Great Courses: How the Medici Shaped the Renaissance by William Landon

 Some scholars have argued that the Medici family of Florence Italy were the main force behind the Italian Renaissance. In this 6 hour series, Professor William Landon attempts to give an unbiased picture of the different members of the Medici family from Giovanni di Bicci to Anna Maria Luisa  and their impact on history. 

I have long been fascinated by the Medici family.  On the one hand they were minor rulers.  Florence in the 1500's only had about 40,000 residents.  On the other hand, they made a big enough impact on the world that almost everyone in the Western world have heard of them.  This series is a good introduction to the dynasty, but because of the other lecture series about Italy I have listened to this year, there wasn't much new information.  I was interested to learn about Anna Maria Luisa, who was the last recognized leader of the family's dynasty, who willed all of the Medici property and art collection to the city of Florence.  It is because of her that much of their collection has stayed intact, and delights visitors to Italy to this day.  Landon focus's primarily on the family's political roles and impact.  I would have liked to have heard more about their interactions with the prominent artists and scholars of their day. Still, Dr. Landon's presentation is well organized and interesting and I would recommended it to anyone interested in the topic. (2021, 12 1/2 hour lectures)