s banker.” For the better part of a Century the Medici family ruled Florence, but successive generations’ neglect to consolidate power, and the family fortune crumbled.

On this day, November 9, in 1494, sensing a shift in the power, the French King Charles VIII crossed the Alps into the Kingdom of Naples, claiming rights to the land. The resulting negotiations between Piero II of the Medici and the king forced the Medici clan to feel to the safety of the mountains.

Charles VIII had the better position from which to bargain with, having the stronger army and mroe allies. He demanded control of a swath of lands and key castles, and much to the uproar of the Florentines, Piero II agreed on all points. Residents of Florence rioted in the streets, forcing Piero and his family to exile themselves to the mountains. This was not the last time a Medici would rule Florence, but it was the beginning of the end.