How did the Council of Florence influence Cosimo de’ Medici’s interest in Plato?

The Council of Florence, held between 1438 and 1445, was instrumental in sparking Cosimo de’ Medici’s interest in Plato. Cosimo, who had successfully enticed the ecumenical council to move from Ferrara to Florence, took the opportunity to attend lectures delivered by the visiting Greek scholars.1

Among these scholars was the Byzantine philosopher George Gemistus Plethon, who presented a treatise titled "On the Difference Between Aristotle and Plato" to the Florentine humanists. This work was pivotal, as it introduced Western scholars to a new perspective on Plato, who had been largely ignored during the Middle Ages in favor of Aristotle.2

Inspired by these interactions, the 50-year-old Cosimo became an ardent admirer of Platonic philosophy. This enthusiasm led him to initiate the project of founding the Platonic Academy at his villa in Careggi, where Marsilio Ficino would later serve as the leader and primary interpreter of the Platonic tradition.213