In 1417, Poggio made the greatest discovery of his career – Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura, aka “On The Nature Of Things”, the last surviving copy of his five-book epic attempt to explain Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience in poem. Little did Poggio realise the impact this book would have on the world. * Scholars aren’t exactly sure where he made it. * Because he kept it a secret. * Because he found a gold mine of old manuscripts and he didn’t want anyone else to find out about it * But one pl...
Jun 24, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 56
In 1417, Poggio made the greatest discovery of his career – Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura, aka “On The Nature Of Things”, the last surviving copy of his five-book epic attempt to explain Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience in poem. Little did Poggio realise the impact this book would have on the world. * Scholars aren’t exactly sure where he made it. * Because he kept it a secret. * Because he found a gold mine of old manuscripts and he didn’t want anyone else to find out about it * But one pl...
Jun 24, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 56
So back to January 1417. Poggio made a number of book hunting trips that winter. So he must have had a lot of funding from back home. Here’s a short clip from today’s episode: Bruni wrote to him, saying “keep going, don’t worry about the cost, I’ll cover them all, just find more books” On this trip, he had with him a companion, another apostolic secretary from Constance, Bartolomeo de Aragazzi. They were close friends and avid humanists. But they were also rivals. Great fame and glory was to be ...
Jun 07, 2019•53 min•Season 1Ep. 55
So back to January 1417. Poggio made a number of book hunting trips that winter. So he must have had a lot of funding from back home. Here’s a short clip from today’s episode: Bruni wrote to him, saying “keep going, don’t worry about the cost, I’ll cover them all, just find more books” On this trip, he had with him a companion, another apostolic secretary from Constance, Bartolomeo de Aragazzi. They were close friends and avid humanists. But they were also rivals. Great fame and glory was to be ...
Jun 07, 2019•53 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Poggio had to use all of his talents to talk his way into monastery libraries. In some he had to be super serious. In others, he would tell wild stories about stupid peasants, or sexy housewives and rapey priests. Whatever it takes to get his hands on their books. The post #54 Poggio Bracciolini Part 2 appeared first on The Renaissance Times ....
May 31, 2019•54 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Poggio had to use all of his talents to talk his way into monastery libraries. In some he had to be super serious. In others, he would tell wild stories about stupid peasants, or sexy housewives and rapey priests. Whatever it takes to get his hands on their books. The post #54 Poggio Bracciolini Part 2 appeared first on The Renaissance Times .
May 31, 2019•54 min•Season 1Ep. 54
In the year 1417, 17 years before Cosimo De Medici took control of Florence, a man called Gian Francesco Poggio Bracciolini went hunting in the middle of Germany. Hunting for manuscripts. Thanks to Poggio, we have today several masterpieces of Roman literature, including Quintilian’s Institutio Oratoria, Vitruvius’ De Architectura, and Lucretius’ On The Nature Of Things. The post #53 Poggio Bracciolini appeared first on The Renaissance Times ....
May 25, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 53
In the year 1417, 17 years before Cosimo De Medici took control of Florence, a man called Gian Francesco Poggio Bracciolini went hunting in the middle of Germany. Hunting for manuscripts. Thanks to Poggio, we have today several masterpieces of Roman literature, including Quintilian’s Institutio Oratoria, Vitruvius’ De Architectura, and Lucretius’ On The Nature Of Things. The post #53 Poggio Bracciolini appeared first on The Renaissance Times ....
May 25, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 53
The return of Cosimo de Medici! On 5 October, 1434, Cosimo arrived at his villa outside Florence and stopped for some food. The Signoria sent him a message begging him NOT to arrive that day, because they thought it would cause a riot. So he sneaks in at night and goes straight to visit the Pope. Rinaldo degli Albizzi, his sons and descendants were all banished from Florence, as were many families of the oligarchy. The Medici family rule supreme. But, like Augustus Caesar 1450 year earlier, Cosi...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 52
The return of Cosimo de Medici! On 5 October, 1434, Cosimo arrived at his villa outside Florence and stopped for some food. The Signoria sent him a message begging him NOT to arrive that day, because they thought it would cause a riot. So he sneaks in at night and goes straight to visit the Pope. Rinaldo degli Albizzi, his sons and descendants were all banished from Florence, as were many families of the oligarchy. The Medici family rule supreme. But, like Augustus Caesar 1450 year earlier, Cosi...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 52
By April 1434, six months after Cosimo de Medici’s banishment, the people were turning against Rinaldo degli Albizzi. Even the banking families weren’t supporting him, not sure he could be around much longer. According to Cosimo, nobody could be persuaded to fill the city treasury ‘with so much as a pistachio nut’. He was so unpopular, that supporters of Cosimo were elected to all 8 seats on the Signoria and a Medici business partner from the wool guild even ended up as gonfaloniere. Albizzi fir...
