JOHN NAJEMY -- Ph.D. -- Professor at Cornell University

Dear Dr. Kolkey,

In a second phase of the Milanese wars, beginning in the mid-1420s, it was again the Albizzi oligarchy that initially supported the wars, but when Medici loans to the communal treasury became indispensable to the continuation of the war, power began to shift toward their faction, and after about 1430 or 1431 Cosimo de' Medici was committed to seeing the war through to a successful conclusion, in part to establish his and his faction's power against the rival Albizzi. When this phase of the conflict with Milan ended in 1433, the Albizzi faction, recognizing the danger to them of growing Medici power and influence, had Cosimo arrested and banished. During the year of his exile, the Albizzi sought to justify their actions with the testimony of a former Medici insider who claimed that Cosimo and his inner circle deliberately prolonged the war so that they could continue to make lucrative loans to the government....

Best wishes,

John Najemy

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