The Medici

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So on the whole, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, even though it doesn't go as deeply as I would prefer. VII, а по-късно амбициите им достигат върха си с двете френски кралици Катерина Медичи и Мария Медичи. Стратърн описва и двете доста неутрално, без да демонизира Катерина, която в много романи особено в любимата ми "Кралица Марго" от детските ми години е доста негативен образ, но тук тя е жена, с трима болнави и слаби сина, в несигурни времена на ръба на религиозна и гражданска война, която прави всичко възможно да съхрани единна държавата, при липсата на силен наследник. Малко известен факт е, че нейните готвачи променят основите на френската кухня. This a hard one to review, because for a certain type of reader "The Family Medici" is a very good read -- and I happen to be that kind of reader. If you want to know who the Medici really were, these are the books you should start with.They are filled with vivid details and well-told stories and are indispensable reads for fans of the Medici family. They also paint a picture of Renaissance life in Florence which is interesting if you’re planning a visit to the city. 3 Top Books about the Medici family

I се случват малко интересни и заслужаващи споменаване факти, като сред тях е присъствието на Галилео Галилей, забележителен математик и астроном, музеят му във Флоренция е събрал невероятна колекция от научни открития променили света. There are brief narratives on the Medici’s who married into royalty particularly Caterina and Marie who became queens of France. Machivelli is noted, but having worked for enemies of the Medici, he does not feature much in the narrative. This is a particularly difficult story to tell as it spans several centuries, a huge range of characters from the Medici themselves to foreign royalty as well as all the great artists of the era and a fundamentalist preacher in Savonarola who would nearly bring them down.This particular book was written at the same time or to accompany a short television series, The Rise and Fall of the De Medici family which tells the story of Florence and one famous banking family. Each night this week, I read sections of the book and then watched the corresponding television episodes and had a different but wonderful reading experience. Whilst the Medici are fêted for their patronage of the arts none of this would have been possible without them first having the money to spend on the projects for which Florence is famous. They achieved this wealth by means of money lending, first on a small scale and then by increasing the amount they leant and also by guaranteeing funds in various locations around Europe for travellers who would otherwise have to carry the money on them. They did this by establishing branches of the Medici bank in places like London, Paris and Rome as well as other cities. Along with double entry book keeping, the Medici are credited with inventing what we understand today to be the modern banking system.

I think this an exemplar of the genre. The very best non-fiction can be gifted to a young reader without fear that its scope will intimidate, its story bore or its prose deter. Mary Hollingsworth is an able writer. You’ll learn what was it like to live in Florence, and why they had so many enemies like the Albizzi. You’ll find out which artists they supported, their ailments, their politics within Europe, their first cautious steps into the Florentine Republic and the creation of the Gran Ducato with Cosimo I. Finally you’ll see how the family line slowly declined. More to the point, these things had nothing directly to do with the Medici family and he could have moved past them entirely. Mention the names of the great artists they worked with and move on. There was no need to delve into the details of their personal lives and beliefs as it didn't need to talk about them at all. Every bit of focus could have gone to members of the family. Perhaps, if Catholicism and homosexuality are topics you dislike, Renaissance Italy may not be the proper focus. Note: I haven't finished this book. I start to lose interest in Florence after the Medici become pawns of greater actors (after Guilio's siege), so I haven't read beyond this point. The political gravity shifts away from Florence here and events just become somewhat lesser. We love Paul Strathern’s writing. It pulls you inside the story and gives you an overview of how the Medici were influential in the Italian Renaissance. It’s a story of endless ambition, power and drama and is interesting particularly for the way it shows how the Medici family’s involvement with the great painters and scientists of the age.

But for others, the simple recitation of the Medici family's history in Florence might seem almost aimless, for there's no attempt by Mary Hollingsworth to draw any grand conclusions about history, or the Renaissance, or art patronage. "The Family Medici" is the story of this fascinating Italian family's journey through the complex politics and ugly realities of medieval life, and Hollingsworth does nothing to gloss over the less savory aspects of the time.

Third, anyone writing a popular history should know to keep themselves out of their work, but Strathern constantly injects his views on religion and politics. It's fine to hold and share one's opinions on these topics, but this is not the place. I've already read Paul Strathern's Death in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, and the Battle for the Soul of a Renaissance City a while ago, and thought it was excellent. Anyone who has more than a passing knowledge of/interest in European History will have heard of the Medici family, although I am ashamed to admit that I was unaware of just how long they had their hands on the reins of Florentine (and wider) society. Hollingsworth has a writing style that is relatively easy to follow, and the layout of the book, giving each generation its own chapter (with a brief overview as part of the chapter heading) is a nice touch.First, the time spent on the significant Medici women was next to nothing. I feel like I barely know anything about Catherine de' Medici, even though she was one of the most influential people in Europe during her lifetime. More time and description was devoted to non-Medici men, such as Machiavelli and Galileo, important as they were. Strathern does an excellent job of writing a popular history in a way that is simultaneously engaging and informative. I feel like I have a much better understand of the Medici than I did previously. It is an excellent popular history to introduce centuries of a fascinating family.