Agnolo Pandolfini (1360-1446) was a Florentine statesman, merchant and Renaissance humanist. He was considered a highly learned man, erudite in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

and a friend to most of the learned Florentines of his era.

Leonardo Bruni Leonardo Bruni or Leonardo Aretino ( – March 9, 1444) was an Italian humanist, historian and statesman, often recognized as the most important humanist historian of the early Renaissance. He has been called the first modern historian. He was t ...

was said to have published nothing which had not first obtained a favorable review from Agnolo. His erudition and high standing in Florentine society is evinced by his appearance as the chief speaker in two dialogues of his day: ''Della vita civile'' by

Matteo Palmieri Matteo di Marco Palmieri (1406–1475) was a Florentine humanist and historian who is best known for his work ''Della vita civile'' ("On Civic Life"; printed 1528) which advocated civic humanism, and his influence in refining the Tuscan vernacu ...

, and ''Della tranquilità dell'animo'' by

Leon Battista Alberti Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, Catholic priest, priest, linguistics, linguist, philosopher, and cryptography, cryptographer; he epitomised the natu ...

. He was related by marriage to many of the leading families of Florence.

Origin and political life

His grandfather, Ser Giovanni, moved from

Signa Signa () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italy, Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence. Signa borders the following municipalities: Campi Bisenzio, Carmignano, Lastra a Signa, Poggio a ...

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

around the beginning of the 14th century and was a notary. His son, Agnolo's father, named Filippo, was a wealthy merchant of the ''Por Santa Maria''

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...

who probably dealt in silks and spices; he later joined the

Signoria of Florence The Signoria of Florence (Italian for "lordship") was the government of the medieval and Renaissance Republic of Florence, between 1250 and 1532. Its nine members, the ''Priori'', were chosen from the ranks of the guilds of the city: six of th ...

and, in 1393 and in 1400, became Gonfalonier. Agnolo himself served in many political offices, becoming a major figure of the first half of the 15th century in Florence. He was Gonfalonier on three occasions, a member of the ' twice, and was often invited to participate in executive councils, the so-called ''Consulte e Pratiche''.

Literature

* Martines, Lauro (2011). ''The Social World of the Florentine Humanists, 1390-1460''.

University of Toronto Press The University of Toronto Press is a Canadian university press. Although it was founded in 1901, the press did not actually publish any books until 1911. The press originally printed only examination books and the university calendar. Its first s ...

. pp. 313-314. {{Authority control 1360 births 1446 deaths Politicians from Florence Italian Renaissance humanists