May 02, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 51
By April 1434, six months after Cosimo de Medici’s banishment, the people were turning against Rinaldo degli Albizzi. Even the banking families weren’t supporting him, not sure he could be around much longer. According to Cosimo, nobody could be persuaded to fill the city treasury ‘with so much as a pistachio nut’. He was so unpopular, that supporters of Cosimo were elected to all 8 seats on the Signoria and a Medici business partner from the wool guild even ended up as gonfaloniere. Albizzi fir...
May 02, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 51
So Cosimo de Medici is sent into exile by his enemies. As is the rest of the family. But at least he’s alive. And the business survived. So he’s still FILTHY rich. It could have been a lot worse. He ends up living at the San Giorgio Maggiore monastery in Venice. Florence is in the control of the Albizzi and the old oligarchy. But the Medici money spigot has been turned off. They aren’t around to bail the city out when it gets into financial trouble – as it always does. The post #50 The Rise Of T...
Apr 26, 2019•59 min
So Cosimo de Medici is sent into exile by his enemies. As is the rest of the family. But at least he’s alive. And the business survived. So he’s still FILTHY rich. It could have been a lot worse. He ends up living at the San Giorgio Maggiore monastery in Venice. Florence is in the control of the Albizzi and the old oligarchy. But the Medici money spigot has been turned off. They aren’t around to bail the city out when it gets into financial trouble – as it always does. The post #50 The Rise Of T...
Apr 26, 2019•59 min
Albizzi tries to get the Signoria to pass the death sentence on Cosimo. Meanwhile, Cosimo waits nervously for his brother Lorenzo, Niccolo da Tolentino and his mercenaries to rescue him from his cell, while expecting his execution to come at any time. The post #49 The Rise Of The Medici (part 11) appeared first on The Renaissance Times ....
Apr 11, 2019•41 min
Albizzi tries to get the Signoria to pass the death sentence on Cosimo. Meanwhile, Cosimo waits nervously for his brother Lorenzo, Niccolo da Tolentino and his mercenaries to rescue him from his cell, while expecting his execution to come at any time. The post #49 The Rise Of The Medici (part 11) appeared first on The Renaissance Times .
Apr 11, 2019•41 min
Florence’s war with Lucca was like the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. It set off a string of conflicts across northern Italy. When Cosimo gets back to the city, he finds it in chaos and broke. So he bails it out. And then he gets arrested. The post #48 The Rise Of The Medici (part 10) appeared first on The Renaissance Times .
Apr 03, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 48
Florence’s war with Lucca was like the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. It set off a string of conflicts across northern Italy. When Cosimo gets back to the city, he finds it in chaos and broke. So he bails it out. And then he gets arrested. The post #48 The Rise Of The Medici (part 10) appeared first on The Renaissance Times .
Apr 03, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 48
When the Florentines attack the town of Lucca in 1430, Milan sends mercenary Francesco Sforza to their defense. The Florentines, outmatched militarily, do what rich people always do when they get in trouble – they bribe their way out of it. The post #47 The Rise Of The Medici (part 9) appeared first on The Renaissance Times .
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 47
When the Florentines attack the town of Lucca in 1430, Milan sends mercenary Francesco Sforza to their defense. The Florentines, outmatched militarily, do what rich people always do when they get in trouble – they bribe their way out of it. The post #47 The Rise Of The Medici (part 9) appeared first on The Renaissance Times .
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 47
While in Rome, Cosimo gets himself a sexy slave girl – Maddalena. And when Papa Joe dies, Cosi took over as head of the family. He decided the Medici should have a genuine palazzo of their own and commissioned old mate Bruno to design something nice. And he also commissioned sculptor Donatello to produce a bronze statue of David. Then Rinaldo degli Albizzi, the leader of the old oligarchy families, decides to fight back against the new taxation system by starting a war. The post #46 The Rise Of ...
