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Rated 5 out of 5 by Cousindrew from Great course! Prof. Landon has a marvelous speaking voice (he has narrated a couple of books for Audible) and offers through this course a cogent and comprehensive examination of the Medici family's rise, fall, and impact on the Italian Renaissance. Pictures and maps are useful props, but this course is well-suited for the morning commute. Highly recommended!

Date published: 2023-09-13

Rated 5 out of 5 by cellist from We have learned more about that time in history The instructor comes across initially as very serious and it IS a serious subject. He loosens up as he goes so it wasn't a problem. After watching and thoroughly enjoying the Great Tours course on Italy (excellent) and several ihstory based Teaching Company art courses this sounded like a good choice for another series. It was. We learned a lot more about that period in history and enjoyed the 12 lectures.

Date published: 2023-07-30

Rated 5 out of 5 by Carl S66 from Outstanding! Professor is an excellent presenter. He provides enough depth to sink your teeth into. I felt like back in a great college course with a great professor.

Date published: 2023-05-23

Rated 1 out of 5 by Fred0922 from One of the Worst While I have enjoyed almost every course I've listened to (I've subscribed to The Great Course and The Learning Company for almost 20 years), this is one of the worst (not the worst but close). The course consists of 12 lectures but easily could have been cut by a lot (not half but close) to achieve the goal for HOW THE MEDICI SHAPED THE RENAISSANCE; much of the material did NOT address this theme (e.g., the constant struggles between the Medici and Florentine Republicans had too much focus; the battles against Spain/France could also have had less coverage). Moreover, the production of this lecture was poor. For example, closed captioning was used (and useful for those needing this) but the speech-to-text translation could have used extensive editing (e.g., "heirs" was translated into "errors," punctuation was poorly done). Further the closed captioning was often overlaid with other textual items on the screen. Another annoying (to me) feature was that the camera would often shift from the one view of Prof Landon to another to his left; problem was that he did not turn to face the camera at these times. While I'm sure Prof Landon was quite knowledgeable on the subject, this did not come across. I would not recommend this lecture to anyone.

Date published: 2023-05-08

Rated 4 out of 5 by lancam from Good overview of one of histories power families Enjoyed this series and the opportunity to learn more about the powerful and influential Medici. Well presented and concise.

Date published: 2023-04-23

Rated 5 out of 5 by Denise1016 from Well done course I completed this course after taking the Renaissance Art offering in Wondrous as it is so closely tied to the Medici family. Very informative and the professor was quite knowledgeable. His style is straightforward and he has a great speaking voice.

Date published: 2023-04-17

Rated 5 out of 5 by HumphreyAppleby from Clear, interesting history The negative reviews are all stylistic and, in my view, wrong. There are not fewer visual aids relative to other courses and what visual aids there are are appropriate, the historical content of the course is excellent, and the title is not actually misleading, as Renaissance refers to a historical time period not art. The professor is not a showman, he's a professor. His delivery is straightforward and involved, but he uses no tricks or theatrics. Instead, the content of what he has to say is interesting. In short, the criticisms are bogus, the course is good. If you want to learn about Renaissance Florence in a clear, interesting, no-nonsense way, it is an excellent place to start.

Date published: 2023-03-07

Rated 5 out of 5 by Lorenz from Excellent series. So intriguing that I sat for all six lectures at one time and could have wanted more. Extremely well done and comprehensive in its approach.

Date published: 2022-11-24

Overview

The extraordinary Medici family ruled the city-state of Florence for three centuries and played a key role in the world-changing phenomenon of the Renaissance. In How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance, scholar William Landon leads you through the dazzling trajectory of the Medici, where you’ll trace the founding of the Medici dynasty as an economic powerhouse. Learn how the Medici played central roles in the preserving of classical texts and the commissioning of iconic works of art and architecture. Encounter Medici luminaries from Lorenzo the Magnificent, a political genius of the highest order, to Catherine de’ Medici, cultural influencer and queen of France. Lastly, follow how the Medici were exiled from Florence and returned to power numerous times, ultimately becoming hereditary rulers.

About

William Landon

In the hands of an objective truth-seeking historian, the fullness of your experiences, what we might call your humanity, would emerge, the good mingled with the bad, the real you treated fairly.

ALMA MATER

Edinburgh University

INSTITUTION

Northern Kentucky University

William Landon is a Professor of History at Northern Kentucky University. After chairing the Department of History and Geography for four years, he returned to full-time teaching and research. He received his MSc and PhD in History, with a particular emphasis on the life and works of Niccolò Machiavelli, from the University of Edinburgh.

Throughout his career, William has given lectures in North America, Europe, and Asia. He is the principal investigator for a multiyear National Science Foundation grant awarded to provide undergraduate students with training for the real world. He has published numerous articles, book chapters, and reviews on Renaissance-centric themes, and he is also the author of two books: Politics, Patriotism and Language: Niccolò Machiavelli’s “Secular Patria” and the Creation of an Italian National Identity and Lorenzo di Filippo Strozzi and Niccolò Machiavelli: Patron, Client, and the Pistola fatta per la peste/An Epistle Written Concerning the Plague. The latter included the first English biography of Lorenzo Strozzi and was nominated for the Renaissance Society of America’s Phyllis Goodhart Gordan Book Prize in 2013.

