Clement took counsel with the Florentine ambassadors, who had been sent to congratulate him upon his elevation.  Very adroitly he placed by his chair of state the two youths, who passed for Medici, and who were “as dear to him as sons”—­Ippolito and Alessandro.  In compliment to the Pope, and certainly not from conviction, the fourteen envoys agreed in asking him to send the two boys to Florence, under the charge of a worthy administrator, who should hold the reins of government in Clement’s name.

Delighted with the success of his stratagem, Clement chose the Cardinal of Cortona, one of his most obedient and faithful creatures, to accompany Ippolito, nearly sixteen years old, to Florence as quasi-Regent for the lad.  With them went, as Ippolito’s chamberlains, four Florentine youths of good birth who were favourites of the Pope, Alessandro de’ Pucci, Pietro de’ Ridolfi, Luigi della Stufa, and Palla de’ Rucellai.  The cortege was received in Florence without demonstrations of any kind; but certainly Ippolito made a very favourable impression by his good looks and gaiety.  The Cardinal and his companions drew rein first at the Church of the SS.  Annunziata, where they heard Mass, and they then rode on to the renovated Palazzo Medici.  A meeting of the Signoria was convened, and by a narrow majority Ippolito was declared eligible for the offices of State.

The appointment of Passerini was unfortunate.  “He was,” writes Benedetto Varchi, “like most prelates, extremely avaricious; he had neither the intellect to understand the Florentine character nor the judgment to manage it, had he understood it.”  Ippolito assumed at once the style of “Il Magnifico,” and began to display a lust for power and a taste for extravagance quite unusual in so young a lad.  The Cardinal yielded to every whim, and very soon a goodly number of courtiers rallied round the handsome youth.

Having launched one of his proteges successfully upon the troubled sea of Florentine politics, Clement despatched Alessandro, under the care of Rosso de’ Ridolfi, one of his most trustworthy attendants, with little Caterina de’ Medici.  They were instructed to report themselves to Cardinal Passerini, and then without delay to proceed to the Villa Poggio a Caiano.

This was a very wise arrangement on the part of Clement, in view of the strenuous rivalry and emphatic dislike the two lads had for each other.  The two were kept apart as they had been at the Vatican, but this led naturally to the creation of rival parties and rival courts, each of which acclaimed their respective young leaders as Il Capo della Repubblica and “Il Signore di Firenze.”  Better far as matters turned out, had it been deemed sufficient to advance Ippolito alone.  His splendid talents—­although linked to fickleness and inconsistency—­and his liberality, appealed to the Florentines, and he might have proved a second Lorenzo il Magnifico.

The sack of Rome in 1527 and the imprisonment of Clement VII. in the fortress of Sant Angelo, raised the spirits of the Republicans of Florence.  Niccolo de’ Soderini, Francesco de’ Guicciardini and Pietro de’ Salviati took up a strong position as leaders of a popular party, and once more the cry of “Liberta!” “Liberta!” was raised.  Cardinal Passerini was advised to leave Florence and to take the two lads with him.