Shows
The Medici PodcastEpisode 87: FinaleAnna Maria Luisa, the last representative of the main branch of the Medici, saves her family's legacy through an innovative agreement. Also we survey Tuscany's post-Medici future and the branches of the family that survived into the 21st century.
2026-01-1024 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 86: Recluse and ReformerAt the age of 52, Gian Gastone comes to power as the opposite of his uptight, moralistic father in almost every possible way. But even as the Medici family fades, could Tuscany's future be getting brighter?
2025-12-1428 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 85: Waiting For The InevitableThe vultures surround Tuscany as the Medici begin to die out. The only thing left for Cosimo III is to try to guarantee Tuscany's independence in the future, even though most of the great powers of Europe are working against him.ERRATA: In this episode I said that King Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese's firstborn son was Carlos. What I overlooked was that Philip V had a wife before Elisabeth, Maria Luisa Gabriella of Savoy, and they had three sons, Luis, Felipe Pedro, and Fernando. This is important because I suggested wrongly that Carlos stood...
2025-11-2726 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 84: Too Few HeirsThe Medici family are approaching the brink of extinction. It's up to Cosimo III's three children to preserve the family, but even with the dynasty's survival on the line, the Medici cannot stop themselves from repeating the mistakes of the recent past.
2025-11-1421 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 83: The BreakupCosimo and Marguerite-Louise's dysfunctional marriage hits its dramatic crescendo and falls apart. Will Marguerite-Louise escape back to her homeland, or will she remain a prisoner of her despised husband?
2025-10-3113 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 82: His Royal HighnessGrand Duke Cosimo III sets out to make Tuscany great again with tariffs and religiosity. At the same time, Cosimo aims for royal glory, even at a time all of Italy is under the boot of the Hapsburgs.
2025-10-1518 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 81: Love and MarriageFerdinando II had high hopes that marrying his introverted, overly devout son to a French princess would both loosen his son up and save the dynasty from extinction. Things wouldn't turn out quite like he wanted.
2025-09-2520 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 80: The Scientist Grand DukeDespite his unorthodox love life, Ferdinando II is well-liked for his genuine concern for his people and his scientific patronage. However, Tuscany is in decline, and the seeds for the dynasty's extinction have already been planted.
2025-08-2826 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 79: The JudgmentCosimo II finally dies after a prolonged illness. Meanwhile, the Church loses its patience with Galileo.
2025-08-0624 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 78: Galileo's RevolutionWhy was Galileo's scientific work considered both something worth celebrating and a threat to the status quo? Galileo himself must have pondered that question as his work, celebrated as it was by the Medici and even high-ranking members of the Church, nonetheless caught the attention of the Roman Inquisition.
2025-07-0120 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 77: The Contentious ScientistThe celebrity natural philosopher and writer Galileo rises out of a life of near-poverty to become a favorite at the Medici court. But when controversy rears its head, will the Medici actually protect the quarrelsome Galileo?
2025-06-0719 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 76: The People's Grand DukeAfter his brother's hands-off approach to ruling, Grand Duke Ferdinando I instead tends to the economic health of his state and his people.
2025-05-1723 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 75: Day of the DupesMarie de' Medici believes she finally triumphed over her protege turned archenemy Richelieu and has secured her place as Louis XIII's benevolent advisor. As the proverb goes, though, pride goeth before a fall...
2025-04-2531 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 74: Baroque QueenMarie de' Medici goes to war against her own son. On a less violent front, she also oversees her most important legacy, a prime example of Baroque art. http://medicipodcast.com
2025-04-0320 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 73: There Is No Middle GroundMarie de' Medici's hope of staying in power by keeping her son in line indefinitely falls apart thanks to a love affair, and her friends pay a heavy price. Still, the Medici aren't known for accepting even the most devastating of defeats, and Marie is no exception.
2025-03-1620 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 72: How to Raise a Teenage KingEven amidst challenges to her rule, the new queen regent Marie de' Medici is sure that she has her son, King Louis XIII, firmly in line, at least for now.
2025-02-2218 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 71: Royal DysfunctionMarie de' Medici finds herself in a turbulent domestic life with an adulterous husband and a troubled son. And history is going to repeat, propelling her toward a more dramatic role.
2025-01-3025 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 70: Poor Little Rich GirlWe wrap up with the shoddy and bloody reign of Grand Duke Francesco and meet his daughter Maria, the lonely girl destined become the other Medici queen of France.
