The Medici Podcast

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The Medici might not have the decadent drama of the Borgias, but they took center stage in the story of the formation of the modern Western world, from helping mold the Renaissance to trying to quell the Protestant Reformation to sponsoring and then tryin

Chad Denton


    • May 17, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 23m AVG DURATION
    • 85 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Medici Podcast

    Episode 76: The People's Grand Duke

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 23:05


    After his brother's hands-off approach to ruling, Grand Duke Ferdinando I instead tends to the economic health of his state and his people.

    Episode 75: Day of the Dupes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 31:29


    Marie de' Medici believes she finally triumphed over her protege turned archenemy Richelieu and has secured her place as Louis XIII's benevolent advisor. As the proverb goes, though, pride goeth before a fall...

    Episode 74: Baroque Queen

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 20:32


    Marie de' Medici goes to war against her own son. On a less violent front, she also oversees her most important legacy, a prime example of Baroque art. http://medicipodcast.com

    Episode 73: There Is No Middle Ground

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 20:12


    Marie de' Medici's hope of staying in power by keeping her son in line indefinitely falls apart thanks to a love affair, and her friends pay a heavy price. Still, the Medici aren't known for accepting even the most devastating of defeats, and Marie is no exception.

    Episode 72: How to Raise a Teenage King

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2025 18:44


    Even amidst challenges to her rule, the new queen regent Marie de' Medici is sure that she has her son, King Louis XIII, firmly in line, at least for now.

    Episode 71: Royal Dysfunction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 25:34


    Marie de' Medici finds herself in a turbulent domestic life with an adulterous husband and a troubled son. And history is going to repeat, propelling her toward a more dramatic role.

    Episode 70: Poor Little Rich Girl

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 20:31


    We wrap up with the shoddy and bloody reign of Grand Duke Francesco and meet his daughter Maria, the lonely girl destined become the other Medici queen of France.

    Episode 69: A Deadly Scandal

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 17:19


    The reign of Grand Duke Francesco was inflicted with multiple scandals, but none were worse than the fates of the Grand Duke's own sister and sister-in-law.

    Episode 68 - The Ghetto

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 17:12


    Cosimo's legacy was to give Florence stability and prosperity it had not known in about half a century, but there is a much darker side to that legacy too.

    Episode 67: Making the Medici Legend

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 15:41


    Besides being a political reformer, Cosimo was also a master at using art and literature to glorify not only himself, but his ancestors.

    Episode 66: The Conquest of Tuscany (Mostly)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 19:00


    Although kept on a leash by the Emperor Charles V, Cosimo I completes Florence's consolidation of the rest of Tuscany...except for one hold-out.

    Episode 65: Building a State

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 23:34


    Now secure in his reign, Cosimo sets about building something like a modern state. But was he a reformer, a tyrant, or something in-between?

    Episode 64: The Medici Phoenix

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 17:55


    In the wake of Alessandro de' Medici's assassination, the Medici family's country cousin Cosimo becomes the new duke. Right away, he has to fight for his throne and prove that he is no pawn.

    Episode 63: Anticlimax

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024 36:43


    The Wars of Religion reaches its crescendo with a three-way struggle, and Catherine watches as her most beloved child makes a horrific and bloody mistake that would prove too much for her to bear. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon. You can also drop some change in the tip jar and see my other work here.

    Episode 62: Misery and Worry

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 28:50


    Henri tries to get comfortable as king surrounded by his minions and scholars while Catherine's problem son, François d'Alençon, helps cause the Wars of Religion to break out again.

    Episode 61: The Favorite

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024 28:01


    With an atrocity between them, Catherine de' Medici's relationship with her son King Charles IX falls apart. She can take pride in her favorite son Henri's election as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, although unfortunately her beloved child decides he hates his new job.

    Episode 60: Massacre

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 20:23


    Catherine de' Medici and King Charles IX lash out against perceived enemies only to release a horror beyond their control, one that will stain Catherine's image forever.

    Episode 59: Eve of an Atrocity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024 20:41


    Catherine seems to have finally ended the religious civil war, a lasting peace that would be sealed with the marriage of her glamorous daughter Margot and the Protestant great hope Henri de Bourbon. But no one saw the storm that was coming... Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon.

    Episode 58: Everyone's a Martyr

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 31:56


    The war between Catholics and Protestants in France finally erupts in earnest. Catherine travels across France with Charles IX to try to calm the volcano, but her own patience with the increasingly desperate Protestants is wearing thin...

    Episode 57: Under Pressure

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 22:44


    Catherine de' Medici takes the reins under the novel title of Governess of France. Just as she assumes power, a crisis that will overshadow the rest of her life begins to take shape. 