Mar 15, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 46
While in Rome, Cosimo gets himself a sexy slave girl – Maddalena. And when Papa Joe dies, Cosi took over as head of the family. He decided the Medici should have a genuine palazzo of their own and commissioned old mate Bruno to design something nice. And he also commissioned sculptor Donatello to produce a bronze statue of David. Then Rinaldo degli Albizzi, the leader of the old oligarchy families, decides to fight back against the new taxation system by starting a war. The post #46 The Rise Of ...
Mar 15, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Papa Joe Medici dies, leaving control of the Medici Bank and the family fortune – now the largest in Italy – to his son, Cosimo Di Giovanni de Medici. The post #45 The Rise Of The Medici (part 7) appeared first on The Renaissance Times ....
Mar 07, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Papa Joe Medici dies, leaving control of the Medici Bank and the family fortune – now the largest in Italy – to his son, Cosimo Di Giovanni de Medici. The post #45 The Rise Of The Medici (part 7) appeared first on The Renaissance Times ....
Mar 07, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 45
The Medici continue their rise to power. In 1421, Papa Joe became gonfaloniere. Around the same time, Pope Marty finally appointed the Medici as the papal bankers. And Papa Joe retires and hands over control of the bank to his two sons – Cosimo and Lorenzo. Then in 1422, Florence gets involved in a costly war with Milan, which bankrupts the city and gives rise to the castato taxation system – a new way of taxing the rich. The post #44 The Rise Of The Medici (part 6) appeared first on The Renaiss...
Mar 01, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 44
The Medici continue their rise to power. In 1421, Papa Joe became gonfaloniere. Around the same time, Pope Marty finally appointed the Medici as the papal bankers. And Papa Joe retires and hands over control of the bank to his two sons – Cosimo and Lorenzo. Then in 1422, Florence gets involved in a costly war with Milan, which bankrupts the city and gives rise to the castato taxation system – a new way of taxing the rich. The post #44 The Rise Of The Medici (part 6) appeared first on The Renaiss...
Mar 01, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 44
So Ziggy declared John XXIII was deposed and thrown in jail. The other popes were encouraged – by showing them a stake with wood stacked around it no doubt – to drop their claims to the title. And the Great Schism was finally healed – but electing an entirely NEW pope in 1417 – Martin V. Possibly the fattest and ugliest pope ever. But Ziggy is keeping ol’ Baldy a prisoner until someone pays a massive ransom. And, of course, Ziggy turns to his BFF – ol’ Joey Medici. The post #43 The Rise Of The M...
Feb 14, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 43
So Ziggy declared John XXIII was deposed and thrown in jail. The other popes were encouraged – by showing them a stake with wood stacked around it no doubt – to drop their claims to the title. And the Great Schism was finally healed – but electing an entirely NEW pope in 1417 – Martin V. Possibly the fattest and ugliest pope ever. But Ziggy is keeping ol’ Baldy a prisoner until someone pays a massive ransom. And, of course, Ziggy turns to his BFF – ol’ Joey Medici. The post #43 The Rise Of The M...
Feb 14, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In 1414, the future Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund (aka Ziggy Stardust) suggested to Mr Baldy (aka Baldassare Cossa aka Pope John XXIII) that he should get all of the active Popes – John XXIII, Gregory XII and Benedict XIII – together for a big party to work out the pope situation. Baldy said…. sure, Okay, I’ve heard Cam & Ray say NEVER GO TO PARTIES, but I’m game as long as you promise my safety. Ziggy said…. I PROMISE. Someone else he promised would be safe was Jan Hus, the Czech theologian ...
Feb 07, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In 1414, the future Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund (aka Ziggy Stardust) suggested to Mr Baldy (aka Baldassare Cossa aka Pope John XXIII) that he should get all of the active Popes – John XXIII, Gregory XII and Benedict XIII – together for a big party to work out the pope situation. Baldy said…. sure, Okay, I’ve heard Cam & Ray say NEVER GO TO PARTIES, but I’m game as long as you promise my safety. Ziggy said…. I PROMISE. Someone else he promised would be safe was Jan Hus, the Czech theologian ...
Feb 07, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 42