2025-01-1320 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 69: A Deadly ScandalThe reign of Grand Duke Francesco was inflicted with multiple scandals, but none were worse than the fates of the Grand Duke's own sister and sister-in-law.
2024-12-2117 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 68 - The GhettoCosimo's legacy was to give Florence stability and prosperity it had not known in about half a century, but there is a much darker side to that legacy too.
2024-11-2717 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 67: Making the Medici LegendBesides being a political reformer, Cosimo was also a master at using art and literature to glorify not only himself, but his ancestors.
2024-10-1915 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 66: The Conquest of Tuscany (Mostly)Although kept on a leash by the Emperor Charles V, Cosimo I completes Florence's consolidation of the rest of Tuscany...except for one hold-out.
2024-09-2819 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 65: Building a StateNow secure in his reign, Cosimo sets about building something like a modern state. But was he a reformer, a tyrant, or something in-between?
2024-08-2123 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 64: The Medici PhoenixIn the wake of Alessandro de' Medici's assassination, the Medici family's country cousin Cosimo becomes the new duke. Right away, he has to fight for his throne and prove that he is no pawn.
2024-07-2917 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 63: AnticlimaxThe Wars of Religion reaches its crescendo with a three-way struggle, and Catherine watches as her most beloved child makes a horrific and bloody mistake that would prove too much for her to bear.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon. You can also drop some change in the tip jar and see my other work here.
2024-06-1336 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 62: Misery and WorryHenri tries to get comfortable as king surrounded by his minions and scholars while Catherine's problem son, François d'Alençon, helps cause the Wars of Religion to break out again.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon. You can also drop some change in the tip jar and see my other work here.
2024-05-1828 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 61: The FavoriteWith an atrocity between them, Catherine de' Medici's relationship with her son King Charles IX falls apart. She can take pride in her favorite son Henri's election as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, although unfortunately her beloved child decides he hates his new job.
2024-04-2728 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 60: MassacreCatherine de' Medici and King Charles IX lash out against perceived enemies only to release a horror beyond their control, one that will stain Catherine's image forever.
2024-03-2920 min
Cinema SmorgasbordEpisode 212 – Eric Roberts is the Man – Master! (2021) (/w Chad Denton)RSS/iTunes/Spotify
Check out our Eric Roberts is the Man archive right here.
We’re doctorin’ the TARDIS on this episode of ERIC ROBERTS IS THE MAN with a first for the podcast: an audio drama box-set produced by Big Finish featuring Eric Roberts (naturally) as beloved Doctor Who villain THE MASTER! Helping us maneuver through (relative) time and dimensions in space is author and podcaster Chad Denton, who helps bridge the gap between Eric’s performance in the 1996 DOCTOR WHO TV movie and his surprising return. There’s also plenty of BIG NEWS to cover...
2024-03-1100 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 59: Eve of an AtrocityCatherine seems to have finally ended the religious civil war, a lasting peace that would be sealed with the marriage of her glamorous daughter Margot and the Protestant great hope Henri de Bourbon. But no one saw the storm that was coming...
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
2024-03-0720 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 58: Everyone's a MartyrThe war between Catholics and Protestants in France finally erupts in earnest. Catherine travels across France with Charles IX to try to calm the volcano, but her own patience with the increasingly desperate Protestants is wearing thin...
2024-02-2031 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 57: Under PressureCatherine de' Medici takes the reins under the novel title of Governess of France. Just as she assumes power, a crisis that will overshadow the rest of her life begins to take shape.
2024-01-3022 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 56: Queen MotherCatherine de' Medici's chronically ill son is now King François II of France. Rather than getting to enjoy the perks of being a king's mother, she finds herself caught having to deal with not only the growing tensions between Catholic and Huguenot, but the feud between two powerful families, the Guises and the Bourbons.
(Note that I'm going on hiatus until late January. Also, apologies for the sound issue where there's an occasional noise outside my voice. I think I identified the cause and I should have it resolved by the time I return from my J...