    Episode 56: Queen Mother

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2023 28:42


    Catherine de' Medici's chronically ill son is now King François II of France. Rather than getting to enjoy the perks of being a king's mother, she finds herself caught having to deal with not only the growing tensions between Catholic and Huguenot, but the feud between two powerful families, the Guises and the Bourbons. (Note that I'm going on hiatus until late January. Also, apologies for the sound issue where there's an occasional noise outside my voice. I think I identified the cause and I should have it resolved by the time I return from my January hiatus!). Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon.

    Episode 55: Ménage à trois

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2023 26:30


    Now queen of France, Catherine de' Medici is forced to form a somewhat unorthodox household with her husband Henri Diane de Poitiers. Meanwhile religious persecution and violence have been growing, and Henri prepares to once again face his and his father's nemesis, Emperor Charles V.  Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon.

    Episode 54: The Girl Has Come To Me Completely Naked

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 31:44


    Far from a fairly tale life, to secure her future Catherine de' Medici must overcome snobbery at the royal court, anti-Italian racism, escalating religious and political tensions, her husband's bizarre love for his own surrogate mother Diane de Poitiers, and even her own body's seeming inability to get pregnant with an heir to the French throne.  Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon.

    Episode 53: No Girls Allowed

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2023 17:49


    Catherine de' Medici has just married into the monarchy of France, arguably the oldest surviving Catholic Christian monarchy in Europe. So it's a good time to ask the question that would shape Catherine's life: how was it that a monarchy that barred women and their children from the crown also had a long history of powerful women guiding it?  Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon.

    Episode 52: The Little Duchess

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2023 14:32


    From the start of her life, the orphaned Catherine's life was marred by politics. First, she was destined to be a figurehead for her great-uncle's territorial ambitions. Then she was a hostage blamed for the crimes of her family, and next a pawn on the royal marriage market. No one could have guessed that the future had grander things in store for her than just a marriage to some prince... Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon.

    Episode 51 - Family Feud

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2023 18:47


    Duke Alessandro de' Medici enters a deadly contest with his cousin, Cardinal Ippolito. The real threat, however, may be closer to home.

    Episode 50 - How The Medici Did It

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2023 14:06


    For our 50th episode, I give an overview of how the Medici went from being just one of several powerful banking families to joining the ranks of European royalty and high nobility. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon 

    A Quick Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023 3:16


    Just a brief update on the latest way the Worst Summer Of My Life has messed with me and what that means for the podcast along with what's in store with future episodes.

    Episode 49: Duke

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 26:29


    We leave the Medici papacy behind and look at the life and times of Alessandro de' Medici, the first Medici de facto ruler of Florence and (possibly) a black head of state in Renaissance Europe. The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support the podcast on Patreon and check out my blog/newsletter here.

    Episode 48 - The Emperor and His Pope

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2023 32:42


    Pope Clement VII sells his soul to Emperor Charles V to get back Florence. Part of the bargain includes Clement essentially signing off on the death warrant of the Republic of Florence.

    Episode 47: The Old New Republic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2023 19:03


    Lorenzo the Magnificent's granddaughter Clarice triggers a coup in Florence just by berating the man in charge. Meanwhile Pope Clement is driven to hide in a derelict palace in the mountains and receives an unwelcome visitor all the way from England. The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support us at Patreon.

    Episode 46 - Sack of Rome

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 32:55


    Pope Clement tries once more to loosen Emperor Charles V's grip on Italy, another revolution in Florence is narrowly avoided through one man's incompetence, and the stage is set for one of modern history's most notorious war-time atrocities.

    Episode 45: The Edge of the Abyss

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2023 20:27


    Clement VII brings back the artistic glories of Renaissance Rome, but disaster for himself, his family, and for Rome looms overhead.  The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support us at Patreon.

    rome abyss clement vii renaissance rome jon sayles
    Episode 44: Interregnum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2023 22:11


    After Leo X's sudden death, the Medici are briefly out of power in the papacy. In the meantime, Emperor Charles V changes the landscape of European politics by getting elected as Holy Roman Emperor, and the fate of the Medici family is put in the hands of an orphaned, illegitimate son. Check out images, maps, genealogies, and more at medicipodcast.com. Support me on Patreon

    Episode 43: The Drunken German

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 45:44


    While Pope Leo works with the artist Raphael toward the preservation of Roman antiquities and tries to steer Italy between the deadly rocks of France, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, a little problem crops up to demand his attention. And that little problem had a name: Martin Luther. The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at the Medici Podcast website. Support us at Patreon.

