How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance

By: William Landon, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Professor William Landon

Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

The extraordinary Medici family, through a singular exercise of wealth, political ingenuity, and dynastic power, ruled the city-state of Florence for three centuries. Hugely controversial, both in their own time and among later historians and commentators, the list of what they accomplished is nothing short of astonishing.

• The Medici were entrepreneurs who achieved extravagant success in commerce, and essentially invented the modern banking system, founding an immensely powerful family bank with branches across the Italian peninsula.
• Over the centuries, they amassed a staggering treasure trove of paintings, Egyptian and Etruscan statuary, Renaissance sculptures, furniture, tapestries, books and manuscripts, jewels, and luxury objects of every kind, housed within imposing palaces, villas, country estates, and libraries.
• They built political alliances, patronage networks, and structures of family power that allowed them to dominate Florentine politics, civics, and cultural life, earning Florence international influence and a status as the cultural capital of Europe.
• They occupied and dominated offices of power, both political and religious, including producing a succession of grand dukes of Tuscany, two queens of France, and the elevation of four members of the Medici family to the papacy.

But even beyond their familial prowess and power, their positioning within Florentine society and politics led them to play a key role in the world-changing phenomenon of the Renaissance - the cultural movement following the Middle Ages that saw a “rebirth” in scholarship, art, architecture, politics and philosophy rooted in the rediscovery of classical texts and culture, which famously began in Florence. Through their wealth, influence, and patronage, the Medici were instrumental in encouraging humanistic scholarship, and commissioning iconic works of architecture and countless artistic masterpieces that emblemize the Italian Renaissance. 

Encounter a Dazzling Story of Dynastic Influence

In How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance, you’ll study the remarkable trajectory of the Medici from the late 14th century to 1737, when the Medici dynasty ended. Across that span of time, you’ll witness the birth of the Italian Renaissance, and the rise of the Medici as an economic powerhouse under founder Giovanni de’ Medici. You’ll learn how the Medici came to dominate Florence and how they played diverse roles in politics, religion, and culture. See how they remained in power, and you’ll study the political upheavals, treachery, assassinations, intrigue, and military actions that characterized the Medici’s dramatic history. 

Grasp the Rich Contours of a World-Changing Era

In charting the arc of the Medici dynasty and its far-reaching impact, you’ll investigate core subject matter such as:

• The Rise of the Medici: Trace the founding of the Medici family bank by Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici; observe how Cosimo de’ Medici built on Giovanni’s foundations to amass vast wealth and power, ultimately bringing the nascent Florentine Republic under Medici domination.
• The Medici, the Humanities, and Art: Learn how the Medici played key roles in the preserving of classical texts and the creation of iconic works of art and architecture, such as Florence’s fabulous Duomo Cathedral and masterworks by artists such as Botticelli, Donatello, and Michelangelo.
• A Family of Towering Personalities: Take the measure of many of the Medici family’s outstanding members, from Lorenzo the Magnificent, a political genius of the highest order, to the reviled Allesandro de’ Medici, the “Black Prince”, and Catherine de’ Medici, cultural influencer and queen of France. 
• The Trials and Triumphs of Medici Rule: Witness how the Medici built and rebuilt factions of citizens that supported their rule and follow the reversals through which the Medici were exiled from Florence and returned to power numerous times, ultimately becoming hereditary rulers. 

William’s multifaceted knowledge of the era and nuanced insights into the Medici bring the story alive in compelling detail, enhanced by vivid photos, artworks, drawings, and maps that evoke an extraordinary era. In How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance, you’ll explore a richly intriguing historical saga that reveals a pivotal moment in Western civilization.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.  

©2021 The Great Courses (P)2021 The Teaching Company, LLC

Gained a better understanding of Florence

Although brief in nature, this was a great tutorial on Medici history. I would highly recommend it.

Great adventure of a tale

I was generally familiar with this family, but this course — which moves along pretty quickly— has murder, mayhem, families intertwined with each other through generations, Spain, France, Popes, the Reformation, and more. Highly recommend. Very entertaining.

A must listen for anyone who loves the Renaissance

Fantastic course on not only the Medici but the Renaissance as a whole and its effects on the world today. The course was well constructed so it was easy to follow the extensive timeline and all of the parties involved. I will definitely be looking for more courses from this professor especially on such a fascinating family as the Medici.

Enjoyed book

The professor was pleasant to listen to and clear in how he moved through the chapters

In depth historical lecture on the Medici.

While somewhat dry because it is actually a text book, The Medici's are an fascimating subject. Somewhat hard to follow on audible as opposed to probably seeing the text visually visually. But definitely worth a listen if you like history.

Excellently narrated, historically dense, and thoroughly enjoyable

As other reviewers have pointed out, these lectures are more for the historically inclined. This is not to say that it is advanced or hard to follow, only that it focuses on the political intertwining of a single family with the Tuscan city of Florence. It succeeds in this, while remaining scientifically objective in presenting and interpreting the facts.

The lecturer was clear, well paced, and easy to listen to; and I would listen to another lecture of his. Anyone who enjoys nuanced history, or who is specifically interested in the Medici would enjoy this.

I loved it and I hope the Professor makes more!

I finished this entire course in just two days. It was quite fascinating. And now I wish that I would have been able to listen to it before I got to visit Florence as a teen. Amazing as it was, tourism-wise, I didn't really know much about the Medici and their impact on the Renaissance and on Florence back then. But, after these 12 lectures, I think I have grown to appreciate the depths of what I remember more, and now, I am looking at the photo album of my trip with new eyes,

The professor clearly knew his field and his tone of voice was captivating to me (clearly, given how quickly I went through the whole title), especially when I sped up the narration speed somewhat. I do, however, want to quote a brief passage from the 12th and last lecture of the course before addressing it, after the 17th minute:

"You might be interested too in the goings on in France and the Medici family's involvement there. If we were to trace them thoroughly, such a venture would require another lecture series. We can therefore only touch on a few notable details, most of which are focused on Catherine de Medici and her connections with Florence. And rather than focusing on Catherine's involvement in the Wars of Religion, and her Machiavellian instigation of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572, an event in which thousands of Protestants were slaughtered by Catholics, there are other, less well-thread and surprising paths to investigate."

Well, speaking for myself as a history buff that was very happy with this course of Professor William Landon, I really hope he gets around to making a spin-off course, so to speak, that connects to this one by focusing on the involvement of the Medici's in France so as to get and more complete picture of this fascinating, influential and controversial family. I would certainly buy such a course from him at the earliest opportunity.

And that's the highest compliment I can give in this review as of right now.

Excellent coverage of Medici and Florentine History

I absolutely loved the book! It was brief but precise, informative but not boring filled with just enough excitement to spark the neurons

Too concise that it misses importat details.

The book is too concise. It misses important details. It skims over a broad sway of historical events without giving sufficient context. I would recommend the course "The Italian Renaissance " instead.

Not for non history buffs

I'm not much of a history buff, but I found the storyline hard to follow. I also didn't find much emotion or narrative.

If you're looking for a recitation of the events of Florence circa 1400s and 1500s, this does a good job of doing that without bias. If you're not a history buff and you're looking for a robust and riveting story, look elsewhere.