2023-12-2128 min
Failing to Success282 | "Bumble for Jobs" with Andrew Denton from Prosper AI✅ Lesson from Academic Journey: Early academic success doesn't always predict future paths. Struggles can lead to unexpected opportunities, emphasizing perseverance and reinvention.✅ Building from Failure: Andrew's startup journey faced obstacles, teaching valuable lessons. Prosper AI emerged from the experience, demonstrating resilience and adaptation in entrepreneurship.✅ Innovative Hiring Solutions: Prosper AI introduces efficiency to job matching, streamlining the hiring process. Its Bumble-like approach empowers candidates and addresses the challenges of traditional recruitment methods.Episode 282 Summary:Andrew Denton, CEO of Prosper AI, shares his unconventional journey from CVS Pharmacy to leading an AI compan...
2023-12-1010 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 55: Ménage à troisNow queen of France, Catherine de' Medici is forced to form a somewhat unorthodox household with her husband Henri and Diane de Poitiers. Meanwhile religious persecution and violence have been growing, and Henri prepares to once again face his and his father's nemesis, Emperor Charles V.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
2023-12-0226 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 54: The Girl Has Come To Me Completely NakedFar from a fairly tale life, to secure her future Catherine de' Medici must overcome snobbery at the royal court, anti-Italian racism, escalating religious and political tensions, her husband's bizarre love for his own surrogate mother Diane de Poitiers, and even her own body's seeming inability to get pregnant with an heir to the French throne.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
2023-11-0531 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 53: No Girls AllowedCatherine de' Medici has just married into the monarchy of France, arguably the oldest surviving Catholic Christian monarchy in Europe. So it's a good time to ask the question that would shape Catherine's life: how was it that a monarchy that barred women and their children from the crown also had a long history of powerful women guiding it?
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
2023-10-1317 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 52: The Little Duchess
From the start of her life, the orphaned Catherine's life was marred by politics. First, she was destined to be a figurehead for her great-uncle's territorial ambitions. Then she was a hostage blamed for the crimes of her family, and next a pawn on the royal marriage market. No one could have guessed that the future had grander things in store for her than just a marriage to some prince...
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
2023-09-2314 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 51 - Family FeudDuke Alessandro de' Medici enters a deadly contest with his cousin, Cardinal Ippolito. The real threat, however, may be closer to home.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon
2023-08-2818 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 50 - How The Medici Did ItFor our 50th episode, I give an overview of how the Medici went from being just one of several powerful banking families to joining the ranks of European royalty and high nobility.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon
2023-08-1414 min
The Medici PodcastA Quick UpdateJust a brief update on the latest way the Worst Summer Of My Life has messed with me and what that means for the podcast along with what's in store with future episodes.
2023-08-0403 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 49: DukeWe leave the Medici papacy behind and look at the life and times of Alessandro de' Medici, the first Medici de facto ruler of Florence and (possibly) a black head of state in Renaissance Europe.
The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support the podcast on Patreon and check out my blog/newsletter here.
2023-07-1426 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 48 - The Emperor and His PopePope Clement VII sells his soul to Emperor Charles V to get back Florence. Part of the bargain includes Clement essentially signing off on the death warrant of the Republic of Florence.
2023-06-2632 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 47: The Old New RepublicLorenzo the Magnificent's granddaughter Clarice triggers a coup in Florence just by berating the man in charge. Meanwhile Pope Clement is driven to hide in a derelict palace in the mountains and receives an unwelcome visitor all the way from England.
The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support us at Patreon.
2023-06-0519 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 46 - Sack of RomePope Clement tries once more to loosen Emperor Charles V's grip on Italy, another revolution in Florence is narrowly avoided through one man's incompetence, and the stage is set for one of modern history's most notorious war-time atrocities.
2023-05-1732 minThe Medici PodcastEpisode 45: The Edge of the AbyssClement VII brings back the artistic glories of Renaissance Rome, but disaster for himself, his family, and for Rome looms overhead.
The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com.
Support us at Patreon.
2023-04-0620 min
Mental Edge Training Coach with Chad HermansenJon Denton Former UNLV/Eastern Kentucky QuarterbackChad Hermansen interviews Jon Denton former UNLV & Eastern Kentucky Quarterback. Jon broke numerous records at UNLV during his Redshirt Freshman year that lead him to becoming a sought after NFL QB prospect. Some off the field choices led Denton to leave UNLV and transfer to Eastern Kentucky. He shares some insights into what happened and how he kept battling and fighting for the game he loves. He discusses how many times he tried out for the NFL and how he managed his mental game on and off the field. Denton also shares how those lessons led him to the husba...
