Exile in Practice: The Alberti Family In and Out of Florence 1401–1428

Abstract

Political exile punished an offending individual through public humiliation, deprivation of political rights, separation from family and friends, from business and property. This situation was difficult but manageable for an individual since he and his dependents could turn to members of the extended family for aid and comfort. However, if all the family's men were banished, the situation was potentially catastrophic. The Alberti, a prominent Florentine merchant-banking family, found itself in just such a situation. In January 1401, all Alberti men were exiled from the city of Florence for conspiracy against the state; they were not allowed to return until 1428. This paper will explore the consequences of their long and unusual banishment from Florence.