One of the world's leading historians of Renaissance Italy brings to life here the vibrant - and violent - society of fifteenth-century Florence. His disturbing narrative opens up an entire culture, revealing the dark side of Renaissance man and politician Lorenzo de' Medici. On a Sunday, in April 1478, assassins attacked Lorenzo and his brother as they attended Mass in the cathedral of Florence. Lorenzo scrambled to safety as Giuliano bled to death on the cathedral floor. "April Blood" moves outward in time and space from ...
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One of the world's leading historians of Renaissance Italy brings to life here the vibrant - and violent - society of fifteenth-century Florence. His disturbing narrative opens up an entire culture, revealing the dark side of Renaissance man and politician Lorenzo de' Medici. On a Sunday, in April 1478, assassins attacked Lorenzo and his brother as they attended Mass in the cathedral of Florence. Lorenzo scrambled to safety as Giuliano bled to death on the cathedral floor. "April Blood" moves outward in time and space from that murderous event, unfolding a story of tangled passions, ambition, treachery, and revenge. The conspiracy was led by one of the city's most noble clans, the Pazzi, financiers who feared and resented the Medici's swaggering new role as political bosses - but the web of intrigue spread through all of Italy. Bankers, mercenaries, the Duke of Urbino, the King of Naples, and Pope Sixtus IV entered secretly into the plot. Florence was plunged into a peninsular war, and Lorenzo was soon fighting for his own and his family's survival. The failed assassination doomed the Pazzi. Medici revenge was swift and brutal - plotters were hanged or beheaded, innocents were hacked to pieces, and bodies were put out to dangle from the windows of the government palace. All remaining members of the larger Pazzi clan were forced to change their surname, and every public sign or symbol of the family was expunged or destroyed. "April Blood" offers us a fresh portrait of Renaissance Florence, where dazzling artistic achievements went side by side with violence, craft, and bare-knuckle politics. At the center of the canvas is the figure of Lorenzo, the Magnificent - poet, statesman, connoisseur, patron of the arts, and ruthless "boss of bosses." This extraordinarily vivid account of a turning point in the Italian Renaissance is bound to become a lasting work of history.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. Light bumps to cover edges. Dustjacket is in a protective plastic wrap with light scratches. Content very good. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 320 p. Contains: Illustrations.
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Seller's Description:
The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
This book examines the events which lead up to the attempted assignation of Lorenzo the Magnificent (di Medici) and played a part in the making of a History Channel documentary. Do not mistake this for a historical novel or 'who done it' . This is a serious look into this history of Tuscany in the 15th century. It historically dovetails nicely into Machiavelli's The Prince. Why so much interest in northern Italian principalities of the 14th-16th centuries? Florence, Venice, Romagna and others were centers of trade between Asia and the rest of Europe. In particular Florence was the center of finance for the Chruch and business. The seeds of our modern business systems for finance, accounting and banking were developed here. The di Medici family aspired to be the 'top of the heap' in Florence. By time Lorenzo became the family's 'capo' , he began to flex family political muscle to dismantle the Florentine republic and thus explains his attempted assignation and later the backdrop for Machiavelli's The Prince (which was dedicated to Lorenzo the Magnificent's grandson- Lorenzo)