2023-03-2942 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 44: InterregnumAfter Leo X's sudden death, the Medici are briefly out of power in the papacy. In the meantime, Emperor Charles V changes the landscape of European politics by getting elected as Holy Roman Emperor, and the fate of the Medici family is put in the hands of an orphaned, illegitimate son.
Check out images, maps, genealogies, and more at medicipodcast.com.
Support me on Patreon
2023-03-2022 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 43: The Drunken GermanWhile Pope Leo works with the artist Raphael toward the preservation of Roman antiquities and tries to steer Italy between the deadly rocks of France, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, a little problem crops up to demand his attention. And that little problem had a name: Martin Luther.
The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at the Medici Podcast website.
Support us at Patreon.
2023-03-0645 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 42: The OrphanA new Medici is born amidst tragedy, Pope Leo struggles with the threats posed by France, Spain, and the Holy Roman and Ottoman empires and a deadly conspiracy close to home, and an obscure monk and university lecturer in Germany starts to inspire a bit of controversy.
2023-01-2822 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 41: The PrincePope Leo X goes through his own "annus mirabilis." Meanwhile the next generation of Medici men come into their own: the wannabe aristocrat, Lorenzo "the Younger", and the juvenile delinquent turned freelance mercenary, Giovanni of the Black Bands.
2023-01-0922 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 40: New World OrderWe look at Pope Leo X's reign, from how he got an edition of a pivotal Jewish text dedicated to him to the elaborate practical joke he engineered involving his pet elephant and an old-fashioned Roman triumph. But Leo also has to face the fact that the fate of Europe, especially Italy, now lays in the hands of three young, ambitious, and powerful monarchs.
2022-12-1221 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 39: The Lion of GodThe unlikely partnership between the bookish, affable Giovanni de' Medici and the rough-and-tumble Pope Julius II will finally bring the Medici back to power and set the stage for Giovanni's turn as Pope Leo X, which would prove to be one of the most consequential papal reigns in history for reasons no one could have predicted.
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
2022-11-2631 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 38: Mother ChurchThe Catholic Church was once the most important, omnipresent institution in Europe. Before we meet the Medici Popes, we'll delve into what exactly the Church did for the people, from providing early nursing homes to giving people one of the few shots at social mobility, and how powerful the Popes really were.
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
Prof. Alec Ryrie on atheism in the Middle Ages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb5mYqnKFlI
2022-11-1420 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 37: The ExileStill in exile, Piero de' Medici throws himself on the mercy of the new king of France and Cesare Borgia. But will they prove to be reliable friends?
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
2022-10-2117 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 36: The Tigress and the PopolanoThis time, we check in on the sons of Pierfrancesco de' Medici, the brothers Popolano, Lorenzo and Giovanni. While Lorenzo tried to play a small, non-partisan role in Florence's new government, Giovanni fell in love with one of the most famous and daring women of the Renaissance.
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
2022-10-0626 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 35: Trial By OrdealWe conclude Savonarola's story by looking at why one of his most fervent followers decided to try to shut up the growing criticism of Savonarola by resorting to an obsolete medieval ritual and how that decision backfired catastrophically.
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
2022-09-1225 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 34: The Borgia Vs. The ProphetSavonarola may be enjoying the peak of his influence over Florence, but he's made a relentles enemy who just so happens to be a pope and, worse, a Borgia. Meanwhile, Piero and his supporters spin plots for a Medici restoration.
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
2022-08-1729 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 33: God's RepublicCharles VIII marches on Naples not knowing a brand-new plague is waiting for him, the Medici adapt to the existence of the new republic in different ways, and Savonarola and his allies in government tighten their grip over Florence, even while Rodrigo Borgia closes in on Florence's popular preacher.
Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast
2022-07-2625 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 32: The Friar and the KingPiero de' Medici is gone, and a new rising star is a hotshot preacher named Girolamo Savonarola. Once an itinerant preacher and lecturer, Savonarola now finds himself hobnobbing with King Charles VIII of France and even having a say in Florence's newly rebuilt, Medici-free republic.
2022-07-0728 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 31: The Flood ComesPiero doesn't get to enjoy being the de facto lord of Florence for long before he has to deal with an impending French invasion of Italy. He decides to imitate his father's boldest move, which would surely work...won't it?
