The House of Medici
Its Rise and Fall
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Narrated by:
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Michael Page
About this listen
At its height, Renaissance Florence was a center of enormous wealth, power, and influence. A republican city-state funded by trade and banking, its often bloody political scene was dominated by rich mercantile families, the most famous of which were the Medici. This enthralling book charts the family's huge influence on the political, economic, and cultural history of Florence. Beginning in the early 1430s with the rise of the dynasty under the near-legendary Cosimo de Medici, it moves through their golden era as patrons of some of the most remarkable artists and architects of the Renaissance, to the era of the Medici Popes and Grand Dukes, Florence's slide into decay and bankruptcy, and the end, in 1737, of the Medici line.
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- Narrated by: Jolene Kim
- Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins
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At the age of 16, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, Cixi was chosen as one of the emperor's numerous concubines. When he died in 1861, their five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi at once launched a palace coup against the regents appointed by her husband and made herself the real ruler of China - behind the throne, literally, with a silk screen separating her from her officials who were all male.
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An insult to audiobooks. Get a print version.
- By Reademandweep on 02-23-15
By: Jung Chang
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The Conquering Family
- By: Thomas B. Costain
- Narrated by: David Case
- Length: 13 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Thomas B. Costain's four-volume history of the Plantagenets begins with The Conquering Family and the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066, closing with the reign of John in 1216. The troubled period after the Norman Conquest, when the foundations of government were hammered out between monarch and people, comes to life through Costain's storytelling skill and historical imagination.
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An Entrancing History of the Early Plantegenets
- By Peter on 01-20-09
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Four Princes
- Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe
- By: John Julius Norwich
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
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John Julius Norwich - whom the Wall Street Journal called "the very model of a popular historian" - has crafted a big, bold tapestry of the early 16th century, when Europe and the Middle East were overshadowed by a quartet of legendary rulers, all born within a 10-year period. Against the vibrant background of the Renaissance, these four men laid the foundations for modern Europe and the Middle East, as they collectively impacted the culture, religion, and politics of their respective domains.
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For the most part, very informative.
- By Paula on 02-05-18
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A Distant Mirror
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The 14th century reflects two contradictory images: on the one hand, a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry, and the exquisitely decorated Books of Hours; and on the other, a time of ferocity and spiritual agony, a world of chaos and the plague.
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And you thought the twentieth century was rough...
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Eminence
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Chief minister to King Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu was the architect of a new France in the 17th century, and the force behind the nation's rise as a European power. Among the first statesmen to clearly understand the necessity of a balance of powers, he was one of the early realist politicians, practicing in the wake of Niccol Machiavelli. Truly larger than life, he has captured the imagination of generations, both through his own story and through his portrayal as a ruthless political mastermind in Alexandre Dumas's classic The Three Musketeers.
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Great story boringly told
- By pete k on 09-19-16
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Isabella of Castile
- Europe's First Great Queen
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In 1474, a 23-year-old woman ascended the throne of Castile, the largest and strongest kingdom in Spain. Ahead of her lay the considerable challenge not only of being a young female ruler in an overwhelmingly male-dominated world but also of reforming a major European kingdom that was riddled with crime, corruption, and violent political factionism. Her pivotal reign was long and transformative, uniting Spain and setting the stage for its golden era of global dominance.
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Enlightening
- By Jean on 03-07-17
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Koh-i-Noor
- The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond
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On 29 March 1849, the 10-year-old Maharajah of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the centre of the great Fort in Lahore. There, in a public ceremony, the frightened but dignified child handed over to the British East India Company in a formal act of submission not only swathes of the richest land in India but also arguably the single most valuable object in the subcontinent: the celebrated Koh-i-Noor diamond. The Mountain of Light.
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Fascinating
- By Jean on 07-08-17
By: Anita Anand, and others
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Henry VIII: King and Court
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This magnificent biography of Henry VIII is set against the cultural, social and political background of his court - the most spectacular court ever seen in England - and the splendour of his many sumptuous palaces. An entertaining narrative packed with colourful description and a wealth of anecdotal evidence, but also a comprehensive analytical study of the development of both monarch and court during a crucial period in English history.
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A concise focus with tremendous detail
- By kwdayboise (Kim Day) on 05-24-17
By: Alison Weir
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Marie Therese, Child of Terror
- The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter
- By: Susan Nagel
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Nagel tells a remarkable story of an astonishing woman, from her birth, to her upbringing by doting parents, through to Revolution, imprisonment, exile, Restoration, and, finally, her reincarnation as saint and matriarch.
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Essential reading for students of Bourbon history
- By Adeliese Baumann on 03-07-13
By: Susan Nagel
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Elizabeth
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- By: John Guy
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings
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Elizabeth was crowned at 25 after a tempestuous childhood as a bastard and an outcast, but it was only when she reached 50 and all hopes of a royal marriage were dashed that she began to wield real power in her own right. For 25 years she had struggled to assert her authority over advisers who pressed her to marry and settle the succession; now, she was determined not only to reign but also to rule.
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worth the credit
- By Lesley on 04-19-17
By: John Guy
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Great book, Horrible narrator
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The Lives of the Artists
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Awesome
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How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance
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In How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance, you’ll study the remarkable trajectory of the Medici from the late 14th century to 1737, when the Medici dynasty ended. Across that span of time, you’ll witness the birth of the Italian Renaissance, and the rise of the Medici as an economic powerhouse under founder Giovanni de’ Medici. You’ll learn how the Medici came to dominate Florence and how they played diverse roles in politics, religion, and culture.
