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Fugger Family

The Fuggers, one of the wealthiest families of the Renaissance, were German merchants and bankers with great political power. Hans Fugger was a weaver who settled in Augsburg, Germany, in 1367. He succeeded in the textile trade, and within 100 years, the Fuggers joined the ranks of the city's richest families.

Hans Fugger's grandson Jakob II became the most famous member of the family. Nicknamed "the Rich," Jakob acquired his wealth by loaning enormous sums of money to rulers, such as the Holy Roman Emperor* MAXIMILIAN I. In return, Jakob received control of valuable resources. The silver mines of Tyrol, in particular, generated huge profits for the Fuggers.

Jakob became deeply involved in the politics of his day and used his money to achieve the desired results. In 1519 he helped the Habsburg king of Spain win the office of Holy Roman Emperor as CHARLES V. Jakob bribed the German princes to vote for Charles, and Charles gave Jakob control of rich mercury and silver mines in Spain.

The Fuggers were patrons* of art and learning throughout the Renaissance. Jakob ordered portraits by a number of famous painters, including Hans Holbein the Elder and Albrecht DÜRER. His most original creation was the Fuggerei, a community of more than 50 homes built for the working class. The Fugger family also supported musicians and developed various collections, including books, ancient coins, and sculpture. More than 40 collections of printed music were dedicated to members of the family.

(See also Augsburg; Habsburg Dynasty; Holbeins, The; Holy Roman Empire; Patronage.)

* Holy Roman Emperor

ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, a political body in central Europe composed of several states that existed until 1806

* patron

supporter or financial sponsor of an artist or writer

See color plate 10, vol. 4