2022-06-2221 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 30: Piero the BriefThe fourth Medici to come to power as "unofficial lord" of Florence is Lorenzo the Magnificent's son, Piero. Although a strapping, handsome, and popular young man, forces within the regime are already working against him. But the real threat is starting to stir many miles outside of Florence...
2022-06-0614 min
The Medici PodcastUpdate for MayAn update explaining the brief hiatus and what the planned schedule for the show will be going forward.
2022-05-1402 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 29: After Me, The DelugeWe step back from the Medici to look at Europe as a whole circa 1492. The balance of power is shifting and that means, for Medici and Italy as a whole, the flood is coming.
2022-04-1923 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 28: The End of the Golden AgeThe golden age of the Medici's unofficial lordship over Florence is drawing to an end with Lorenzo's death. Here we look back over Lorenzo's legacy as the patron, the politician, and even the embezzler and the human being. Also, what exactly was Lorenzo's contribution to the course of not only Florentine but European history as a whole?
2022-04-0319 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 27: The Decline and Fall of the Medici BankLorenzo is at the height of his power and security. However, just behind the scenes, the family bank that caused the Medici to come into power in the first place is slowly but steadily falling apart, thanks to the Ottomans, a squabble between English royals, and, most of all, the ugly realities of politics.
2022-03-1919 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 26: The Private Life and Patronage of Lorenzo the MagnificentThe Lorenzo we see from his volumnious letters is a man who had a short temper and bouts of depression, but was also capable of tremendous compassion and generosity. Unfortunately, his relationships with his own wife and sons were perhaps less than ideal.
2022-03-0831 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 25: Into The Lion's DenTo try to stop a war Florence is badly losing and take some steam out of the Pope's vendetta against him, Lorenzo does something few politicians had done before or since: put himself directly in enemy territory.
2022-02-1727 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 24: BloodshedThe Pope, his nephew, an archbishop, and a mercenary decide Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother Giuliano have to die (or at least be overthrown). Unfortunately, the conspiracy develops some hiccups, namely having to send a couple of clergy instead of a mercenary to take down Lorenzo...
2022-01-2824 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 23: The Calm Before The StormLorenzo resorts to unsavory methods in order to keep the Medici bank afloat. In the meantime, his path crosses with the man who would prove to be his most relentless enemy: Christ's representative on Earth himself.
2021-12-2221 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 22: Triumphs and MisstepsNot long after coming to power, Lorenzo de' Medici has to fend off enemies at home and abroad. Unfortunately, in the course of protecting Florence from a crisis that could spiral out of control, Lorenzo sets the stage for a humanitarian disaster. But how much was he really to blame?
2021-11-2330 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 21: The Rising SonEven as a small child, Lorenzo had been thrust into the role of the public face of the Medici regime. Now an adult, Lorenzo's own marriage to a Roman noblewoman from a clan claiming the Emperor Augustus and Julius Caesar as ancestors is a chance for the Medici to ascend even higher. Meanwhile, Piero is finally succumbing to his gout, just when both the domestic and foreign situations are starting to fall apart.
2021-11-0731 minThe Medici PodcastUpdate for 10/29/2021An update on the show schedule for 10/29 and a thank you to everyone making sure this podcast isn't just me talking to myself.
2021-10-2903 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 20: Conspiracy or Countercoup?Piero de' Medici narrowly escaped death or abduction. But did everything happen as Piero and his son Lorenzo said? And just how will the Party of the Hill survive when they apparently bet everything on one scheme?
2021-10-1727 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 19: Hill Versus PlainPiero de' Medici seems to be enjoying a smooth transition to power, but soon enough a rival political party takes shape on the high ground just across the river from the Palazzo de' Medici. When legal measures fail to dislodge the Medici, the so-called "Party of the Hill" proves itself more than willing to resort to more drastic measures. Meanwhile we get a better look at Piero, the math professor of the Renaissance, and his wife Lucrezia, wife/mother/patron/businesswoman/writer.
2021-10-0426 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 18: SuccessionAt the height of his political power, Cosimo de' Medici is being overwhelmed with illness and personal tragedy. Who will succeed him to his invisible, nameless throne? His son Piero, who unfortunately is a middle-aged man so sick no one thinks he will live for much longer.
For maps, bibliographies, and more, go to medicipodcast.com.
Support the show through Venmo: @ Chad-Denton-15 or https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast.