    Episode 42: The Orphan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 22:48


    A new Medici is born amidst tragedy, Pope Leo struggles with the threats posed by France, Spain, and the Holy Roman and Ottoman empires and a deadly conspiracy close to home, and an obscure monk and university lecturer in Germany starts to inspire a bit of controversy.

    Episode 41: The Prince

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2023 22:33


    Pope Leo X goes through his own "annus mirabilis." Meanwhile the next generation of Medici men come into their own: the wannabe aristocrat, Lorenzo "the Younger", and the juvenile delinquent turned freelance mercenary, Giovanni of the Black Bands.

    Episode 40: New World Order

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2022 21:52


    We look at Pope Leo X's reign, from how he got an edition of a pivotal Jewish text dedicated to him to the elaborate practical joke he engineered involving his pet elephant and an old-fashioned Roman triumph. But Leo also has to face the fact that the fate of Europe, especially Italy, now lays in the hands of three young, ambitious, and powerful monarchs.

    Episode 39: The Lion of God

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2022 31:22


    The unlikely partnership between the bookish, affable Giovanni de' Medici and the rough-and-tumble Pope Julius II will finally bring the Medici back to power and set the stage for Giovanni's turn as Pope Leo X, which would prove to be one of the most consequential papal reigns in history for reasons no one could have predicted. Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast

    Episode 38: Mother Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2022 20:39


    The Catholic Church was once the most important, omnipresent institution in Europe. Before we meet the Medici Popes, we'll delve into what exactly the Church did for the people, from providing early nursing homes to giving people one of the few shots at social mobility, and how powerful the Popes really were. Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast Prof. Alec Ryrie on atheism in the Middle Ages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb5mYqnKFlI

    Episode 37: The Exile

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2022 17:18


    Still in exile, Piero de' Medici throws himself on the mercy of the new king of France and Cesare Borgia. But will they prove to be reliable friends? Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast

    Episode 36: The Tigress and the Popolano

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 26:31


    This time, we check in on the sons of Pierfrancesco de' Medici, the brothers Popolano, Lorenzo and Giovanni. While Lorenzo tried to play a small, non-partisan role in Florence's new government, Giovanni fell in love with one of the most famous and daring women of the Renaissance. Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast

    Episode 35: Trial By Ordeal

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2022 25:10


    We conclude Savonarola's story by looking at why one of his most fervent followers decided to try to shut up the growing criticism of Savonarola by resorting to an obsolete medieval ritual and how that decision backfired catastrophically. Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast

    Episode 34: The Borgia Vs. The Prophet

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2022 29:32


    Savonarola may be enjoying the peak of his influence over Florence, but he's made a relentles enemy who just so happens to be a pope and, worse, a Borgia. Meanwhile, Piero and his supporters spin plots for a Medici restoration. Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast

    Episode 33: God's Republic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2022 25:38


    Charles VIII marches on Naples not knowing a brand-new plague is waiting for him, the Medici adapt to the existence of the new republic in different ways, and Savonarola and his allies in government tighten their grip over Florence, even while Rodrigo Borgia closes in on Florence's popular preacher. Check out the website for extra materials and one-time donations: medicipodcast.com Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medicipodcast

    Episode 32: The Friar and the King

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2022 28:15


    Piero de' Medici is gone, and a new rising star is a hotshot preacher named Girolamo Savonarola. Once an itinerant preacher and lecturer, Savonarola now finds himself hobnobbing with King Charles VIII of France and even having a say in Florence's newly rebuilt, Medici-free republic.

    Episode 31: The Flood Comes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2022 21:18


    Piero doesn't get to enjoy being the de facto lord of Florence for long before he has to deal with an impending French invasion of Italy. He decides to imitate his father's boldest move, which would surely work...won't it?

    Episode 30: Piero the Brief

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2022 14:38


    The fourth Medici to come to power as "unofficial lord" of Florence is Lorenzo the Magnificent's son, Piero. Although a strapping, handsome, and popular young man, forces within the regime are already working against him. But the real threat is starting to stir many miles outside of Florence...

    Update for May

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2022 2:03


    An update explaining the brief hiatus and what the planned schedule for the show will be going forward.

    Episode 29: After Me, The Deluge

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 23:26


    We step back from the Medici to look at Europe as a whole circa 1492. The balance of power is shifting and that means, for Medici and Italy as a whole, the flood is coming.

    Episode 28: The End of the Golden Age

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2022 19:16


    The golden age of the Medici's unofficial lordship over Florence is drawing to an end with Lorenzo's death. Here we look back over Lorenzo's legacy as the patron, the politician, and even the embezzler and the human being. Also, what exactly was Lorenzo's contribution to the course of not only Florentine but European history as a whole?

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