By This Professor

Trailer

01: Florence at the Dawn of the Renaissance

Begin by considering the pervasive “Medici Myth” surrounding the illustrious family—the “White” myth, which extols their achievements, and the “Black” myth, which harshly criticizes their influence. Take into account the historical methods that will be used throughout this course. Also explore the social and political conditions within 14th-century Florence that gave rise to the Renaissance.

29 min

02: The Foundations of Medici Greatness

Chart the extraordinary life of Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, considered the founder of the Medici family. Learn how Giovanni founded the Medici bank, and rose through banking and government to a position of great wealth and eminence, building a coalition of Florentines dedicated to Medici interests. Observe how the Medici family and bank became a controlling interest in Florentine politics.

29 min

03: The Godfather: Cosimo de’ Medici

Cosimo de’ Medici, heir to Giovanni, took the reins of the Medici family and its dynasty. Grasp how Cosimo amassed power through patronage of the humanities and financial dealings with government. Witness the crises through which he ultimately dominated the Republic of Florence, highlighting the role of the Duomo Cathedral and the astonishing story of his exile and return to Florence as ruler.

30 min

04: The Gouty: Piero de’ Medici

Learn how Cosimo de’ Medici undertook to make Florence the most beautiful city in Europe, commissioning numerous public buildings and masterpieces of art. Then follow the brief reign of his son, Piero, whose skillful navigation of currents of dissent and revolution, aided by the brilliant partnership of his wife, Lucrezia, solidified the foundations of the Medici dynasty.

30 min

05: Lorenzo the Magnificent

Delve into the early life of Lorenzo, the most celebrated of the Medici, where he excelled as a poet, author, and diplomat. Grasp how Lorenzo skillfully balanced his obligations to the state with his love of art, family, and fine living. Witness his ascent to become chief advisor to Florence’s government, and the political trials that led to a conspiracy and attempt on his life.

33 min

06: Magnificence Achieved

Assess the extraordinary accomplishments and influence of Lorenzo de’ Medici, called Il Magnifico. Observe how, excommunicated by the pope and facing vast political challenges and threats of war, he almost single-handedly held Italy peacefully together, balancing the powers of Venice, Milan, Naples, and Rome, while maintaining his family’s wealth and its grip on Florence.

31 min

07: The First Collapse of the Medici Regime

Examine the extraordinary circumstances of Lorenzo de’ Medici’s decline and death, highlighting the role of the politically influential friar, Girolamo Savonarola. Follow the highly charged events surrounding Piero de’ Medici’s assumption of power, and the outbreak of bloody war which ultimately forced Piero and his brothers to flee into exile, ending 60 years of Medici power in Florence.

29 min

08: Theocracy and Republicanism at Florence

Relive the period in which the Florentine Republic was reinstated in a populist revolution overseen by the religious figure of Savonarola. Trace the upheavals that led to Savonarola’s fall, and the maneuvering by the Medici in Rome to ally with the papacy and the Spanish. Witness the military actions through which, after nearly 20 years in exile, the Medici returned as rulers of Florence.

30 min

09: The Medici Restoration

Study the political landscape of Florence under the direction of the Cardinal Giovanni de’ Medici and his younger brother, Giuliano, the secular head of the family. Learn the dramatic story of the ensuing conspiracy to assassinate Giuliano, and Giovanni’s elevation as Pope Leo X. Observe the internecine struggles within the family culminating with a second Medici pope and the brutal sack of Rome.

29 min

10: The Last Florentine Republic

Following the expulsion of the Medici from Florence in the wake of the sack of Rome, study the divisions that plagued the final Florentine Republic. Witness the political alliances that led to the siege of Florence by the Holy Roman Emperor, the events ending in the return of the Medici to the city, and the rewriting of the Florentine constitution, naming the Medici as hereditary rulers.

32 min

11: The Black Prince: Alessandro de’ Medici

Carefully consider Alessandro de’ Medici, a debauched and cruel ruler. Learn about the “cult of Brutus,” a movement that believed in assassination to achieve republican goals, and its connection with the sordid death of Alessandro. Then, encounter his successor, the ruthless and capable Cosimo de’ Medici, who further solidified Medici power, as well as Florence’s stature and independence.

32 min

12: Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

Conclude with a view of some of the later Medici luminaries. Among them, assess the accomplishments of Cosimo de’ Medici, granted the title of Grand Duke; the judicious Ferdinando de’ Medici, whose civic and social policies attended a new era of prosperity; and Catherine de Medici, who imported Florentine culture to France as the French queen. Finally, learn about the Medici dynasty’s decline.

33 min