HISTORY LESSONS
All in the Family... Medici Style
The vast majority of historical characters mentioned in The Medici Quest are real.
The House of Medici had significant influence in the city of Florence, the region of Tuscany and beyond for three centuries. Try to imagine the family of George Washington holding a position of power within the United States since its founding or the Roosevelts being only 120 years into a 300 year reign.
Not only did the Medici rule in Florence for all but a few years from 1434 to 1737, the family line produced four popes of the Roman Catholic Church and numerous other dignitaries, including two queens of France.
Starting in the mid-1400s, the Medici’s support for art, science and the humanities played a major role in the rise of the Renaissance period. Many artists of the time received backing from the Medici, which allowed those like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Filippo Brunelleschi to create art and architecture that is among the most revered in history. Michelangelo even lived with the Medici family for a period of time.
Cosimo Medici sparked a family interest in books and amassed an impressive collection for the time. His chief book scout, Poggio Bracciolini, traveled throughout Europe—as well as Syria, Egypt and Greece—looking for special volumes for the collection. Cosimo funded the start of at least three libraries, while other family members later commissioned the building of the Laurentian Library in 1571.
Learn more about the Medici dynasty at themedicifamily.com.
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Mehmed the (Academic) Conqueror
Another historical character who plays a small, but vital, role in the plot of The Medici Quest is Sultan Mehmed. The Sultan—known as Mehmed the Conqueror—captured Constantinople in 1453 and expanded the Ottoman Empire in ways that concerned many in nearby Italy, including Pope Pius II.
In contrast to his brutal crusades, Mehmed acquired a large collection of Western art, including many produced by Renaissance artists. He also wrote poetry and built a massive library that contained more than 8,000 manuscripts. One of those manuscripts was an early copy of Homer's Iliad.
Upon Mehmed's death, sons Bayezid and Cem fought for the throne, with Bayezid winning and Cem going into exile. Just as described in The Medici Quest, Cem spent several years in exile on the island of Rhodes, both as a guest and a prisoner of the Knights of St John. Cem was known to have many talents. He could speak several languages, produced noteworthy drawings and wrote poetry.
Florence, Italy (iStock Photo:SCStock)