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TecC 49 - Foreseeing New Frontiers, Integrating Novel Instruments, Creating Unprecedented Value
What if I told you of the grandson of a peasant writing a letter in 1500s Europe to the most powerful man in the continent if not the world, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (modern-day Germany and a bit more), King of Spain and thus of the vast Spanish dominions in the Americas, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands and some small change, of this son of a weaver writing this letter to the Emperor telling him you wouldn’t be emperor without me, so now better pay up the debts you owe me?!
This is the story we’ll be following today, as part of the advent of the Early Modern Era, of the shift from power coming from land, bloodlines and armies to commerce, business, and banking.
But this is still also a story of technology, so let’s apply our technocentric view to dig out the innovations and achievements, which happen to be relevant to us to this day.
Read full article here.
Article written by Ash Stuart
Images, voice narration and some footnotes generated by AI
Further Reading & Reference
* Hunt, Edwin S.. (1994). The Medieval Super-Companies: A Study of the Peruzzi Company of Florence. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-89415-9.
* de Roover, Raymond. (1966). The Rise and Decline of the Medici Bank, 1397-1494. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-00350-5.
* Parks, Tim. (2005). Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-05827-7.
* Steinmetz, Greg. (2016). The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: The Life and Times of Jacob Fugger. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-451-68856-6.
* Häberlein, Mark. (2012). The Fuggers of Augsburg: Pursuing Wealth and Honor in Renaissance Germany. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-813-93244-6.
* Strieder, Jacob. (2001). Jacob Fugger the Rich: Merchant and Banker of Augsburg, 1459-1525. Beard Books. ISBN 978-1-587-98109-8.
* Morris, Charles R.. (2006). The Tycoons: How Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, and J.P. Morgan Invented the American Supereconomy. Henry Holt and Co.. ISBN 978-0-805-08134-3.
* Josephson, Matthew. (1934). The Robber Barons: The Great American Capitalists, 1861-1901. Harcourt, Brace and Company. ISBN 978-0-156-76790-3.
* Isaacson, Walter. (2014). The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-476-70870-6.
* Isaacson, Walter. (2011). Steve Jobs. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-451-64853-9.
* Wallace, James; Erickson. (1992). Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-56886-5.
* Frenkel, Sheera; Kang. (2021). An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination. Harper. ISBN 978-0-062-96067-2.
* Wynn-Williams, Sarah. (2025). Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism. Flatiron Books. ISBN 978-1-250-39123-0.
* Soni, Jimmy. (2022). The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781501197260.
* Vlismas, Michael. (2022). Elon Musk: Risking It All. Jonathan Ball. ISBN 9781776191857.
* Berger, Eric. (2021). Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX. William Morrow. ISBN 9780062979971.
* Vance, Ashlee. (2015). Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future. Ecco / HarperCollins. ISBN 9780062301253.
* Isaacson, Walter. (2023). Elon Musk. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781982181284.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashstuart.substack.com
View all episodes
By Ash StuartWhat if I told you of the grandson of a peasant writing a letter in 1500s Europe to the most powerful man in the continent if not the world, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (modern-day Germany and a bit more), King of Spain and thus of the vast Spanish dominions in the Americas, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands and some small change, of this son of a weaver writing this letter to the Emperor telling him you wouldn’t be emperor without me, so now better pay up the debts you owe me?!
This is the story we’ll be following today, as part of the advent of the Early Modern Era, of the shift from power coming from land, bloodlines and armies to commerce, business, and banking.
But this is still also a story of technology, so let’s apply our technocentric view to dig out the innovations and achievements, which happen to be relevant to us to this day.
Read full article here.
Article written by Ash Stuart
Images, voice narration and some footnotes generated by AI
Further Reading & Reference
* Hunt, Edwin S.. (1994). The Medieval Super-Companies: A Study of the Peruzzi Company of Florence. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-89415-9.
* de Roover, Raymond. (1966). The Rise and Decline of the Medici Bank, 1397-1494. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-00350-5.
* Parks, Tim. (2005). Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-05827-7.
* Steinmetz, Greg. (2016). The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: The Life and Times of Jacob Fugger. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-451-68856-6.
* Häberlein, Mark. (2012). The Fuggers of Augsburg: Pursuing Wealth and Honor in Renaissance Germany. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-813-93244-6.
* Strieder, Jacob. (2001). Jacob Fugger the Rich: Merchant and Banker of Augsburg, 1459-1525. Beard Books. ISBN 978-1-587-98109-8.
* Morris, Charles R.. (2006). The Tycoons: How Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, and J.P. Morgan Invented the American Supereconomy. Henry Holt and Co.. ISBN 978-0-805-08134-3.
* Josephson, Matthew. (1934). The Robber Barons: The Great American Capitalists, 1861-1901. Harcourt, Brace and Company. ISBN 978-0-156-76790-3.
* Isaacson, Walter. (2014). The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-476-70870-6.
* Isaacson, Walter. (2011). Steve Jobs. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-451-64853-9.
* Wallace, James; Erickson. (1992). Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-56886-5.
* Frenkel, Sheera; Kang. (2021). An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination. Harper. ISBN 978-0-062-96067-2.
* Wynn-Williams, Sarah. (2025). Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism. Flatiron Books. ISBN 978-1-250-39123-0.
* Soni, Jimmy. (2022). The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781501197260.
* Vlismas, Michael. (2022). Elon Musk: Risking It All. Jonathan Ball. ISBN 9781776191857.
* Berger, Eric. (2021). Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX. William Morrow. ISBN 9780062979971.
* Vance, Ashlee. (2015). Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future. Ecco / HarperCollins. ISBN 9780062301253.
* Isaacson, Walter. (2023). Elon Musk. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781982181284.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashstuart.substack.com