The theme music is “La Disperata”, composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
2021-09-1120 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 17: The Invisible ThroneCosimo de' Medici quickly established a regime that operated within Florence's constitution but gave Cosimo an almost unchallenged power over the state. Unfortunately, Cosimo's government was a delicate structure, and the pandemonium of Italian Renaissance politics threatened to bring it all tumbling down.
For maps, bibliographies, and more, go to medicipodcast.com.
Support the show through Venmo: @ Chad-Denton-15 or https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast.
The theme music is “La Disperata”, composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
2021-08-2929 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 16: How Cosimo United the Orthodox and Catholic ChurchesWith a combination of patience and political maneuvering, Cosimo turns the tables on his enemies and returns to Florence in triumph. His first major act is to host an attempt to reunify the long-divided Greek and Latin churches. It has rather mixed results, but it does make something clear to the rulers of Europe: Cosimo is no longer just a banker.
For maps, bibliographies, and more, go to medicipodcast.com.
Support the show through Venmo: @ Chad-Denton-15 or https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast.
The theme music is “La Disperata”, composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587...
2021-08-1827 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 15: Preemptive StrikeAs soon as he inherits his father's place as head of the rich, international Medici Bank, Cosimo gets a target on his back in a Florence where politics are increasingly molded by the sponsorship of the rich and not by the guilds. The minute he steps on the public arena, not only is Cosimo's political career is in danger, but his very life.
2021-08-0832 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 14: Renaissance, The NewFor the second part of our two-parter on the Renaissance, we look at "the new." We see here how the Renaissance gave us new forms of art, music, and architecture, but also new notions of civility, stricter governments, state censorship, and even the decline of women's political influence.
Check out maps, images, and more: medicipodcast.com/
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chadsdenton
Drop some change through Venmo: @Chad-Denton-15
2021-07-2540 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 13: Renaissance, The OldIn part one of a two parter on the origins of the Renaissance, I discuss how Greek and Roman pagan culture survived the rise of Christianity and its persecution of pagans, why and how a bunch of scholars rediscovered the past, and how in their quest to recreate the virtues of antiquity they and their patrons accidentally ended up creating the modern world.
2021-07-0340 min
The Medici PodcastTangent Episode #3: The Life and Times of DanteHe was a political exile who sided with the wrong people at the wrong time and lost the love of his life. Also he was one of the greatest writers in history and got to shape the modern Italian language.
2021-07-0216 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 12: The Founder of the DynastyWe close out Season 1, "The Early Medici", with a look at the life and death of Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, whose descendants would become the branch of the family we usually mean when we talk about the Medici. Not only is the first prominent member of the family, however, he also founded the dynasty in the sense that he started the tradition of sponsoring forward-thinking artists, writers, and architects and in how his apparent reluctance to be a public figure actually inspired a formula for political success that would carry his descendants to greater heights than even his...
2021-05-0818 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 11: Sin and ProfitWe take a step back from the life of Giovanni di Bicci dei Medici to look at banking, commerce, and religious and legal attitudes about usury and luxury in Renaissance Florence. How did the Medici and other Florentine dynasties prosper in banking when loans with interest were considered a grave sin and a form of theft?
2021-04-1816 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 10: The Duke's Wife and God's BankerAround the dawn of the fifteenth century, two developments unfolded that would sooner or later change the future of the Medici family forever. In one, Valentina Visconti enters a miserable marriage with a French royal. In the other, Giovanni de Bicci de' Medici takes advantage of Europe being split between two and even three rival popes by (allegedly!) bankrolling the church career of a former soldier who hobnobbed with pirates and robbers that sees him become Pope.
2021-03-2334 minThe Medici PodcastQuick Update: (Hopefully) Short DelayJust a quick update along with a sincere thank you for your support.
2021-03-1301 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 9: RevolutionAfter Salvestro de' Medici helps stoke the flames of revolution, violence breaks out on the streets of Florence and a wool-comber is installed in the highest office of the republic. But who will really benefit from this proletariat revolt in the long term?
2021-02-2817 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 8: Unholy WarIn a time of simmering class tensions and growing exploitation of the poor, Salvestro de' Medici turns against his conservative comrades and declares he's on the side of the downtrodden. On his political agenda? Backing an all-out war against the Pope.
