| Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence Contributor(s): Parks, Tim (Author) |
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ISBN: 0393328457 ISBN-13: 9780393328455 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company OUR PRICE: $16.19 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: May 2006 Annotation: The remarkable story of the Renaissance's preeminent financiers. "A swift and brilliant synthesis of finance, politics, and history."--Ben Sisario, "New York Times Book Review" Their name is a byword for immense wealth and power, but before their renown as art patrons and noblemen the Medicis built their fortune on banking--specifically, on lending money at interest. Banking in the fifteenth century, even at the height of the Renaissance, meant running afoul of the Catholic Church's prohibition against usury. It required more than merely financial skills to make a profit, and the legendary Medicis--most famously Cosimo and Lorenzo ("the Magnificent")--were masterly in wielding the political, diplomatic, military, and even metaphysical tools that were needed to maintain their family's position. In this brisk and witty narrative, Tim Parks uncovers the intrigues, dodges, and moral qualities that gave the Medicis their edge. Vividly evoking the richness of the Florentine Renaissance and the Medicis' glittering circle, replete with artists, popes, and kings, Medici Money is a brilliant look into the origins of modern banking and its troubled relationship with art and religion. 14 illustrations. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Business & Economics | Economic History - History | Europe - Renaissance |
| Dewey: 332.109 |
| Series: Enterprise (W.W. Norton Paperback) |
| Physical Information: 0.71" H x 5.92" W x 7.88" (0.57 lbs) 288 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 15th Century - Cultural Region - Italy |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Before they achieved renown as patrons of the arts and de facto rulers of Florence, the Medici family earned their fortune in banking. But even at the height of the Renaissance, charging interest of any kind meant running afoul of the Catholic Church's ban on usury. Tim Parks reveals how the legendary Medicis--Cosimo and Lorenzo "the Magnificent" in particular--used the diplomatic, military, and even metaphysical tools at hand, along with a healthy dose of intrigue and wit, to further their fortunes as well as their family's standing. |
Contributor Bio(s): Parks, Tim: - Tim Parks was born in Manchester, England, in 1954, grew up in London, and has lived in Italy since 1981. His novels include Europa, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and he is the author of several nonfiction accounts of life in Italy, including Italian Neighbors and An Italian Education. During his years in Italy, Parks has translated works by Italo Calvino, Roberto Calasso, Alberto Moravia, and Machiavelli. He is a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books, for which he blogs. |