Medieval chronicle reveals massive charitable bequest
A recently translated medieval chronicle has detailed the story of a huge charitable bequest that took place in the Italian city of Florence.…
Dante’s Florence
We travel to medieval Florence with the famous writer Dante Alighieri. In this episode of the Medieval Grad Podcast, Elisabeth Trischler talks with Lucie Laumonier about the city of Florence and how it inspired Dante’s Divine Comedy.
Christian-Muslim Diplomacy – Gestures and Words: European Ambassadors and the Mamluk Sultanate
I would like to deal with the instructions given by Christian powers to their ambassadors sent to the Mamluk sultanate.
‘Sfacciate donne fiorentine’: Sumptuary Laws in Medieval Florence
The preoccupation with the way women dressed was constant in Florence during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, so much so that in almost every decade some new legislation would appear trying to respond to the new fashions that were becoming popular in the Italian city.
Quiz: The Art of Renaissance Florence
Here are twelve works of art from Florence between the 13th and 16th centuries. Do you know which artist created them?
The painting career of Piero di Cosimo (1462-1522)
The Florentine painter has historically proven to be among the most elusive artists of the Italian Renaissance and yet acted as a seminal figure in the artistic transitions occurring from the close of the fifteenth century.
The Florentine Army in the Age of the Companies of Adventure
The Florentine army was, in contrast to the current literature, not an ad hoc and temporary entity but the product of careful consideration and coordination.
From Noblissima Dux to Beata: Expressions of Female Authority and Influence in Medieval Florence
This thesis argues that, by examining four influential women of Florence and northern Italy over some five centuries’ time, historians can view change over time related to female authority and how it reflects larger social norms.
A Renaissance Instrument to Support Nonprofits: The Sale of Private Chapels in Florentine Churches
The most important nonprofit in Renaissance Florence, the Church had two clear objectives: to address the needs of the parishioners, and to build churches in order to propagate the faith.
The Medieval Magazine (Volume 3, Issue 7)
In our latest issue: Being lovesick was a real disease in the Middle Ages! Judaism, War, and Chivalry: Why is this Knight Different than Other Knights? Travel Tips: San Lorenzo’s Medici Crypt! Crusade in Europe
The Medieval Magazine: (Volume 3, Issue 5)
The latest issue of the medieval magazine! The Legacy of St. Patrick, Florence – Part II: Visiting the Duomo, How King Arthur became one of the most pervasive legends of all time, A look at Ireland’s mysterious medieval round towers
The Medieval Magazine: Celebrating International Women’s Day (Volume 3, Issue 4)
We’ve just released our latest issue of the Medieval Magazine in celebration of International Women’s Day!
The Vaults of Santa Maria Novella and the Creation of Florentine Gothic
Historians of Gothic architecture, among them Louis Grodecki, have noted that Santa Maria Novella is one of the most beautiful examples of Italian Gothic without attempting to specify just what it is that sets Santa Maria Novella apart.
How to Defeat a Tyrant: The Florentines against the Duke
In a time of crisis the Republic of Florence turned to a brash noble to lead their city. He soon turned into a disgraceful tyrant. Could the Florentine citizens overthrow him before a plot to murder hundreds of people could be carried out?
The Florentine Archives in Transition: Government, Warfare and Communication (1289–1530 ca.)
Focusing on the important case of Florence, the administrative uses of records connected to government, diplomacy and military needs will be discussed, and evidence will be provided that such documentary practices accelerated significantly during the so-called Italian Wars (from 1494 onwards).
Before the Florin: The origins of Florence’s economic boom
The minting of the gold florin in 1252 is commonly considered to herald the beginning of Florence’s economic boom.
Civic Knighthood in the Early Renaissance: Leonardo Bruni’s De militia (ca. 1420)
Leonardo Bruni’s aim in the De militia (ca. 1420) was to co-opt the most glamorous of medieval ideals, the ideal of chivalry, and to reinterpret it in terms of Greco-Roman ideals of military service.
MEDIEVAL BOOKS: Black Friday!
Here are a few recent releases for medievalists hunting for Black Friday books and early Christmas gifts!
Can Florence in the Quatrocento Help Shape Tax Policy Today?
I therefore decided to apply what I knew about tax policy—the only subject on which I was conversant and which seemed remotely relevant—to Florence in the days of the Medici, and see what happened.
Florentine merchant companies established in Buda at the beginning of the 15th century
The scope of the present article is to analyze the activity of these merchant companies through various sources housed by the Florentine National Archives and place them in the context of Florentine long distance trade.
Machiavelli and Botticelli Movies to Hit the Screen in 2016
Machiavelli and Botticelli are set to hit screens in 2016. We sat down to chat with Italian director, Lorenzo Raveggi about his two ambitious projects.
Writing about the Middle Ages – what works, what doesn’t
I’ve had ones that have done really well, while others have failed to get even a small audience. Here are examples of what has worked, and what did not work.
Foundation Myths in Medieval and Renaissance Italy
The 3 papers featured here looked at the development of the civic identities of Florence, Genoa and Rome through art, architecture and foundation legends.
Lightning Strikes in Medieval Florence
Luca Landucci writes about lightning strikes in 15th century Florence.
Top Ten Insults against Savonarola
‘He is a fruit quite worthy of his diabolical seed.’