The Palazzo Medici-Riccardi . . .

. . . was commissioned in 1444 by Cosimo the Elder, Contessina's husband, and completed in 1460.  Above is my photo of the ground floor Courtyard.  This was the first truly Renaissance palazzo, and today it is used for city offices and special exhibitions.  When Contessina and Cosimo moved in, which they did in 1454 even though the third story was not yet finished, they had already been married nearly 40 years and had two adult sons, Piero and Giovanni.

Cosimo died in 1464, and was awarded by the Signoria, the governing body, the title of "Pater Patriae," or Father of the Country.  While he lived, Cosimo governed from behind the scenes.  Aeneas Sylvius, Bishop of Siena and later Pope Pius II, said: "Political questions are settled in [Cosimo's] house. The man he chooses holds office...He it is who decides peace and war...He is king in all but name." Quoted by C. Hibbert in The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici, 1974.

The Bardi Chapel, Santa Croce

The Bardi Chapel, with frescoes by Giotto, has recently been restored, and is well worth a visit.  This chapel is to the right of the main altar, and was commissioned by the Bardi family early in the trecento (1300's).  Giotto is considered the "father of Renaissance painting," and we note here the characteristic individuation of features.  Unlike his contemporaries, who were still doing full frontal faces, Giotto did profiles and three-quarter views.  This chapel was commissioned by the Bardi family several decades before they lost their fortune due to bad loans.

Another Medici Wife, Contessina de' Bardi

Contessina de' Bardi (c. 1390-1473) married into the Medici family with very little in the way of a dowry, but with very good connections. Up until a few decades before Cosimo (the Elder) married Contessina, her family had been the wealthiest family in Florence and were the leading bankers of Europe.  But the Bardi went bankrupt when King Edward III of England defaulted on their loan to him, around 1345.  Marriages were arranged between families and were viewed as opportunities to build connections, improve social standing, and increase wealth.  The Medici were "nouveau riche," so to speak, and needed to marry into one of the old noble families in order to have influence and power on the political stage.

Piccarda Bueri de' Medici . . .

. . . was the wife of Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici and the mother of Cosimo the Elder.  She lived from 1368 until 1433 and is entombed next to her husband in the Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo.  Piccarda was the daughter of an old noble Tuscan family, and Giovanni made the first large banking fortune for the Medici family when he backed one of the successful candidates for the papacy.  Giovanni had received little in the way of an inheritance when his father died, but he may have gotten a significant cash infusion early in life with the dowry of his wife.  Dowries were an important part of Renaissance life, and accounted for the large number of women entering convents, as it cost the family less to fund the dowry for a Bride of Christ.

Disaster off the coast of Tuscany

On Friday the 13th (!) a cruise ship struck a reef off the coast of Isola del Giglio, causing a
Titanic-like disaster.  While I have never been to Giglio, I have spent many a meal time looking at it from the terrace on the west coast of Argentario, the peninsula off the coast of Tuscany.  Here's a photo of Giglio; the cruise ship would have been traveling just about where the sun is going down.  For more information:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16558910

Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici

Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici was the last of the House of Medici.  She was born in the Pitti Palace in 1667 and died there in 1743 at the age of 75.  In perhaps the most fortuitous ruling ever made for the welfare of the city, Anna Maria Luisa gave all the great wealth of her family to the city of Florence, provided that none ever leave the city.  Had it not been for this provision of her will , no doubt many of the treasures we are privileged to view today would be scattered throughout the world.

The Borgias, by Jean Plaidy

 Originally published in the 1950's, Jean Plaidy's two novels about Lucrezia Borgia were re-packaged as one novel and re-issued in 2011.  Jean Plaidy was one of the first writers to present Lucrezia not as a conniving, sex-crazed wielder of poisons, but rather a pawn in the power-grab of Renaissance Rome.  Here's the intro:

The most beautiful woman in Rome, Lucrezia Borgia, was born into a family—and a destiny—she could not hope to escape . . .
Fifteenth-century Rome: The Borgia family is on the rise. Lucrezia’s father, Pope Alexander VI, places his illegitimate daughter and her only brothers, Cesare, Giovanni, and Goffredo, in the jeweled splendor—and scandal—of his court. From the Pope’s affairs with adolescent girls to Cesare’s dangerous jealousy of anyone who inspires Lucrezia’s affections to the ominous birth of a child conceived in secret, no Borgia can elude infamy.

Young Lucrezia gradually accepts her fate as she comes to terms with the delicate nature of her relationships with her father and brothers. The unbreakable bond she shares with them both exhilarates and terrifies her as her innocence begins to fade. Soon she will understand that her family’s love pales next to their quest for power and that she herself is the greatest tool in their political arsenal.

More on Lucrezia . . .

An excellent, and very readable resource on the life of Lucrezia Borgia. is the book of that name by Sarah Bradford.  When I read an historical novel I look for those with named resources, dense with facts, but woven together in a readable style.  No need to enhance the plot with the Borgias, so I am puzzled as to why the Showtime series is embellishing Lucrezia's role in the negotiations with Charles VIII of France.

First of all, Renaissance women of the rank of Lucrezia and Guilia Farnese (the Pope's mistress) wouldn't have been a party of two traveling between the Adriatic coast and Rome.  They would have been accompanied by their servants and various other household members.  Historical records do show that Guilia Farnese, along with 20 or 30 others, was indeed taken hostage by Charles VIII, and that the Pope paid 3000 ducats to the French king to have Guilia returned to him.  Then several months elapsed before Charles and the French army went on to Naples.

In spite of various criticisms I have of the Showtime series, I plan to continue to watch, for the spectacle it is.  As I mentioned in a previous post, the costumes alone are worth the viewing.  Note the sumptuous fabrics, the empire waistline (practical in an era when pregnancy was a continuous state), and the tie-on sleeves through which the undergarment, the camicia (chemise, fr. or shift, eng), is pulled and then puffed.

Lucrezia Borgia . . .

. . . the Pope's daughter, is played by actress Holliday Grainger (pictured here) on the Showtime series, "The Borgias."  I've just seen the first season on Netflix and find it worthwhile for the spectacle, if nothing else.  If one is not familiar with these Renaissance names, such as the Orsinis, the Colonnas, and the della Roveres, it might be difficult to follow the plot.  I also have some reservations about the historical accuracy of some of the plot developments.  But the costumes are wonderful!