2021-02-1419 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 7: ApocalypseIn the spring of 1348, the Black Death reaches Florence, devastating its population but also clearing new avenues for the non-rich. In the aftermath, a moderately affluent landowner, Salvestro de' Medici, embarks on a political career. Just how far can Salvestro make it, between siding with the conservative establishment against his own family's populist sympathies and the antics of his violently unstable brothers?
2021-02-0128 min
The Medici PodcastTangent Episode #2: Res PublicaIn this special tangent episode, I take a step back from Florence and talk about republics in late medieval and Renaissance Italy, particularly how they functioned and what words like "republic" and "democracy" and "rights" meant to people at the time.
2021-01-1023 minThe Medici Podcast2020 UpdateJust giving a little peak behind the curtain and providing a brief update on when new episodes are coming.
2020-12-1903 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 6: King WaltFacing famine, plague, an unending war, and an economic recession, the Florentines resort to handing the keys over to a French nobleman with a glamorous but mostly empty title. Meanwhile the Medici, although still lurking in the shadows from our point of view, manage to establish themselves as populists during the chaos and violence to come.
2020-12-0621 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 5: Boom TownSometime before the dawn of the fourteenth century, a family named the Medici moved from a small village in the Mugello Valley in the Apennines to the bustling city of Florence. Eventually, they became successful bankers and one member was elected to the republic's top office. They also jumped right into the city's latest violent class and factional civil war.
2020-11-0824 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 4: Republic of GuildsWith Florence free of foreign interference (for once), a medieval "class traitor" spearheaded reforms that severely weakened the nobility's grip on the government and gave a lot of formal power to the city's merchant and artisan guilds. In this episode, I delve into the nuts and bolts of how this guild regime operated. Also, I talk about whether or not we can talk about Florence as part of an "Italian nation", even though a unified Italian nation-state was still about 600 years from being born.
2020-10-2422 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 3: Gang WarStarting out as an ill-advised prank at a party, the feud between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines in Florence forever changed the city's history. It would wrap Florence up in the struggle between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire, eventually toppling the city's aristocratic republic and creating something rather new in its place, the il primo popolo.
2020-10-1425 min
The Medici PodcastTangent Episode #1: The Further Adventures of Liutprand of CremonaIn our first tangent episode, we spend some time with Liutprand of Cremona, everyone's favorite caustic bishop from the Early Middle Ages. Join us for his account of Queen Willa's disastrous love affair with a well-endowed priest and his ill-fated visit to Constantinople in the time of the Macedonian dynasty.
2020-10-0323 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 2: From the Grand Countess to the Revolt of the CommunesMatilda of Tuscany, also known as "The Grand Countess", helped weaken the Holy Roman Empire's grip on northern Italy even further. However, it would be the plucky, self-governing cities of northern Italy who would ultimately give a bloody nose to one of the greatest emperors western Europe ever saw and inaugurate the age of the Italian city-states. We delve into how a European economic boom helped make all this possible, plus some juicy gossip on Matilda's unlucky love life.
The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles.
2020-09-2730 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 1: A Shattered KingdomIn our inaugural episode and the first part of our prelude season, we look at how northern Italy went from being a single kingdom to a region full of small, rival states, a cutthroat environment in which families like the Medici would nonetheless thrive in. Join us as we look at how urban prosperity, a series of invasions, and a scandalous teenage pope all played a part in making northern Italy a shattered and divided kingdom under the weak sovereignty of a faraway emperor.
Check out maps and bibliographies on our WordPress page or support us on P...
2020-09-1831 min
The Medici PodcastEpisode 0: Why The Medici?In this no-frills introductory episode, I explain why I want to do a podcast on a family, rather than a nation, a time period, or topic. Also, I explain why the Medici undoubtedly played a role in the modern Western world.
2020-09-1105 min
Before StonewallBefore Stonewall, Episode 6: The Strange Love Life Of Basil the MacedonianBasil I is a fascinating figure who went from a peasant migrant sleeping on the streets of Constantinople to one of the most successful emperors in the history of the Byzantine Empire. His beginnings, though, are rather raunchy by the uptight standards of the Byzantines. It's a story of gay love, sex, murder, and even possibly a same-sex marriage or two! Check out this episode where we will not only discuss the shady details of Basil's pre-imperial career, but delve into the sources and the question of how we think we know what we think we know.
Sources:
Boswell, John. "...
2020-02-0600 min