Contessina de' Bardi (c. 1390-1473) married into the Medici family with very little in the way of a dowry, but with very good connections. Up until a few decades before Cosimo (the Elder) married Contessina, her family had been the wealthiest family in Florence and were the leading bankers of Europe. But the Bardi went bankrupt when King Edward III of England defaulted on their loan to him, around 1345. Marriages were arranged between families and were viewed as opportunities to build connections, improve social standing, and increase wealth. The Medici were "nouveau riche," so to speak, and needed to marry into one of the old noble families in order to have influence and power on the political stage.
Another beautiful face that I will have to find the next time we are in Florence!
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