12 Facts About Bernardo Rucellai

Bernardo Rucellai, known as Bernardo di Giovanni Rucellai or Latinised as Bernardus Oricellarius, was a member of the Florentine political and social elite.

Bernardo Rucellai was the son of Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai and father of Giovanni di Bernardo Rucellai.

Bernardo Rucellai was married to Nannina de' Medici, the elder sister of Lorenzo de' Medici, and was thus uncle to Popes Leo X and Clement VII, who were cousins.

Bernardo Rucellai was a member of the political elite of late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Florence and held numerous positions in public office.

Bernardo Rucellai was on good terms with the ruling Medici family, and was close to his brothers-in-law Lorenzo and Giuliano.

Bernardo Rucellai was one of the Consiglio dei Cento in 1474.

In 1486, Bernardo Rucellai paid a visit to Pope Innocent VIII on his way to Naples to represent both Florence and the Medici.

In 1512, Bernardo Rucellai helped lead the effort to remove Piero Soderini from power and restore the Medici.

In 1474, after Niccolo Vitelli was besieged by papal forces under Giuliano della Rovere in Citta di Castello, Bernardo Rucellai wrote an Oratio de auxilio Tifernatibus adferendo.

Bernardo Rucellai wrote five histories, De urbe Roma liber, De magistratibus Romanis, De bello italico commentarius, De bello Pisano, De bello Mediolanensi.

Bernardo Rucellai left a large body of letters, some of them in Latin.

Bernardo Rucellai corresponded with humanists and intellectuals, among them Francesco Cattani da Diacceto, Andrea Conero, Pietro Dolfin, Marsilio Ficino, Bartolomeo Fonzio, Antonio Ivani da Sarzana and Filippo Redditi.