When we think about the most powerful families in Italy’s past, especially when it comes to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, two names emerge: the Medicis and the Borgias – even if the latter weren’t Italians, but Spanish in origin. 

Truth is, many others grew in power and prestige in those centuries and affected the political, historical, and artistic development of the country. From the Sforzas in Milan to the Savoia in Turin,  let’s take a look at some of the country’s most important historical families.