Lorenzo de' Medici (, 1 January 1449 – 9 April 1492) was an
Italian statesman and
de facto ruler of the
Florentine Republic, who was one of the most powerful and enthusiastic patrons of the
Renaissance. Also known as
Lorenzo the Magnificent (
Lorenzo il Magnifico ) by contemporary Florentines, he was a
magnate,
diplomat,
politician and patron of scholars, artists and poets. He is well known for his contribution to the art world by sponsoring artists such as
Botticelli and
Michelangelo. His life coincided with the mature phase of Italian Renaissance and his death coincided with the end of the Golden Age of Florence. The fragile peace that he helped maintain among the various
Italian states collapsed with his death. He is buried in the
Medici Chapel in
Florence.