The Medici

Wealthy bankers, wise politicians, patrons of the arts, glittering dukes... so runs the traditional telling of the story of the Medici, the family that ruled Florence for two hundred years and inspired the birth of the Italian Renaissance.

In this definitive account of their rise and fall, Mary Hollingsworth argues that the idea that the Medici were wise rulers and enlightened fathers of the Renaissance is a fiction. In truth, she says, the Medici were as devious and immoral as the Borgias - tyrants loathed in the city they illegally made their own and which they beggared in their lust for power.

£14.99
No longer available

More details

Material Paperback
Dimensions 19.8 x 3.2 x 13cm
EAN/ISBN 9781803281254
No. of Pages 480
SKU 12095880

Delivery & Returns

UK Delivery

Enjoy free shipping on all UK orders above £50. For orders below £50, shipping is £4.95. We aim to deliver your order within 3-5 working days.

International Delivery

Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout, based on weight and destination. 

For all orders outside the UK, VAT is deducted from your order at checkout. Your order may be subject to customs duties, taxes and courier charges. You are responsible for paying these charges. Please check with your local customs office for more information.

Temporary Suspension of Shipping to EU, EEA and Northern Ireland

Due to obligations arising from the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), we regret that we are temporarily unable to dispatch orders to the EU, EEA or Northern Ireland. We will resume shipping to these regions once regulatory standards are met or the legislation is amended. We are very grateful for your understanding and patience during this adjustment period.


For more information please refer to our Delivery Info and Returns & Refunds pages.

Product story

Mary Hollingsworth is a scholar of the Italian Renaissance and the author of The Medici, which was widely praised on its publication by Head of Zeus in 2017, Princes of the Renaissance, published in 2021 and Conclave 1559: The Story of a Papal Election (2021). Her other books include The Cardinal's HatThe Borgias: History's Most Notorious Dynasty and Patronage in Renaissance Italy: From 1400 to the Early Sixteenth Century.

Reviews