The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
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Average rating3.7
A dazzling history of the modest family which rose to become one of the most powerful in Europe, The Medici is a remarkably modern story of power, money and ambition. Against the background of an age which saw the rebirth of ancient and classical learning Paul Strathern explores the intensely dramatic rise and fall of the Medici family in Florence, as well as the Italian Renaissance which they did so much to sponsor and encourage.
Strathern also follows the lives of many of the great Renaissance artists with whom the Medici had dealings, including Leonardo, Michelangelo and Donatello; as well as scientists like Galileo and Pico della Mirandola; and the fortunes of those members of the Medici family who achieved success away from Florence, including the two Medici popes and Catherine de' Médicis, who became Queen of France and played a major role in that country through three turbulent reigns.
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The Medici family is one of my favorite historical families ever, and this book is a great look at their rise to power, and their fall from grace. What makes this different from other books, however, is that Strathern pays close attention to how Medici patronage of artists and thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Galileo, whether directly or indirectly, helped to create what we now call the Italian Renaissance. It's a bit dry in places, and there's not as much focus on the Medici women as I'd like, but it's a pretty interesting read all the same.
Really good book, I felt like focusing on the Medici was a great way to frame the Renaissance overall and it was fascinating how well connected the family was with so many figures of the age. Particularly interesting to read after [b:Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages 57347786 Powers and Thrones A New History of the Middle Ages Dan Jones https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629634899l/57347786.SX50.jpg 87092832], almost makes me wish I'd read them back to back and kept notes.As other reviews have mentioned, the author sometimes has some pretty judgmental statements about people, especially anyone who ended up lazy, overweight, or homosexual. They were often pretty surprising and felt like unnecessary editorializing.
