A History of Italy

188 - The Italian Wars 10: Medici at home, Milan back and forth and kings and emperors dying (1513 - 1516)


Listen Later

In this episode, we pick up the story of the Medici family as they return to Florence, armed with the great news of Giovanni de' Medicibecoming Pope Leo X. We dive into:

  • How the Medici family subtly regained power in Florencewithout taking formal positions, carefully balancing loyalty and governance.
  • The undoing of Savonarola's reforms and the reinstatement of Machiavelli.
  • Florence’s evolving political culture: from fierce Republican ideals to the tentative acceptance of centralized rule.
  • The clumsy anti-Medici plot by two young Florentines, Bosconi and Caponi, and its swift failure.
  • Pope Leo X’s (formerly Giovanni de' Medici) plunge into the complex international diplomacy of the early 1500s and the continuation of the Italian Wars.
  • The battles of Novara (1513) and Marignano (1515), marking a significant shift in power as France reclaimed Milan under Francis I.
  • Venice’s strategic gains and the Treaty of Noyon, closing one chapter of existential threat for the Republic.
  • The papacy’s pragmatic maneuvering under Pope Leo X despite being on the losing side of the Milan conflict.
  • Leo's "pet project": securing the Duchy of Urbino for his nephew Lorenzo de' Medici, amidst local resistance and messy warfare.
  • The rise of Catherine de' Medici, a future powerhouse figure in European history, born from a strategic marriage alliance.
  • Florence’s further ambitions in Tuscany, including their growing influence over Siena.
  • The birth of young Charles V, and the looming prospect of imperial dominance over Italy once again.
  • Closing reflections: was peace finally within reach for Italy? Or was a bigger storm, like the Protestant Reformation, quietly brewing?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

A History of ItalyBy Mike Corradi

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

273 ratings


More shows like A History of Italy

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,412 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,196 Listeners

The History of England by David Crowther

The History of England

4,369 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,905 Listeners

The History of Byzantium by thehistoryofbyzantium@gmail.com

The History of Byzantium

4,261 Listeners

History of the Crusades by Sharyn Eastaugh

History of the Crusades

1,476 Listeners

A History of Europe by Carl Rylett

A History of Europe

659 Listeners

Tides of History by Wondery /  Patrick Wyman

Tides of History

6,291 Listeners

The French History Podcast by Evergreen Podcasts

The French History Podcast

384 Listeners

Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire by Samuel Hume

Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire

368 Listeners

History of Persia by Trevor Culley and HoPful Media

History of Persia

409 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,058 Listeners

Reconquista by Sharyn Eastaugh

Reconquista

341 Listeners

History of the Germans by Dirk Hoffmann-Becking

History of the Germans

433 Listeners

Anglo-Saxon England by Evergreen Podcasts

Anglo-Saxon England

217 Listeners