18. The Medici, Savonarola, and Renaissance Florence

The explosion of new learning that dominated the Renaissance also brought with it new expressions of corruption in the highest levels of leadership in the church. The powerful voice of the Dominican monk, Girolamo Savonarola, resounded throughout Italy, and especially in Florence, calling people to a deeper commitment to a life of devotion and restraint. His voice was finally cut short, however, when the politics of the day turned against him. His legacy nevertheless persisted for years, and to this day he represents a powerful example of the deep influence of one courageous voice in a time of decline and decay.