Cosimo De' Medici [Paperback]

K. Dorothea Ewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

In many ways, he was the father of the Renaissance, or at least its midwife, taking the reins of Florence in 1433 and leading it to a cultural apex that has, perhaps, yet to be rivaled by any municipality since. Cosimo De' Medici, master of a city-state, diplomat and statesman, ruled a Florence that was "in miniature an empire," as this 1899 biography calls it, where painters and thinkers created new movements of art, philosophy, and science that, in turn, created our world today. This is a fascinating look at the man who shepherded Florence through that dramatic period, from his foreign policy that nurtured the city's cosmopolitanism to his fostering of a social and cultural environment in which literature and art flourished.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

From the Back Cover

In many ways, he was the father of the Renaissance, or at least its midwife, taking the reins of Florence in 1433 and leading it to a cultural apex that has, perhaps, yet to be rivaled by any municipality since.

Cosimo De' Medici, master of a city-state, diplomat and statesman, ruled a Florence that was "in miniature an empire," as this 1899 biography calls it, where painters and thinkers created new movements of art, philosophy, and science that, in turn, created our world today.

This is a fascinating look at the man who shepherded Florence through that dramatic period, from his foreign policy that nurtured the city's cosmopolitanism to his fostering of a social and cultural environment in which literature and art flourished.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Cosimo Classics (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596059311
• ISBN-13: 978-1596059313
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,661,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Readable and Concise, February 22, 2007

By 

Anthony Iozzo (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cosimo De' Medici (Paperback)

I am a general reader of history. The renaissance period has been an interest of mine since my first trip to Florence. For those who also share the same enthusiasm reading a biography of Cosimo De' Medici is essential.
Cosimo De' Medici in my opinion is the epitome of the renaissance statesman. I also believe his reputation tends to be unfairly overshawdowed by that of his grandson Lorenzo De' Medici. Cosimo built lasting monuments, consolidated the Medici regime, and ruled for thirty years (longer than that of Lorenzo).

This book is mainly a political biography of Cosimo. The focus is on his life after assuming power in 1434. I would have liked to learn more of his earlier life and influences. However this is of no fault the author since there is a lack of available sources. Overall a very readable book for a general reader such as myself.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Warning--A Reprint, August 3, 2008

By 

Richard W. Hoover Sr. (Old Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cosimo De' Medici (Kindle Edition)

I have not really begun this book. However, the reader should know that this is a nineteenth century publication, not something current, as the Kindle description, price and cover suggest. Moreover, the first couple pages strike me as wordy and, maybe, a bit affected-- what one might expect to find in histories from the Victorian period.