The Life of Capitan Strozzi
The Strozzi family was one of the most prominent in Florence, known for their wealth, banking prowess, and political opposition to the Medici. Their resistance led to multiple exiles and conflicts, shaping the fate of various family members. Francesco Strozzi, born on February 24, 1533, was one of those whose life was deeply influenced by the political strife of the time.
Francesco was the fourth son of Noferi di Niccolò Strozzi and Albiera di Giovannozzo Gianfigliazzi. His father was a well-connected Florentine politician, but the two never had a good relationship. At twenty, frustrated with his situation, Francesco secretly took 250 scudi from his family home and fled to Rome in search of his own path.
In Rome, he found himself surrounded by Florentine exiles, many of whom were bitter opponents of Cosimo I de’ Medici. One of these exiles was Piero di Filippo Strozzi, a condottiero and distant relative of Francesco, who was serving the French king, Henry II. Inspired by the cause, Francesco joined Piero’s forces, fighting in support of Siena against Florence. The war was brutal, and after a long siege, Siena surrendered to Cosimo I’s forces in 1555. Francesco, along with other rebels, retreated to Montalcino, where the remnants of the Sienese resistance held out under French protection.
Declared a rebel, Francesco could not return to Florence. In 1555, he and other Florentine exiles regrouped in Montalcino, where they maintained the last remnants of the Republic of Siena under French protection. Francesco spent several months there before deciding to pursue a career as a professional soldier. In 1557, he traveled to northern France, where he likely fought in the Battle of Saint-Quentin, a decisive conflict between the French and the Spanish. The French suffered a devastating defeat, and two years later, the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis ended the Italian Wars, confirming Spanish dominance in Italy. With his military career at a standstill, Francesco entered the service of Cardinal Lorenzo Strozzi, his relative, who was actively involved in religious conflicts in France.
For six years, Francesco worked for the cardinal, participating in the suppression of Calvinist groups in Languedoc. However, in 1565, his life changed when his father, Noferi, passed away in Florence. Although his father had excluded him from his will, his mother, Albiera, petitioned Duke Cosimo I to allow Francesco to return. She expressed that Francesco wished to serve the Medici and regain his place in Florence. By this time, he had been in exile for over a decade, living a life shaped by war and service in foreign lands. The document containing Albiera’s plea still exists today, serving as a testament to a mother’s determination to restore her son’s place in Florentine society. The plea was successful, and in January 1566, Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici granted Francesco a pardon, officially allowing him to return home. This marked the end of his exile and the beginning of his reintegration into Florence, where he would work to rebuild his life and standing.
Francesco’s reintegration into Florentine society was marked by financial and social stability. Upon his return, he was reinstated into Florentine society, although his father’s will had disinherited him. His mother and brothers, however, ensured that he received his share of the inheritance, allowing him to rebuild his status. In 1567, he married Marietta di Lorenzo Agnolo Guidetti, a widow with a significant dowry, which strengthened his economic position. Over time, he structured his land acquisitions around Castagnoli, his main estate near Castellina in Chianti, ensuring its development and prosperity.
Castagnoli became his primary estate, and he invested heavily in cultivating its vineyards and olive groves. He not only expanded the estate but also modernized its agricultural structure, consolidating scattered land plots into a unified and efficient farming system. This period marked a shift in his identity from a soldier to a landowner, ensuring his family's prosperity.
Despite his focus on Castagnoli, Francesco remained active in Florentine affairs. His military experience led to a role in the service of the Medici, where he was given administrative and military responsibilities. By 1592, he was appointed as the captain of Volterra, a testament to his restored standing in the Medici court. His past as a rebel had been set aside, and he had become a trusted official within the same regime he once opposed. This appointment demonstrated the Medici’s pragmatic approach to former enemies, integrating skilled individuals back into their service rather than continuing old rivalries.
Francesco’s later years were defined by his growing influence as a landowner and his commitment to securing his family's future. His second daughter, Lucrezia, was born in 1579 but did not survive infancy. His eldest daughter, Albiera, married Francesco di Francesco Rucellai in 1590, strengthening the family's social and political ties. Later, the Castagnoli estate passed to Albiera's daughter, Francesca, who married Vincenzio d'Antonio Salviati in 1616. This marriage brought Castagnoli under the ownership of the Salviati family, one of the most powerful and influential noble families in Florence, known for their banking, political ties, and patronage of the arts. Throughout these years, Francesco continued to expand and modernize Castagnoli, consolidating fragmented land plots into a structured and efficient estate. In 1570, he commissioned the construction of the Oratory of Santa Lucia, reinforcing his role as both a landowner and a benefactor of the region.
By the early 1600s, after the deaths of his brothers, Francesco consolidated Castagnoli as the cornerstone of his family's wealth. He focused on improving its agricultural and infrastructural development, ensuring its long-term prosperity. Under his guidance, Castagnoli became a model agricultural estate in Chianti. However, as his responsibilities grew, so did his age, and his health began to decline. On April 24, 1605, Francesco Strozzi passed away at the age of 72. His will ensured that Castagnoli and its associated assets remained within the family, with Albiera inheriting the estate and securing its continued prominence.
Francesco Strozzi’s life was one of exile, rebellion, and redemption. His early defiance against the Medici forced him into years of military service and exile, but he eventually returned to Florence, reclaimed his status, and built a lasting legacy at Castagnoli. His story reflects the shifting fortunes of noble families in Renaissance Italy, where political loyalty was often dictated by necessity rather than ideology.