What was the rich family in Florence during the Renaissance?

The Medici family

This Italian family directed the destinies of Florence from the 15th cent. until 1737.
Of obscure origin, they rose to immense wealth as merchants and bankers, became affiliated through marriage with the major houses of Europe, and, besides acquiring (1569) the title grand duke of Tuscany, produced three popes (Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI), two queens of France (Catherine de’ Medici and Marie de’ Medici), and several cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. They also ruled for a brief period (1516–21) the duchy of Urbino.

Cosimo de Medici (1389–1464) was the first of the Medici family to rule Florence.
He founded the famous Medici Library and an academy for Greek studies built extensively in Florence, and protected such artists as Brunnelleschi, Donatello, Ghiberti, and Luca della Robbia.

Reference: http://www.bartleby.com/65/me/Medici.html

Medici家族善於經商, 有錢有權之後便想到文化品味.
他們資助傑出的藝術家將Florence裝點得美輪美奐, 邀請哲學家講學.
對所有的藝術家都十分慷慨. 因此吸引了傲視全歐洲的藝術家群.
包括最知名的Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raffaello Raphael等等.
可以說Medici家族是整個歐洲的文藝復興的推手