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Not for non history buffs
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History brought to life!
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The name Borgia is synonymous with the corruption, nepotism, and greed that were rife in Renaissance Italy. The powerful, voracious Rodrigo Borgia, better known to history as Pope Alexander VI, was the central figure of the dynasty. Two of his seven papal offspring also rose to power and fame. The Borgias were notorious for seizing power, wealth, land, and titles through bribery, marriage, and murder. The story of the family's dramatic rise from its Spanish roots to the highest position in Italian society is an absorbing tale.
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Catherine de' Medici
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Don’t bother
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Complete trash.
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Botticelli's Secret
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Some 500 years ago, Sandro Botticelli, a painter of humble origin, created work of unearthly beauty. An intimate associate of Florence’s unofficial rulers, the Medici, he was commissioned by a member of their family to execute a near-impossible project: to illustrate all 100 cantos of The Divine Comedy by the city’s greatest poet, Dante Alighieri. A powerful encounter between poet and artist, sacred and secular, earthly and evanescent, these drawings produced a wealth of stunning images but were never finished.
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Great story
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The Pursuit of Italy
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Did Garibaldi do Italy a disservice when he helped its disparate parts achieve unity? Was the goal of political unification a mistake? These questions are asked and answered in a number of ways in this engaging, original consideration of the many histories that contribute to the brilliance - and weakness - of Italy today. David Gilmour's exploration of Italian life over the centuries is filled with provocative anecdotes as well as personal observations.
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Good history: Tough Narration
- By C.S. on 11-12-18
By: David Gilmour
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The Rival Queens
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Catherine de' Medici was a ruthless pragmatist and powerbroker who dominated the throne for 30 years. Her youngest daughter, Marguerite, the glamorous "Queen Margot," was a passionate free spirit, the only adversary whom her mother could neither intimidate nor control.
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Definitely not a dull bio!
- By Nella on 07-04-15
By: Nancy Goldstone
What listeners say about The House of Medici
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Itsinthemusic
- 06-16-21
Great Overview / Fantastic Narrator
This is a compelling introductory to the Medici, the times in which they lived, their corruptions and contributions to Florence, and their drive to further their family legacy. I found this to be an easy read despite the many foreign names and personalities, and this was aided in no small measure from the absolutely superb Audible narration.
My only recommendation would be for the book to include a picture of the family tree and maps of Florence and Italy.
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- Julie S.
- 02-02-20
A Must Read for any Visitor to Florence
Hibbert presents the highs and lows, and everything in between,,of the Medicis in an authoritative and very entertaining way. A wonderful introduction to the wonders of Florence and the family responsible for much of it.
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- mark lewicki
- 08-13-18
Very boring story
This was my summer reading book and I️ had to listen to this entire book the day before school started. The story was alright, I️ think it could’ve been written better so that it wasn’t basically like reading a textbook
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- jmaillard
- 08-24-17
A book for history buffs.
I would have loved to learn more about Catherine de Medici, the French regent. Fun stories to listen to.
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- RandyM713
- 09-14-20
No need for Hollywood here
A true picture of the Medici very much worth the time and an excellent performance
The Medici simple the truth... does not need Hollywood's lies to be entertaining
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- wbiro
- 01-12-17
Good History
I listened without knowing that the book was written over 40 years ago, and I could not tell - a good history book is a good history book, no matter when it was written. In lesser books, you may detect a period perspective (positive or negative innuendoes toward each issue), but I did not detect any period perspectives here.
The book trailed-off in interest near the end, and I realized that it was no fault of the author - it was the nature of the family itself as the later generations lost interest and finally died out (it was a good run - around 200 years of being significant).
What was really fascinating was how people thought back in the 1300's - and that the focus of human endeavor was largely no different than today (accumulating material things, trying to impress one another), and the social institutions (for example banking) were quite developed, which made me wonder how far back in history such sophistication really went. I was also struck by the general maturity of the people covered (though misguided and misplaced, lacking any truly enlightened overall life-guiding philosophy, which, in all fairness, still does not exist) (except for the Philosophy of Broader Survival, so find it and read it), I was thinking, "This is a world of adults" (contrast that with today's youth-centric environment, at least from America's marketing, media, and entertainment standpoint, and this book will be refreshingly mature).
I had heard of the family name many times in my travels through history, so I finally 'dug-in' and read some hard, specific history, which is always a daunting task, but usually rewarding, and this book was both. Good that it was audio, so I could multitask. The very least of the things I learned was how to properly pronounce their name - ME-di-chi (short e),rather than going by its misdirecting English appearance, Me-DEE-CEE. Aren't I sophisticated now.
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- just a girl
- 11-14-18
All around A+
This book was fascinating! The story was told in a way that I felt I was in Florence, I felt that I was part of the story. Well done!
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5 people found this helpful
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- Betty Johnson
- 01-12-17
Narration was Excellent
Centuries of Medici Family history and events are researched and explained in a thorough and meaningful manner. Personalities and relationships are presented with adequate detail and incorporated into the fabric of historical context.
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- Terence Lowery
- 05-02-21
Mediccis built Florence
One of the most influential families in the history of the world are revealed in this fascinating narrative.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Wendy
- 11-14-21
A world I never knew about.
The history is fantastic and ties together so many things: art, philosophy, religion and a family dynasty.
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